In an offensive showdown, which featured a total of 74 points, Michigan snapped Ohio State’s winning streak of seven games over the maize and blue. The Wolverines ran through the Buckeyes’ injured defense en route to a 40-34 win.
Michigan made enough plays offensively to get the job done. Denard Robinson did a great job running through the heart of Ohio State’s defense. The zone read confused the Buckeyes. Instead of staying in their gaps and making plays they were out of position, they couldn’t shed their blocks and this led to huge gains by the Wolverines’ offense. When Michigan went to the air, often times Ohio State’s secondary was out of position. The result was 444 total yards by the maize and blue.
Meanwhile, Ohio State for the most part matched Michigan’s firepower.
They employed an aggressive game plan that kept Michigan guessing what was coming next. This allowed the Buckeyes to establish momentum early and for the most part, do what they wanted. Braxton Miller showed his potential by making several huge plays, however; he also showed his inexperience by missing several wide open receivers. In the future, Miller will have to do a better job making those plays if the Buckeyes want to win close games.
In many ways, Ohio State’s weaknesses did them in again.
The penalties, missed tackles, poor communication on the offensive line in pass protection and blown assignments cost them big. The spiked pass on third down on the final drive epitomizes this season. Ohio State had the talent to beat anyone they played yet it was their mental mistakes that prevented them from doing so.
The loss closes out what has been an unpleasant season for Buckeye faithful. Though there are many things this team has done that would make any fan pull out their hair, there are some positives to draw on.
For one, this team has resiliency. They showed it in the first half at Lincoln, throughout the Wisconsin game and again today in a tough environment. For a young team these experiences will pay off big in the future.
In addition, Luke Fickell did a good job this season all things considered. Sure, he could have done many things differently. That said he kept the team focused. With all the reports around Urban Meyer, his team didn’t go into Ann Arbor distracted. They came in ready to play. It’s a testament to his ability to lead through extremely challenging times.
Going forward, the Buckeyes should receive a bowl invite. The next few weeks will be crucial as the team prepares for their next challenge and a new era that’s about to begin.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
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