Ohio State Rolls, 42-13

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1 NOV. 29, 2015 Ohio State Rolls, John Borton TheWolverine.com Senior Editor Somewhere, Woody Hayes grinned wickedly. This was his kind of game, and an unexpected manhandling of the team he loved to beat the most. Ohio State ran the Wolverines right out of The Big House, piling up 369 rushing yards on the way to pummeling U-M, The Buckeyes added injury to insult, defensive lineman Joey Bosa crushing U-M grad-senior quarterback Jake Rudock out of the game early in the fourth quarter. By then, not much remained anyway. The Buckeyes already led by 22 and never stopped gashing the Wolverines with the tandem of tailback Ezekiel Elliott (30 carries, 214 yards and two touchdowns) and quarterback J.T. Barrett (19 carries, 139 rushing yards and three touchdowns). Barrett went only 9-of-15 passing for 113 yards and another TD, but the passing game only served as garnish on this nasty dish of run-game dominance. Rudock went 19-of-32 for 263 yards and a touchdown toss to redshirt junior wideout Jehu Chesson (eight catches, 111 yards) prior to his enforced exit, but the Wolverines simply couldn't keep pace. They did for a half, trailing only through 30 minutes. But the second half bubbled up out of Columbus' caldron of sulfur, a memory that will haunt Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines for the next 365 days. "They're very good," noted Harbaugh, who declined expansiveness on his postgame answers. "They got after us running the football, and the number one thing was we weren't tackling well enough." That led to a third quarter featuring only 10 U-M plays, compared to Ohio State's 24 on two touchdown drives, which consumed almost 10 minutes. The Wolverines' offense saw little opportunity and managed a mere three second-half points, getting out-gained on the day, 482 yards to 364, including 369 to 57 on the ground. "I think we only got the ball once or twice in the third quarter," junior tight end Jake Butt said. "In a game like this, you've got to be able to run the ball and play defense. We weren't running the ball very well, and we weren't getting stops on defense. We just didn't execute. In terms of how it feels, it hurts." The first quarter played out like a scoreless ode to Bo and Woody before the Wolverines committed a crucial mistake late. With the Buckeyes punting out of their own end zone, Michigan came hard after punter Cameron Johnston. U-M freshman safety Tyree Kinnel nicked Johnson on a near punt block, getting flagged for a 15-yard personal foul. The Buckeyes quickly made Michigan pay for that mammoth mistake. Two plays later, Elliott popped through a hole on the left side of the line, sprinting away 66 yards before senior safety Jarrod Wilson chased him down at the Michigan 10. Barrett then juked his way into the end zone from seven yards out, staking the Buckeyes to a 7-0 lead with 1:05 to play in that opening quarter. Asked about the punt block attempt, Harbaugh flatly stated: "I don't have any thoughts on it." Rudock responded by carving up the OSU secondary on throws of 13, 20, 11 and 22 yards, moving the Wolverines down to the Ohio State 6. U-M couldn't cash in from there, prompting redshirt junior placekicker Kenny Allen's 25-yard field goal. That made it 7-3 with 9:25 left in the half. The Buckeyes then crunched out a demoralizing 75-yard touchdown drive, all but one play coming on the ground. Barrett broke off runs of 25 and 16 yards, and Elliott finished up nearly untouched on a five-yard TD cruise into the north end zone. Down 14-3 with 5:01 left in the half, the Wolverines needed to respond like those in the stands needed an extra blanket or two. They did, going 92 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a five-yard Rudock-to-Chesson throw. U-M caught its own huge break along the way, on a third-and-10 play featuring the Buckeyes bringing the heat to Rudock. He fired a wobbler that fell well wide of Butt (five catches, 54 yards), whom OSU defensive back Damon Webb was haul- THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

2 ing to the ground. That pass interference sparked the Wolverines, and a short pass to junior tailback De'Veon Smith turned into 24 open-field yards. When Chesson cradled the TD pass, U-M pulled within four, 14-10, with a minute to play in the half. The Buckeyes won the opening 30 minutes, but it looked far from over. "We felt like we could win it at halftime," Harbaugh said. Ohio State ran for 171 first-half yards, then came out using the read option to move it again. Barrett caught U-M through the air to finish an 82-yard TD drive out of the second-half gate, lofting a 25-yard TD pass to wideout Jalin Marshall. Redshirt junior cornerback Jeremy Clark stuck with him stride for stride, but Marshall won the hand-to-hand combat for the ball. Just 2:39 into the second half, the Buckeyes reclaimed firm control, Ohio State forced a punt on defense and went right back to work. They churned out 84 yards on 16 plays, all but three on the ground. Barrett slithered in from 13 yards out for the touchdown and a Ohio State lead, the Michigan defense reeling under the relentless ground attack. "We couldn't make tackles, especially on Elliott," redshirt junior defensive end Chris Wormley said. "A back like him, you can't allow just one person to make the tackle. You have to gang-tackle and run to the ball." Michigan began the fourth quarter (14:44) with a 27-yard Allen field goal, set up by a 39-yard bomb to Chesson. That pulled the Wolverines back within two scores, 28-13, but they hadn't stopped the Buckeyes all half. They didn't when they need to most, either. Ohio State rampaged 75 yards for a touchdown in six plays, highlighted by Barrett's 38-yard bomb to wideout Michael Thomas and capped by Barrett's 10-yard touchdown bolt. OSU added a scrambling touchdown on a 17-yard Barrett run with 8:43 remaining, the final slap on a afternoon filled with home team emptiness. "We got beat," Harbaugh offered. "We didn't play well enough in the game to win it. But we'll regroup, come back with the same drive and aspirations we've had to win the next game." At 9-3, they finished better than most figured back in September. But that proved to be cold comfort on a frigid November afternoon. Five Best Players Of The Game 1. Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett: Barrett sliced up the Wolverines on the ground (139 yards, three touchdowns) and through the air (113 yards, one TD). His ability to slip away time after time sunk Michigan's wearying defense. 2. Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott: Whether via a better plan, less precipitation or more execution, Elliott turned from complainer into producer in one week. His 30 carries for 214 yards and two touchdowns exposed a U-M run defense that had no answers. 3. Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry: Perry's 10 tackles with half a sack represented the Buckeyes' strong pursuing defense that limited Michigan to 57 yards on the ground. He had plenty of company, but Perry was everywhere. 4. Grad-senior quarterback Jake Rudock: Rudock might have thrown for 300 yards had he not been crumpled under a hit by OSU lineman Joey Bosa. The U-M quarterback still threw for 263 and a touchdown, giving the Wolverines a chance for one half. 5. Redshirt junior wide receiver Jehu Chesson: Rudock's favorite target was again Chesson, who snagged 111 yards worth of throws, including Michigan's only touchdown. He kept the chains moving a number of times for the Wolverines with clutch catches. - John Borton Report Card: Grading U-M In A Loss To OSU Chris Balas TheWolverine.com Senior Editor Rushing offense: D- The Wolverines rushed three times for 16 yards on first down in the first quarter, and junior running back De'Veon Smith had two first down rushes of four yards in the second quarter. Michigan ran twice for two yards on first down in the second half, managing only five yards on nine carries total. Michigan averaged only 2.3 yards per carry and was led by redshirt freshman Jabrill Peppers' 29 yards on seven carries. No back had a carry of more than eight yards. Passing offense: B- Grad-senior quarterback Jake Rudock was a warrior in completing 19 of 32 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown before leaving in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. Rudock notched completions of 39, 24, 22 and 21 yards, and moved the chains on third down in the first half eight times in 11 attempts. He didn't get enough help from his receivers, though - redshirt junior Amara Darboh dropped three balls he should have had. U-M was only 1-for-7 on third down in the second half, and backup and redshirt freshman Wilton Speight struggled, going 6-for-14 passing with a pick. Redshirt junior Jehu Chesson's 2 THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

3 111-yard performance was a bright spot. Rushing defense: F Michigan ran three different looks against the Buckeyes in the second half but had no answer for the read option. Quarterback J.T. Barrett rushed for 139 yards and three scores, and running back Ezekiel Elliott busted his way to 214 and two touchdowns. Both averaged over seven yards per carry. OSU managed seven rushes of 13 yards or more, including a 66-yarder from Elliott in the first quarter that led to a touchdown. Missed tackles and poor linebacker play doomed the Wolverines. Passing defense: D+ Ohio State didn't throw often, but Barrett had success when he did. He completed nine of 15 passes, including a 25-yard touchdown and a 38-yarder that set up another score. A pass interference penalty on junior cornerback Jourdan Lewis set up the Buckeyes' last touchdown that provided the final margin of victory. U-M never got pressure and only managed one sack for two yards - by Lewis on a corner blitz. Special teams: D Michigan blocked a punt late, but the Buckeyes had the game already in hand at that point. Redshirt junior Kenny Allen made both of his field goals (from 25 and 27 yards), but U-M missed an opportunity to pin Ohio State deep early when Chesson couldn't keep grad senior Blake O'Neill's punt from going into the end zone. The key mistake, though, came on a roughing the punter in the end zone on Ohio State's second possession. The Wolverines should have played the return and would have had the ball inside the OSU 45 - instead, the Buckeyes marched for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Offense Notes: Peppers Sees Expanded Role Michael Spath TheWolverine.com Managing Editor Michigan Expands Jabrill Peppers' Role Offensively In his first five games playing both offensively and defensively for the Wolverines, redshirt freshman Jabrill Peppers had 17 combined rushes (11) and receptions (six). He had a career-high five offensive touches against Penn State a week ago. On Saturday, Peppers had seven touches in the first half against Ohio State, gaining 21 yards on five rushes and 25 yards on two receptions. For good measure, he also attempted a pass. It became clear early in the game Peppers would see an expanded role - he