The Michigan Wolverines football team arrived in Columbus, Ohio to take on the school’s biggest rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes. What ensued was part shocking, part jaw dropping, and part clinical. Without star running back Blake Corum, who tried to play on an injured left knee. The beatdown the Wolverines put on Ohio State was historical, but was it calculated? Let’s take a look.
10 yards rushing at halftime. The Michigan Wolverines bread-n-butter is, was and most likely will be going forward their rushing attack. Instead Michigan took to the air for three long touchdown passes from quarterback JJ McCarthy. Ohio State loaded the box to stop the run and Michigan torched the Buckeyes over the top with passes.
10 yards rushing at halftime. The Wolverines came out for the second half and magically could run the football again, and again, and again. Donovan Edwards, playing with a broken hand, carried the ball 22 times for 216 yards, 2 touchdowns, averaging 9.8 yards per carry with his longest run being 85 yards to the endzone.
Did Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh have the perfect game plan? Was not focusing on the run in the first half part of that plan? Afterall, the Michigan coaching staff knew Ohio State would key the run after the Wolverines had run through them in 2021.
28-3 in the second half. The Michigan Wolverines defense is ranked #1 in the country. The second half saw the Wolverines put the clamps on CJ Stroud and the Ohio State offense by giving up just one lone field goal. The highly praised, highly touted Buckeye offense was embarrassed by the nations top defense. Stroud would throw two second half interceptions and Ohio State’s talented WR, Marvin Harrison JR was basically invisible the second half.
Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines coaching staff put on a clinic in Columbus. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was outcoached. The 45-23 beatdown of Ohio State in Columbus was the largest margin of victory for Michigan over their rival since 1946.
The Michigan Wolverines will play the Purdue Boilermakers next Saturday, for the Big Ten Championship.
