Michigan football tops Ohio State, likely ending Buckeyes' national title hopes

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ohio State's latest loss to Michigan wasn't a blowout like the previous two.

The sting hurts no less.

No. 2 Ohio State rallied from 11 points down to tie the game in the third quarter, but its defense couldn't get the stops it needed in No. 3 Michigan's 30-24 victory at Michigan Stadium.

Not since 1995-97 has Ohio State (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) lost three straight to their archrivals.

This defeat is particularly painful because of the circumstances. Ohio State's chance for its first Big Ten title since 2020 is gone. Almost certainly gone is the Buckeyes' chance for a trip to the College Football Playoff. Adding insult to the defeat is that the Wolverines (12-0, 9-0) did it without coach Jim Harbaugh, who was serving the last game of his three-game suspension tied to the Wolverines' sign-stealing scandal.

Ohio State football: Oller: Loss a referendum on Ryan Day, who has lost three straight to Wolverines

"We know what this game means to so many people, and so to come up short is certainly crushing, not only just because you invest your whole year in it," said Ohio State coach Ryan Day, whose only win in the rivalry came in his first season. "We know at Ohio State what this game means, and so there's a locker room in there that's devastated."

The Buckeyes never led and had to play from behind almost the whole game after Michigan scored after an early interception. Ohio State tied the game at 17 midway through the third quarter, but its defense, so stout all year, couldn't deliver.

Michigan scored on all four of its second-half possessions.

"We just didn't get the stops when we had to," defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. "We had some guys in position and didn't make the plays. You just wish you made those plays in the critical moments. They played hard, but it's just disappointing."

After Ohio State scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kyle McCord to Marvin Harrison Jr. with 8:05 left to cut Michigan's lead to 27-24, the Wolverines ran 7 minutes off the clock before kicking a field goal. Michigan ran for 122 yards in the second half after the Buckeyes held the Wolverines to 34 in the first.

That left Ohio State with 60 seconds to go 81 yards for a game-winning touchdown. McCord and the Buckeyes had rallied against Notre Dame with such a score, and it looked like they might pull off another comeback. Completions to Harrison and Julian Fleming moved the ball to the Michigan 37.

Harrison was open on the next play, but McCord was hit as he threw and defensive back Rod Moore intercepted the underthrow pass at the 11-yard line to seal the win. It was McCord's second interception.

His first one set the tone for the game. The teams combined for only one first down in their first four possessions before McCord threw a slant intended for Harrison. Michigan cornerback Will Johnson anticipated the throw, picked it off and returned it 18 yards to the OSU 7.

Running back Blake Corum scored on fourth-and-inches to give Michigan a 7-0 lead.

"In this game, you've got to win the rushing yards and the turnover battle," Day said. "We did neither of those things."

Ohio State ran for only 107 yards in 28 carries, none longer than 12 yards.

Michigan built its lead to 14-3 on a 14-play, 75-yard drive in which it converted two fourth-and-1s. The touchdown came on a 22-yard touchdown pass from J.J. McCarthy to Roman Wilson. Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke pried the ball from Wilson at the end of the play, but the score was upheld on replay review.

McCarthy played superbly for the second straight year against Ohio State. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 148 yards and repeatedly used his elusiveness to run or buy more time to throw. McCord was 18 of 30 for 271 yards.

Ohio State answered Michigan's touchdown drive with one of its own and had a chance for more points at the end of the first half. The Buckeyes drove 64 yards after starting from their own 2.

Ohio State had a fourth-and-2 from the Michigan 34. Instead of going for the first down and having a chance for potential go-ahead touchdown, Day elected to let the clock wind down and attempt a 52-yard field goal. But Fielding's kick was wide left.

"I felt at 52 yards, it was worth a field goal," Day said. "If you don't get (the first down), you get no points. I felt it was worth the opportunity to kick the field goal."

Instead, Michigan got an emotion lift heading into halftime.

Michigan extended its lead to 17-10 on a 50-yard field goal by James Turner to open the third quarter.

Ohio State answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive with TreVeyon Henderson and Chip Trayanum combining for 47 of the 75 yards on the drive. Henderson's 3-yard run tied the score for the first time, but the Buckeyes couldn't get over the hump.

When the game ended, Michigan's fans swarmed the field. Afterward, Wolverine players and coaches dedicated the win to Harbaugh.

“We've got his back, and we’ll do anything for him," acting coach Sherrone Moore said. "Players willrun through a wall for him, and so will coaches.”

Now comes a consolation bowl game and another long offseason.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Michigan football tops Ohio State 30-24, wins Big Ten East