was on the field for eight of Michigan's first 10 offensive snaps, running once for five yards, catching a pass for 12 yards and throwing the pass. After U-M punted, Peppers sat out the first two defensive plays, likely to catch his breath, and then played on the next four snaps, helping to force a punt. Peppers didn't play much offensively in the second half, especially with the Buckeyes piling on the yards and points, adding two rushes for eight yards. He finished the contest with career highs in carries (seven) and yards (29) while adding the two receptions. "We felt good about our game plan," said redshirt junior wide receiver Jehu Chesson, when asked about Peppers' role. "We were very confident. We wouldn't be a good Michigan team if, before a game, we were scared of our game plan. We weren't in any way doubtful of the game plan." Jake Rudock Ends Regular Season On The Sidelines With 263 yards passing, grad-senior QB Jake Rudock became the first Wolverine signal-caller in school history to throw for 250 yards or more in four straight contests. Rudock may have thrown for 300 for the third time this season but he was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter, suffering an injury to his left shoulder. "He came down on his shoulder. I don't know how serious it is, but it's an AC [joint]," coach Jim Harbaugh said. It marked the second time Rudock was sent to the sidelines this year with an injury (he went down against Minnesota), necessitating snaps for his backup, redshirt freshman Wilton Speight. "He took a big shot from a great big player," junior tight end Jake Butt said of Rudock exiting the game. "It's tough to see your leader go down like that." The hero in Minneapolis for leading the Wolverines on a game-winning touchdown drive, Speight struggled against a ferocious Buckeye front seven that could pin its ears back and rush the passer. Speight finished 6-of-14 passing for 44 yards and an interception - the first pick of his career. Miscellaneous Notes Chesson continues to make the case that he will be Michigan's No. 1 receiver in 2016, if he is not already the top target. Chesson caught a touchdown for the fourth time in five games, making eight scoring grabs over that stretch. He finished the day with eight receptions for 111 yards and the Wolverines' lone six-point score. It marked the second 100-yard game of his career. He was also responsible for three of Michigan's 20-yard pass completions, going for 20, 20 and 21 yards. "My stats really don't matter," he said. "We didn't win, so stats mean nothing." THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

4 Redshirt junior wide receiver Amara Darboh had a career-long 39-yard reception among three catches for 60 yards, but he also had three drops in the game for the second week in a row. Michigan's rushing attack had a season-low 57 yards on 25 carries (2.3 yards per rush). U-M's previous season low was 62 yards rushing against Michigan State in week seven. U-M's offense produced six plays of 20 yards or more, all through the air. Butt had five receptions for 54 yards in the game. He now ranks third all time on the tight end single-season annals with 48 receptions and second at his position with 620 receiving yards. He would need six catches and 43 yards in Michigan's bowl game to take over the top marks in both categories. Defense Notes: U-M Cannot Stop The Read-Option Michael Spath TheWolverine.com Managing Editor Rush Defense Struggles Against OSU's Read-Option When Michigan shut down Penn State's rushing attack last weekend - save a single 56-yard run, the Nittany Lions had 14 yards rushing on 21 carries - it looked like maybe U-M had adapted defensively following an Indiana contest in which the Maize and Blue surrendered 307 yards rushing. But no opponent on Michigan's schedule, not even the seven teams that run read-option - Utah, Oregon State, UNLV, Northwestern, Minnesota, Indiana and Penn State - could match the Buckeyes for explosiveness at the quarterback (J.T. Barrett) and tailback (Ezekiel Elliott) positions. Those two came into the game with Barrett averaging 73.0 yards rushing per game and 5.0 yards per carry in three starts, and Elliott averaging yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry in 11 starts. Saturday, Barrett had 64 yards and a touchdown in the first 30 minutes, while Elliott had 99 yards and a score in the first half, busting out a 66-yard run that was the longest ground play the Maize and Blue had allowed all season. Combined, the duo had 163 yards on 18 first-half carries (9.1 yards per rush). "We knew they were going to run, knew they were going to run power, zone-read. We were prepared for that," said redshirt junior defensive lineman Chris Wormley. "There were some times where we weren't as prepared as we thought, or we didn't make the play where we should have made the play, but those two guys are pretty good players." Elliott, who had 12 carries in a loss to Michigan State last week - vocally criticizing the game plan afterwards - had 13 carries for 144 yards and a touchdown just three minutes into the second half. He finished the contest with a season-high 30 rushes for 214 yards and two scores, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt. Barrett had a season-high 139 yards rushing and scored three times on 19 attempts, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. OSU finished the game with 369 yards and five rushing touchdowns on 53 attempts (7.0-yard average), falling just 31 yards shy of becoming the first opponent to rush for 400 yards