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For the first time since 2019, No. 15 Michigan (9-3 overall, 7-2 Big Ten) lost The Game to No. 1 Ohio State (12-0, 9-0). The Buckeyes strangled the Wolverines on defense and got whatever they wanted on offense on their path to a 27-9 victory.
Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood didn’t have a spectacular game, even if he wasn’t asked to throw much. He threw 8-for-18 for 63 yards and no touchdowns and an interception. Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall led the Wolverines in rushing despite battling a shoulder injury all game, gaining 61 yards on just seven carries.
Marshall broke off a 36-yard run on the first play of the game, then caught a 10-yard pass to get the Wolverines into field goal range. The Buckeyes defense dug in after that, forcing Michigan to settle for three on the opening drive, and senior kicker Dominic Zvada calmly knocked through the 45-yard try to give his squad the 3-0 lead.
But on the second play of Ohio State’s first drive, the Wolverines really got going, and it looked like they might be on track for five in a row. Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin made a bad read, throwing the ball straight to junior defensive back Jyaire Hill for an interception.
Michigan couldn’t turn it into six, however, and were once again forced to settle for a field goal, but Zvada knocked in the 25-yard try to extend the lead to 6-0 after just over five minutes of play.
On the following drive, Ohio State found a bit of a rhythm, pushing down to the Wolverines’ goal line. But on six goal-line plays, the Buckeyes couldn’t find pay dirt and instead settled for a field goal, making the score 6-3.
Ohio State struck next as well. Going for a fourth-and-5 at the 35-yard line, Sayin connected with star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for the first touchdown of the game to make the score 10-6.
The Wolverines were able to muster another field goal, but while they were scoring three, the Buckeyes were collecting six. With 16 seconds left in the half, Ohio State added another touchdown, extending its lead to 17-9 heading into the break. While it wasn’t an insurmountable deficit, the Buckeyes certainly owned the momentum heading into the locker room.
After trading punts to start the second half, the Buckeyes picked up where it left off in the first half. Sayin took the top off the defense once again, launching a 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Carnell Tate. Just like that, the Buckeyes had opened up the game, bringing their lead to 24-9 halfway through the third quarter.
Michigan’s offense continued to struggle. Even with Marshall back on the field after leaving earlier in the game due to injury, the Wolverines couldn’t get anything going on the ground. And despite a few nice passes from Underwood, the air attack was just as inconsistent. For the second straight drive, Michigan failed to score and punted the ball back to Ohio State.
The Buckeyes’ next drive began with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter and ended with 8:10 left in the fourth quarter. Whole they were forced to kick a field goal, they took more than 11 minutes off of the clock and gained a three-possession lead, 27-9.
Michigan needed some magic to keep its hopes alive, and that magic never came. Just as it had all game, Ohio State muffled the Wolverines offense, forcing a three-and-out with very little resistance. With just 6:36 left to play, the game was out of Michigan’s reach, even if everything went perfectly.
As time ran out and the Buckeyes celebrated in Ann Arbor, both the winning streajk and Michigan’s playoff hopes evaporated. The 2025 Wolverines finished the regular season 9-3 overall, and get one more chance to take the field in a bowl game.
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Eli Trese
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