Michigan pushed Ohio State to its desperate brink, but it amazingly wasn’t enough
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The rivalry is officially back, y’all.
Many thoughts, plot lines, and narratives will be drawn from
Ohio State’s deranged double-overtime triumph over Michigan on Saturday.
For the author, the impression I’m left with is that Ohio State now knows the desperation that Michigan has felt for the past 15 years.
There was one play that signaled that desperation to me: Urban Meyer’s decision to call a fake punt early in the second quarter with his team trailing by 10 points. The call reeked of desperation. There’s an argument to made for the call (the Buckeyes were reeling and in need of a game-altering play, and if Sam Hubbard had held his block a second longer, the play works) and against it (let Cameron Johnston eat; more on that below), but that Meyer felt compelled to make that decision with that much time remaining in the game was a rivalry-shifting moment.
It has been ages since the Buckeyes have found themselves in an extended moment of precariousness against Michigan, which controlled Saturday’s tilt for three-plus quarters. When that fake punt happened, that signaled to me that the rivalry is, indeed, ‘back’, because the Wolverines can now push the Buckeyes to the edge for quarters at a time.
The close calls, overtime, and Jim Harbaugh’s freakouts
during and
after the game were just the Scarlet and Gray, and Maize and Blue cherries on top for me.
In any case, this much is certain: “The Game” is back.
1. The punters
Weren’t expecting this, were you?
Quite frankly, Johnston and Michigan’s Kenny Allen (who also kicked two field goals) were the only consistent part of the game.
Allen: 7 punts, 47.4 yard average, long of 67, 5 punts inside the 20.
Johnston: 6 punts, 46.0 yard average, long of 60, 2 punts inside the 20.
Allen was on fire to start, pinning Ohio State on its own 8 and 11 to begin its first two drives. Even with the Buckeyes’ offense masquerading as Rutgers in the first half (81 yards on 29 plays), Johnston mitigated Michigan’s massive
first-half field position advantage by averaging over 50 yards on his first four boots. The Thunder from Down Under also kept Jabrill Peppers at bay all day, as Michigan’s junior do-it-all maestro was forced into fair catch after fair catch, returning just one punt for five yards.
In the second half, Johnston’s punt that was fair caught at the Michigan 12 preceded Jerome Baker’s interception (which set up the Buckeyes’ second touchdown). And with Ohio State set to take over needing a field goal to send the game into overtime, Allen did his part, unleashing a 56-yard behemoth that went out of bounds at the OSU 18.
Not bad, gentlemen. Clearly the spirit of Tressel was with you both.
2. The always be closing Silver Bullets
After Michigan went up 17-7, its four drives to end regulation resulted in an interception and three punts. That chain of events matches what the Bullets have done all season, as they entered the day
ranked No. 1 in the nation in fourth quarter defensive efficiency.
There are plenty of gold stars to award to individual players, with Raekwon McMillan (16 tackles, QB hurry that forced Malik Hooker’s pick-six), Baker (15 tackles, sack, INT), and Hooker (7 tackles, half tackle for loss, INT) logging big-time all-around performances. But more than anything else, Ohio State’s defense kept the game juuuuust within reach as the Buckeye offense needed three and half quarters to find itself.
Other defensive plays of note: Sam Hubbard’s stop of Peppers on 3rd-and-goal that forced a field goal on the Wolverines’ first red zone trip; Davon Hamilton recovering Speight’s dropped snap on the Ohio State 2 early in the third quarter despite being in a giant mass of humanity; Nick Bosa’s sack of Speight early in the fourth quarter; the entire unit forcing a field goal to begin the second overtime.
3. Ohio State’s power couple
Meyer’s desire to turn close games into rock fights and J.T. Barrett’s shortcomings in the passing game are fair criticisms at this point.
But, it’s also worth noting that Meyer is now 5-0 vs. Michigan (and 2-0 against Harbaugh, the Wolverines’ appointed savior) and has maneuvered the Buckeyes into prime position to qualify for the College Football Playoff despite being the
least-experienced team in the country in terms of returning starters and navigating the program’s toughest schedule in years.
As for Barrett, even though his big-game performances aren’t exactly visually-appealing these days, he has nonetheless dragged Ohio State into playoff contention in spite of accuracy/downfield passing/offensive line/receiving corps issues. When the Buckeyes absolutely had to have points in the fourth quarter and overtime on Saturday, Barrett drove OSU 61 yards (missed field goal) and 77 yards (field goal) to end regulation, rushed for a touchdown in the first overtime, and
narrowly converted a 4th-and-1 in the second overtime that preceded Curtis Samuel’s game-winning score.
Barrett is also 3-0 in his starts vs. Michigan. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
4. Tom Herman
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Tom Herman during his days at Ohio State.
After three seasons developing quarterbacks and racking up points as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, and two superb years at Houston (22-4 record, Peach Bowl win over Florida State), Herman is now the head coach at Texas.
Many Buckeye fans were hoping that Herman would eventually take over for Meyer, but the 41-year-old’s star rose too quickly for that scenario to ever become realistic. It will be interesting to see how Herman’s hiring affects Ohio State’s recruiting efforts in the Lone Star State.
5. What the Hook gone be!
With a little over four minutes remaining in the first half, Michigan faced its first real field position disadvantage of the first half. And despite his team being backed up to its own six and just feet away from The Horseshoe’s student-filled south stands, Jim Harbaugh dialed up a play-action pass, with Speight throwing from his end zone.
He chose poorly.
Speight—who was done no favors by his pass protection on the play—lofted the ball up to Michigan’s 15-yard-line, which is where
Malik Hooker snatched it out of the air and housed it for his third—THIRD!!!—pick-six of the season.
6. Washington
Provided Alabama and Clemson win out, and Penn State wins the Big Ten title game, Ohio State’s chief competition for the fourth playoff spot would likely be Washington. The Huskies entered the weekend needing to beat Washington State in the Apple Cup and then win the Pac-12 title game next weekend to put their best playoff case forward.
Washington took care of objective No. 1 on Friday, terminating its rivals with extreme prejudice, 45-17. The tilt was over by the end of the first quarter with the Huskies ahead 28-3. In that first quarter alone, Washington owned a 274-64 yardage advantage and quarterback Jake Browning was 13-of-17 for 202 yards and three touchdowns.
In order to make up strength of schedule and quality win deficiencies to Ohio State, Washington needed to show out on Friday and follow that up with a conference championship. Step No. 1 of that task is complete.
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