against the Maize and Blue since Minnesota did so in "Obviously the tempo at Indiana, and even today against Ohio State they ran tempo on us - that is one of our weaknesses, handling tempo," Wormley said. "We saw it against Utah, we saw it against Indiana and then we saw it again today against Ohio State, and those were our three toughest games [defensively]." Michigan Cedes Touchdowns In The Red Zone Even if Ohio State put up yards on the Wolverines, Michigan felt it could count on the nation's No. 2 red-zone defense to keep the Buckeyes out of the end zone. U-M entered play allowing opponents to score touchdowns on just 32.0 percent of their 25 chances this season inside the 20-yard line. Ohio State, meanwhile, had been just an average red-zone offense, ranking 50th nationally in scoring touchdowns on 63.6 percent of its chances (28 of 44). On Saturday, however, OSU had no problem punching it in, and the Maize and Blue were powerless to stop the Scarlet and Gray. Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first five trips inside the Michigan red zone, needing just 11 total plays on those five possessions to cross the goal line. U-M would hold OSU out of the end zone on the Buckeyes' final offensive drive, stopping them on the Michigan five-yard line, but by then all the damage had been done. Conversely, the Wolverines converted touchdowns on just one of three opportunities inside the red zone, settling for two field goals. Miscellaneous Notes Junior cornerback Jourdan Lewis' first-quarter sack was the first QB takedown by a Michigan cornerback this season. 4 THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

5 The 29-point defeat was the worst for Michigan in this series since a 30-point loss (37-7) in The U-M defense forced only one three-and-out. It came into the game averaging 4.6 per contest. The Wolverines top three tacklers were all from Ohio: senior linebacker Joe Bolden (Cincinnati) had nine stops, junior linebacker Ben Gedeon (Hudson) had seven and Wormley (Toledo) had seven. In total, Ohio-born players had 42 of the Maize and Blue's 72 tackles against the Buckeyes. Michigan lost to OSU for the fourth straight year and for the 13th time in the past 15 years. The four-game losing streak to Ohio State is the second longest in this rivalry's history since 1949, behind only the seven-game losing streak from Wolverine Watch: Ground To Cover John Borton TheWolverine.com Senior Editor Michigan Stadium felt like a 107,601-seat icebox. Its inhabitants experienced 30 minutes of nervous hope, followed by an avalanche of stone-cold reality. The Wolverines don't have enough, not yet. They don't have enough water to toss on the firepower of Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott and J.T. Barrett, who burned the House down with 353 yards rushing and five touchdowns. They don't have the horses to get into a Derby, instead relying on flying via the arm of a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency grad-transfer quarterback. And they're only one big hit away - hello, Joey Bosa - from getting grounded there as well. Jim Harbaugh didn't have much to say, understandably, after seeing his first showdown against Urban Meyer turn into a humbling. He looked, and sounded, like a man who would rather have been walking across Antarctica in only his boxers than rehashing this one. His message to the team afterwards? That was for the team. Not for public consumption. His message to himself? Well, we can only guess about that. But if someone of his combustible competitiveness starts 0-2 in his biggest rivalries - one on a fluke, another on a flogging - it stands to reason his fire just received a serious dousing with gasoline. Few outside of Schembechler Hall had this team pegged for nine regular-season wins. More talk centered on whether the Wolverines could reach a bowl game in Season 1 under Harbaugh, following a 5-7 campaign a year earlier. After building up perhaps unrealistic expectations with a string of shutouts earlier in the year, the Wolverines appeared to be winning with smoke and mirrors at times down the stretch. Versus OSU, the smoke emerged from defenders getting singed repeatedly. "We talked about it many times - we're very proud of the team the way they've worked, they way they've progressed," Harbaugh noted, in a reflective moment. "We'll just stay at that. We closed quite a bit of ground. There's still ground to close on, but our team will stay with it." Asked about that ground, he insisted there's "no need to dive into that." But junior tight end Jake Butt started the summary pretty well, noting the need to run the ball and stop the run in big games. In going 0-3 against Utah, Michigan State and Ohio State, the Wolverines ran for 76, 62 and 52 yards, respectively. When the going got tough, the ground game got grounded. And when the Wolverines needed to step up with the front seven against OSU's elite runners, they found themselves clutching frigid air. Their linebackers were a step behind, or getting shed on high tackle attempts. Their injury-depleted defensive front was running on fumes toward the end. The offense became a throw show for quarterback Jake Rudock, who shouldered the load gamely before Bosa unloaded on his shoulder. Bottom line, this team won the games it was supposed to win, unlike most of its seven predecessors. What it didn't do involved rising above to shock the elite - a perhaps unrealistic expectation the Wolverines themselves created. "Going into this game, we knew they were good," Butt said. "There was no hiding that. We knew they were a great team. They're highly ranked in the country for a reason. They're national champions last year for a reason. "They were going to come in well coached, and coming off a loss like they had last week, we knew they were going to be hungry. There was no mystery." The bigger mystery involves how this Ohio State team chose to take their bye week with Michigan State in town. Even in a quasi hurricane in Columbus, they gave away a shot at the Big Ten title game and maybe a second straight playoff berth. THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

