Game recap: Michigan grabs back-to-back wins over OSU for first time since 2000

Michigan football went down to Columbus and pulled a rabbit out of its hat against the Ohio State Buckeyes, winning 45-23 to grab its first victory in The Horseshoe since 2000. It is also the first time since 1999-2000 that the Wolverines have won back-to-back games in the series.

Here is a recap from a wild afternoon in Columbus.

First quarter

Michigan won the opening coin toss and elected to defer, putting its defense on the field to start the game. The Buckeyes got on the board first thanks to a 12-play, 81-yard drive that ended in a 4-yard touchdown pass from QB C.J. Stroud to WR Emeka Egbuka. The Buckeyes took the early 7-0 lead after the extra point at the 10:02 mark.

The Wolverines countered by going 44 yards in 10 plays on the ensuing possession, but would settle for a 49-yard field goal from graduate kicker Jake Moody. Michigan trailed 7-3 after the make with 6:07 to go in the first quarter. OSU drove back down the field on the next drive, going 58 yards in 10 plays, but the Michigan defense stepped up in the red zone. The Buckeyes settled for a 32-yard field goal from Noah Ruggles, extending their lead to 10-3 with 1:19 left in the quarter.

The first quarter would end with Michigan facing a third-and-5 on its own 30-yard line trailing 10-3.

Second quarter

A pass from sophomore QB J.J. McCarthy to graduate WR Ronnie Bell fell incomplete, forcing a punt from Michigan down to the OSU 30-yard line. The Buckeyes went 36 yards in 8 plays, but an incomplete pass on fourth-and-2 turned the ball over on downs to Michigan at its own 34-yard line with 11:31 to go. Michigan’s offense would go 3-and-out on its following possession, punting down to the OSU 22-yard line. The defense answered the call again, limiting OSU to 11 yards on 4 plays and a punt into the end zone for a touchback. A holding call on OSU gave Michigan the ball at its own 30-yard line with 9 minutes to go in the second quarter.

Michigan finally found some life on offense on a third-and-9 play that changed the half. McCarthy found senior wideout Cornelius Johnson on a third-down conversion at the sticks that turned into a 69-yard touchdown with 7:26 left in the second quarter to tie the game at 10-10.

The Buckeyes put a field goal on the board on their next drive, a 47-yarder from Ruggles to take the lead back at 13-10 with 5:36 remaining in the half. Michigan struck right back on its first offensive play that followed with McCarthy hitting Johnson – their second touchdown connection of the day – from 75 yards out to take a 17-13 lead after the extra point with 5:24 left.

OSU would respond right back with a four-play, 79-yard drive capped off by a touchdown from Stroud to star wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. to take a 20-17 lead after the extra point with 3:49 remaining. That would be the score at halftime.

Third quarter

Michigan struck first coming out of the locker room on a 45-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy to freshman tight end Colston Loveland, taking the lead back at 24-20 with 11:56 to go in the third quarter. The Wolverines forced another OSU punt out of the gate, but the Buckeyes would make Michigan go three-and-out before a Brad Robbins punt to the Michigan 48-yard line with 8:03 left. The two teams traded sequences back and forth, but the Wolverines would head into the fourth quarter up 24-20 with Michigan driving to extend its lead.

Fourth quarter

The Wolverines were able to close out a long touchdown drive that went 80 yards in 15 plays, finished by a McCarthy 3-yard run to go up 31-20 with 13:10 to go. The defense then forced another Ohio State three-and-out, giving way for the Michigan offense to go for the kill shot. The Wolverines would stall on offense and send Moody out for a 57-yard field goal attempt that went barely left. U-M still held a 31-20 lead with 9:21 to play.

Michigan had OSU at a third-and-8 from its own 41-yard line before Stroud hit Egbuka for 44 yards down to the U-M 15-yard line. The Wolverine defense held again thanks to a pass breakup in the end zone from senior defensive back Mike Sainristil on third down. OSU would settle for a field goal and narrow the deficit to 31-23 with 7:23 to play.

On the very next play from scrimmage, sophomore running back Donovan Edwards ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run to silence the Ohio Stadium crowd, putting Michigan up 38-23 with 7:11 remaining in the game.

The Buckeyes were able to drive all the way down to the U-M 16-yard line before Stroud was intercepted by graduate EDGE Taylor Upshaw on an attempted underhand-flip pass. Michigan would take over on its own 8-yard line with 4:19 left. Edwards would shut the door on the Buckeyes with an 85-yard touchdown run to help Michigan to a 45-23 lead with 3:19 to play. Junior safety Makari Paige closed things out with an interception with 1:48 remaining.

Michigan kneeled to run out the clock. Now U-M is heading back to Indianapolis for the second year in a row.

Michigan at Ohio State box score