Things you might not have known about Michigan football’s win over Ohio State
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football shut down all of the haters on Saturday by going up against rival Ohio State and holding on for dear life to finish off the Buckeyes, 30-24.
It was a huge win, perhaps the biggest in recent memory, and the type that the Wolverines have often found themselves on the wrong side of. Yet, in the end, the maize and blue are headed to Indianapolis for the third-straight time, while Ohio State can sit back, relax, and find out what bowl game they’re going to at the end of December.
If you were at The Game or watched it on TV, you may know a lot about what happened, but certainly not the whole story. That’s where the Michigan Athletic Department has us covered with more facts and stats and trivia that you might not have known!
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Facts/tidbits:
Saturday’s announced attendance of 110,615 marked the 315th consecutive crowd of 100,000-plus at Michigan Stadium.
The game marked the 119th all-time meeting between Michigan and Ohio State. U-M improved to 61-52-6 in the series.
The victory marks 1,001 wins for the University of Michigan football program.
The programs met as top-three ranked foes in back-to-back seasons for the first time, and the Wolverines came out the victors. It was the 13th time both teams have met as top-five-ranked programs; the Buckeyes hold a 7-5-1 advantage.
The game marked the 26th time that Michigan and Ohio State took the field in a top-10 matchup. The series is tied 12-12-2 advantage in those contests.
U-M has now won three consecutive games in the series, its longest winning streak against the Buckeyes since 1995-97.
Michigan has achieved its second consecutive 12-0 season under head coach Jim Harbaugh. It marks the fifth season in program history with at least 12 wins (1905; 1997; 2021-23).
This is the fourth time U-M has won at least a share of the Big Ten East Division and the third season in a row that U-M has been the outright division champ. The Wolverines will seek their league-leading 45th Big Ten title next Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in a 2021 rematch against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The team that has won the rushing battle in the game is 22-0 since 2001 (no game in 2020). The last time the losing team out-rushed the winning team in the series was 2000.
All three of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s losses in Big Ten play have come against Michigan (2021-23).
The Wolverines have been victorious in 24 straight Big Ten games dating to 2021, the longest streak in program history and the third-longest in Big Ten history.
The Big Ten Conference does not recognize the 2021 or 2022 Big Ten championship games as conference matchups, so U-M is at 22 straight Big Ten wins by the league’s record book. That figure surpassed the previous record, a mark held by Gary Moeller’s 1990-92 teams (19).
Michigan has been victorious in 28 consecutive regular-season games, matching the record set by the 1901-03 Michigan teams and matched by the 2005-07 Ohio State teams.
Michigan has now won 22 consecutive games at Michigan Stadium dating back to 2021, the program’s best streak since 1969-73 under Bo Schembechler (28 games) and the third-longest stretch in U-M Football history.
Michigan never trailed against OSU on Saturday. U-M has trailed for only 23:33 of cumulative game time in 2023, as opposed to 1:05:05 through 12 games last season. The Wolverines have not trailed at any point in the second half all year.
Michigan has scored 14 or more points in every first half this season, which includes the 14-spot in the opening two frames against Ohio State. U-M was the first team to eclipse 10 first-half points against the Buckeyes this season.
Ohio State had only allowed opponents to convert 10-of-26 fourth downs entering today’s game. Michigan converted three-of-three chances in the first half, leading to two touchdowns.
U-M’s 30 points scored represents the highest number allowed by the Buckeye defense all season (previous: 17 vs. Maryland).
U-M has scored three offensive touchdowns in every game this year. The Buckeyes had not allowed more than two touchdowns in any game this season, and had only allowed 10 total.
In quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s 25 career starts, U-M is 24-1 for a win rate of 96.0 percent, the best mark by a starting quarterback in at least the last 10 seasons (minimum 20 starts). That mark ranks above those of Trevor Lawrence (34-2; 94.4), Tua Tagovailoa (22-2, 91.7) and Trevone Boykin (22-2, 91.7).
McCarthy (5,718 career pass yards) passed Shea Patterson (5,661 yards) for seventh on the program’s all-time passing list. Todd Collins (5,858 yards) ranks sixth on the list.
Blake Corum’s one-yard rushing score in the first quarter was his 21st of the season. That sets a new U-M single season rushing touchdown record, besting the mark previously held by Hassan Haskins (20 rushing touchdowns, 2021 season).
Corum scored his second rushing touchdown of the day from 22-yards out in the third quarter. Ohio State’s defense had allowed only three rushing touchdowns all season.
Corum (53 career rushing touchdowns) stands alone in second place on the career rushing scores list; only Anthony Thomas (55) has more.
Corum is the only player in the FBS to score in each game this season.
Wide receiver Roman Wilson recorded a 22-yard receiving touchdown in the second quarter to extend Michigan’s first-half lead. His 11 receiving touchdowns are the most by a Wolverine pass catcher in the Harbaugh era (previously, Jehu Chesson, nine, 2015). They are also the most by a Michigan wideout since Mario Manningham had 12 in 2007.
For his career, Wilson is up to 19 receiving touchdowns (plus two rushing), tied with Tai Streets (19) for seventh-most in Michigan history. Derrick Alexander (22) is next on the list.
After leading with five receptions for 88 yards, tight end Colston Loveland has at least one catch in every game this year with 37 catches for 550 yards and four receiving touchdowns, ranking second on the team in catches, touchdowns and yards.
Up by three points, the offense’s 13-play, 56-yard drive to conclude the fourth quarter helped secure the victory for Michigan. The 7:00 minute drive was the offense’s longest of the game.
Kicker James Turner made his second field goal of 50-plus yards on the season when he converted a 50-yard try in the third quarter, matching his season- and career-long and vaulting him into the top-five all-time (tied-fifth) for most conversions of 50-plus yards. Turner converted a career-high three field goals on the day.
U-M has forced at least one interception, fumble, or turnover on downs on the first series of an opponent’s drive in 10 straight games, and in 11-of-12 overall.
The Wolverines have allowed an opponent over 100 yards rushing in a half only once this season (first half vs. PSU; 107 yards). Ohio State was able to gain only 37 and 70 yards in the first and second halves, respectively.
U-M limited Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson to only 60 yards rushing on Saturday, and has not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season. Henderson had rushed for 124.8 yards per game over his last four contests.
U-M has not allowed more than two scores in any half this season.
Defensive back Will Johnson’s sixth career interception came on the first play of the Buckeyes’ third drive. A 18-yard return set up Michigan inside OSU’s 10-yard line and led to U-M’s first score.
Linebacker Junior Colson led the team and tied a season-high with 11 total tackles (previously Michigan State).
Defensive back Rod Moore sealed the 30-24 victory with an interception in the final minute. This was Moore’s second pick this season and sixth in his career.
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