6 They came into Ann Arbor sufficiently livid about it, and the Wolverines paid the price. "I don't think anyone really gave us a chance this year except for us," redshirt junior defensive end Chris Wormley said afterward. "We were in it right until the end to play for a Big Ten championship, and that will be the goal every year. Looking back on it, there were some good things we did and some bad things. We have to improve on the bad things and build on the positive things we did well." There's some ground to cover, for sure. All the talk leading up to the OSU showdown drew parallels to 1969, when Bo Schembechler's Wolverines shocked the No. 1 Buckeyes and the world. This bore more resemblance to 1968, when OSU rolled, We'll never know if Urban Meyer would have gone for two had one more missed tackle had led to another touchdown. Here's what we do know. The new sheriff in town isn't settling for 9-3, 0-2 against MSU and OSU, and third place in the Big Ten East. The work has just nicely begun. What They're Saying: Ohio State 42, Michigan 13 Jeff Slade TheWolverine.com Intern Michigan fell to Ohio State 42-13, ending the regular season on a low note for U-M at home in the Big House. The Wolverines were greatly limited by their inability to slow down the OSU rushing attack and were out-gained by the Buckeyes on the ground Michigan drops to 9-3 (6-2 Big Ten) with a bowl game remaining. Find out what they're saying about the game here: Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press: U-M bruised for 369 rushing yards in loss to OSU "The ride was entertaining for the Michigan football team. "The finish was anything but. "After sliding through a competitive season, with a chance to win every game, the No. 12 Wolverines saw what the elite looks like Saturday at Michigan Stadium, getting run over by No. 8 Ohio State, "On a day that started with hope, with U-M (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) hanging within four points at halftime, the Buckeyes blew that away in the third quarter, slicing through Michigan's porous run defense, reminding what a defending national championship team looks like. "Ohio State's 11th win in the past 12 meetings with the Wolverines was as thorough as any since the Rich Rodriguez era ended in "Just like Indiana had two weeks earlier, once Ohio State found its rhythm on the ground, the Wolverines were helpless. The Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1) had only two drives in the third quarter but each marched over 80 yards and they ran for 119 yards on only 17 carries. "The domination continued in the fourth quarter but it was a formality by that point as Ohio State finished with 369 rushing yards. "After four years of competitive Michigan/Ohio State games, including the rare Michigan win in 2011, this was never a legit battle." Tim Rohan, New York Times: Ohio State and Ezekiel Elliott Run Wild Against Overmatched Michigan "Jim Harbaugh stood near the line of scrimmage, bent over, his hands on his knees, watching intently as Ohio State lined up needing a yard to convert a fourth down. Ohio State had knifed through Harbaugh's defense all day. He looked as if he wanted to run onto the field and tackle Ezekiel Elliott, the Buckeyes' star running back. "But Elliott barreled for 4 yards, and, after the next play, Harbaugh shouted something at his assistant and watched, his hands on his hips, as Ohio State celebrated in the end zone. "This was Harbaugh's first game coaching No. 10 Michigan against No. 8 Ohio State, in what was supposed to be the game that reignited their rivalry. Instead, the Buckeyes took the opportunity to remind Michigan how lopsided the series has been in recent years. Ohio State thumped Michigan, 42-13, mostly behind Elliott's 214 rushing yards and two touchdowns. It was Ohio State's 11th victory against Michigan in 12 years. "Some wondered if this new matchup between two premier college coaches, Harbaugh and Urban Meyer, would become the modern-day version of the "10-year war," the series of games between Schembechler and Woody Hayes, when the rivalry was perhaps at its best. "Harbaugh tried playing Jabrill Peppers, his dynamic safety, at several different offensive positions. Harbaugh tried trick plays and direct snaps and sly misdirection plays, but his trademark smash-mouth run game produced only 57 yards on 25 carries. "Instead, Ohio State played the kind of game that would make Harbaugh proud. The Buckeyes possessed the ball for nearly two-thirds of the third quarter, scoring two more touch- 6 THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

7 downs. Meyer called for Barrett to keep handing Elliott the ball or keep it himself. The Michigan defense seemed incapable of squarely tackling either of them, even if they were in the correct position. Barrett himself finished with 139 rushing yards and three touchdowns. "All of those run plays allowed Barrett to deliver a blow in the fourth quarter, when he found Michael Thomas for a 37- yard completion in single coverage. Michigan had illegally an extra defender on the field, and, still, the majority of them were concerned with Elliott. "Harbaugh crossed his arms and shook his head when Elliott scored two plays later. The Buckeyes' celebration wasn't as enthusiastic. For all the fanfare and attention that had been paid to Harbaugh, in his first year back coaching his alma mater, this was a muted finale. Fans started filing out of Michigan Stadium, and those who remained mostly wore scarlet and white." Dan Murphy, ESPN: Ohio State feeds Ezekiel Elliott in a blowout at the Big House "Ezekiel Elliott got exactly what he wanted Saturday afternoon at the Big House. "A week after calling out the Ohio State coaches for their play calling in a loss to Michigan State, the Buckeye junior carried the ball a season-high 30 times for 214 yards and two scores in a dominant victory over rival Michigan (9-3). The Wolverines' once-stout defense had no answer for the Buckeyes' rushing attack, surrendering 369 yards on the ground. "Ohio State (11-1) has now won the past four editions of "The Game" and 11 of its past 12 meetings with rival Michigan. "What the win means for Michigan: The Wolverines' turnaround was expected to take longer than a year. Harbaugh's first season ends with a respectable 9-3 record, but two of those losses come to rivals Michigan State and Ohio State. The future is bright in Ann Arbor but won't arrive until Michigan can knock off at least one of the East Division powers. "Stat of the Game: Michigan entered Saturday's game with the second-best third-down defense in the country. The Wolverines had held opponents to a 23.2 percent success rate on third downs. Ohio State's downhill running game converted seven of its first 10 third-down plays (seven of 13 total), including three of them on a backbreaking third-quarter drive that gave the Buckeyes a lead." Andy Staples, Sports Illustrated: Instant Analysis: Ohio State downs Michigan in Meyer-Harbaugh clash "Michigan finished the regular season 9-3, and while Harbaugh probably wouldn't use the term because of the way his team lost to the Buckeyes, the Wolverines' first season under Harbaugh was an unqualified success. "Harbaugh took over a team that went 5-7 last season and turned it into a winner. The next step is recruiting players good enough to routinely compete with the likes of Ohio State and Michigan State. The fact that Michigan outplayed the Spartans for most of their meeting on Oct. 17 and lost on a crazy special teams play is a sign that Harbaugh's 2015 players can fit on such teams, but Saturday's defeat exposed the difference in talent and depth between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. Ohio State has won 11 of its last 12 matchups with Michigan and has won all four meetings since Meyer took over in Columbus. "Given Harbaugh's previous success building Stanford's program through recruiting, it shouldn't take long before Michigan can regularly go toe-to-toe with the Spartans and the Buckeyes. Michigan's next stop will probably be a bowl destination in sunny Florida. (Outside the six bowls determined by the College Football Playoff selection committee, because Michigan State, Iowa and Ohio State will likely occupy all of the spots available to Big Ten teams.) Unlike last season, the Wolverines will have 15 extra practices to develop young players in advance of next season. With Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, Meyer in Columbus and Mark Dantonio in East Lansing all churning out winners, the Big Ten's East Division will be fun to watch in the next few years." Nick Baumgardner, MLive: Michigan left with lots of ground to make up after humbling loss to Ohio State "Michigan still says its goal, year in and year out, is to win a Big Ten championship. "On Saturday, Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines found out exactly how far away they are from reaching that destination. "And right now, it's a pretty good hike. "No. 12 Michigan looked overmatched and outmanned Saturday against the Buckeyes, almost wire-to-wire, as Ohio State -- for the 11th time in 12 years -- took the football and shoved it down Michigan's throat against little to no resistance for 60 minutes. "Michigan (9-3, 6-2) will now wait for its bowl assignment with nine wins in its pocket, and a much-improved effort overall from a year ago. "Last season, Michigan watched bowl season from its sofa with a sub-.500 record. Michigan did make up a lot of ground this season and did finish its 12-game slate with a much better record than most anticipated prior to the start of the season. Michigan also played Saturday without its best defensive lineman (Ryan Glasgow) and two more rotation players (Mario Ojemudia and Bryan Mone) out with injuries. "Harbaugh said that's no excuse, though. And reiterated again: This program has a lot of work still in front of it." THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

8 Big Ten Recap: Week 13 Jeff Slade TheWolverine.com Intern Illinois (5-7, 2-6 Big Ten) Illinois closed out its season with a loss to No. 17 Northwestern Junior quarterback Wes Lunt completed 20- of-41 passing attempts for 241 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception, adding an additional rushing touchdown Senior running back Josh Ferguson carried the ball a team-high 14 times for 40 yards, also leading the team with seven catches for 100 receiving yards. Indiana (6-6, 2-6 Big Ten) Indiana defeated Purdue 54-36, obtaining bowl eligibility with the victory Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld completed 18-of-29 passes for 350 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions, also adding a fifth score on the ground Sophomore running back Devine Redding led the Hoosiers with 22 rushes for 144 yards and a touchdown Junior wide receiver Mitchell Paige and sophomore Simmie Cobbs Jr. each had five receptions in the win, combining for 176 yards and two scores. Iowa (12-0, 7-0 Big Ten) No. 3 Iowa defeated Nebraska 28-20, finishing the regular season undefeated for the first time since 1922 Junior quarterback C.J. Beathard completed 9-of-16 passing attempts for 97 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions Senior running back Jordan Canzeri led the Hawkeyes with 17 rushes for 140 yards and two touchdowns Iowa will meet No. 6 Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Dec. 5 in Indianapolis. Maryland (3-9, 1-7 Big Ten) Maryland closed out its season with a win over Rutgers, recording its first conference win of the year Trailing entering the fourth quarter, the Terrapins outscored Rutgers 19-3 in the final period to take home the win Junior quarterback Caleb Rowe completed 16-of-32 pass attempts for 239 yards, also adding seven rushes for 98 yards Senior running back Brandon Ross rushed 28 times for 173 yards and three touchdowns, including an 80-yard score with 4:40 remaining that gave Maryland the lead. Michigan State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) No. 6 Michigan State rolled over Penn State 55-16, securing the Big Ten East title and a place in the Big Ten Championship Dec. 5 against No. 3 Iowa Senior quarterback Connor Cook got the start despite being questionable for the contest (shoulder), completing 19-of-26 passes for 248 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions Sophomore running back Gerald Holmes led the Spartan rushing attack with 64 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown, while freshman LJ Scott also added 41 yards on 11 carries and another score MSU recorded two defensive touchdowns in the victory - a 77-yard fumble return by junior defensive back Demetrious Cox, and a 13-yard interception return by sophomore defensive tackle Malik Mc- Dowell. Minnesota (5-7, 2-6 Big Ten) Minnesota concluded its season with a loss to Wisconsin Junior quarterback Mitch Leidner completed 16-of- 37 passing attempts for 233 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions Freshman running back Rodney Smith led the Gophers with seven carries for 35 yards and a touchdown Senior wide receiver KJ Maye had a team-high five receptions for 45 yards. Nebraska (5-7, 3-5 Big Ten) Nebraska fell at home on Black Friday to No. 3 Iowa Junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. completed 25-of- 45 passes for 296 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions, adding nine rushes for 46 yards Senior running back Imani Cross led the Cornhuskers with 19 carries for 55 yards and two touchdowns Despite the loss, Nebraska outgained the thirdranked Hawkeyes in total yards. Northwestern (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) No. 17 Northwestern defeated Illinois Sophomore quarterback Clayton Thorson completed 12-of-25 passes for 146 yards, one touchdown, and one interception Sophomore running back Justin Jackson carried the ball a career-high 37 times for 172 yards and a touchdown The Wildcat defense limited the Illini to 78 rushing yards in the win. Penn State (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) Penn State fell to No. 6 Michigan State Junior quarterback Christian Hackenberg completed 22-of-39 passes for 257 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions Sophomore wide receiver Chris Godwin led the Nittany Lions in receiving with 11 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown Despite the lopsided loss, Penn State nearly matched the Spartans in total yards at Purdue (2-10, 1-7 Big Ten) Purdue finished out its season with a loss to Indiana Junior quarterback Austin Appleby completed 36-of-57 passing attempts for 332 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, adding another two touchdowns on the ground Freshman running back Markell Jones rushed 16 times for 96 yards and a score. Rutgers (4-8, 1-7 Big Ten) Rutgers ended its year with a loss to Maryland 8 THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

9 Sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano completed 21-of-33 passing attempts for 344 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception Senior running back Paul James had a team-high 17 carries for 71 yards and a score Senior wide receiver Leonte Carroo closed out his career with seven receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown. Wisconsin (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) Wisconsin defeated Minnesota in the battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe Senior quarterback Joel Stave completed 9-of17 passes for 79 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception The Badgers featured a tandem at running back, with junior Dare Ogunbowale rushing 33 times for 155 yards and a touchdown, and freshman Taiwan Deal adding 22 carries for 90 yards and two more scores The Wisconsin defense took the ball away five times, forcing two fumbles and three interceptions. Results for Nov No. 3 Iowa 28, Nebraska 20 - No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 12 Michigan 13 - Maryland 46, Rutgers 41 - Indiana 54, Purdue 36 - No. 6 Michigan State 55, Penn State 16 - Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 21 - No. 17 Northwestern 24, Illinois 14 FOOTBALL RECRUITING IS HERE! FREE 30-DAY TRIAL Use Code: BLUE30 THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

10 OHIO STATE 42, MICHIGAN 13 NOV. 28, 2015 MICHIGAN STADIUM ANN ARBOR, MI ATTENDANCE 111,829 Ohio State Michigan OSU U-M OSU U-M OSU OSU U-M OSU OSU OSU U-M FIRST QUARTER Barrett 7-yard Run (Nuernberger Kick) 01: Drive: 7 plays 94 yds 3:21 SECOND QUARTER Allen 25-yard Field Goal 09: Drive: 14 plays 72 yds 6:40 Elliott 5-yard Run (Nuernberger Kick) 05: Drive: 9 plays 75 yds 4:24 Chesson 5-yard Pass from Rudock (Allen Kick) 01: Drive: 11 plays 92 yds 4:01 THIRD QUARTER Marshall 25-yard Pass from Barrett (Nuernberger Kick) 12: Drive: 8 plays 82 yds 2:39 Barrett 13-yard Run (Nuernberger Kick) 01: Drive: 16 plays 84 yds 7:05 FOURTH QUARTER Allen 27-yard Field Goal 14: Drive: 7 plays 57 yds 2:01 Elliott 10-yard Run (Nuernberger Kick) 12: Drive: 6 plays 75 yds 1:51 Barrett 17-yard Run (Nuernberger Kick) 08: Drive: 5 plays 47 yds 2:33 OSU U-M Total First Downs Rushing 18 3 Passing 4 16 Penalty 3 1 Rushing Attempts Yards Gained Rushing Yards Lost Rushing 7 12 Net Yards Rushing Net Yards Passing Passes Attempted Passes Completed 9 25 Had Intercepted 0 1 Percent Completion 60.0% 53.2% Yards per Attempt Yards per Completion Total Offensive Plays Total Net Yards Avg. Gain Per Play Fumbles: No-Lost Penalties: No-Yards Punts: No-Yards Avg. Per Punt Avg. Net Punt Punt Returns: No-Yards Kickoff Returns: No-Yards Interception Returns: No-Yards Fumble Returns: No-Yards Miscellaneous Yards 0 0 Possession Time 30:06 29:54 Third-Down Conversions Percentage 53.8% 50.0% Fourth-Down Conversions Percentage 50.0% 33.3% Sacks By: No-Yards THE WOLVERINE holiday gift guide For dozens of great gift ideas, CLICK HERE! 10 THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

11 MICHIGAN INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Offensive Individual Statistics Rushing No Gain Lost Net Avg TD Lg Peppers Smith Houma Johnson Rudock Total Passing Att Comp % Int Yds TD Lg Rudock Speight Peppers Total Receiving No Yds TD Lg Chesson Darboh Butt Smith Peppers Johnson Perry Total Kick Ret No Yds TD Lg Lewis Total Punt Returns: None. Field Goals: Allen 2 of 2 (longest 27). Punting: O'Neill 4 (avg. 39.2, longest 46). Defensive Individual Statistics Defense Tac Ast Tot TFL Sac PD FF FR Bolden Gedeon Wormley Lewis Wilson Charlton Hill Peppers Henry Morgan Ross III Thomas Hurst jr Jenk-Stone Clark Kinnel Speight Stribling Watson Interceptions: None. Punt Blocks: None. Kick Blocks: None. Want More Michigan Stats And News? Visit Us At THEWOLVERINE.COM OHIO STATE INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing No Gain Lost Net Avg TD Lg Elliott Barrett Samuel Miller TEAM Total Passing Att Comp % Int Yds TD Lg Barrett Total Receiving No Yds TD Lg Thomas Marshall Samuel Vannett Elliott Miller Total Field Goals: None. Punting: Johnston 1 (avg 56.0, longest 56); Team 1 (14.0 yds.). Returns: Samuel 1 kick for 18 yds.; Bosa 1 interception for 28 yds. THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

12 BY THE NUMBERS MICHIGAN VS. OHIO STATE QUARTER-BY-QUARTER COMPARISON Michigan 1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. 1st Half 2nd Half Total Time of Possession 8:56 9:36 5:16 6:06 18:32 11:22 29:54 3rd-Down Conversions th-Down Conversions Avg. Field Position U-M-21 U-M-8 U-M-30 U-M-25 U-M-17 U-M-27 U-M-23 Ohio State 1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. 1st Half 2nd Half Final Time of Possession 6:04 5:24 9:44 8:54 11:28 18:38 30:06 3rd-Down Conversions th-Down Conversions Avg. Field Position OSU-13 OSU-25 OSU-17 U-M-43 OSU-19 OSU-46 OSU-36 SITUATION TABLES FIRST AND TEN Rushing Passing Totals Plays Yards Avg. Plays Yards Avg. Plays Yards Avg. Michigan Ohio State THIRD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 3rd &1 3rd & 2-5 3rd & 6-9 3rd & 10+ Totals M/A Pct. M/A Pct. M/A Pct. M/A Pct. M/A Pct. Michigan 3/ / / / / Ohio State 4/ / / / / RED ZONE EFFICIENCY (INSIDE 20-YARD LINE) Poss. TDs FGs No Score Michigan Ohio State PLAY CHART (NO. OF PLAYS) Yards...U-M OSU (- ) Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards Yards or more Yards BIG PLAYS (25 YARDS OR MORE) MICHIGAN Rudock pass complete to Darboh for 39 yards to the OSU11 OHIO STATE 2-10 OSU24 Elliott rush for 66 yards to the U-M OSU31 Barrett rush for 25 yards to the U-M U-M25 Barrett pass complete to Marshall for 25 yards to the U-M OSU43 Barrett pass complete to Thomas for 38 yards to the U-M19 JOIN THE CONVERSATION! THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM

13 MICHIGAN CONTRIBUTORS OFFENSE STARTERS WR Amara Darboh LT Mason Cole LG Ben Braden C Graham Glasgow RG Kyle Kalis RT Erik Magnuson WR Jehu Chesson TE Jake Butt TE Khalid Hill RB De'Veon Smith QB Jake Rudock DEFENSE STARTERS DE Chris Wormley NT Maurice Hurst DT Willie Henry DE Taco Charlton LB Desmond Morgan LB Joe Bolden LB James Ross CB Jabrill Peppers CB Jourdan Lewis S Jarrod Wilson S Dymonte Thomas SPECIAL TEAMS AND RESERVES Participation Grant Perry, Grant Newsome, A.J. Williams, Ian Bunting, Maurice Ways, Wilton Speight, Sione Houma, Henry Poggi, Joe Kerridge, Drake Johnson, Matthew Godin, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Ben Gedeon, Channing Stribling, Delano Hill, Jeremy Clark, Kenny Allen, Blake O'Neill, Scott Sypniewski, Andrew Robinson, Freddy Canteen, Tyree Kinnel, Wayne Lyons, Brandon Watson, Chase Winovich, Tom Strobel, Noah Furbush, Blake Bars THE SEASON Game-By-Game First Yards Yards Passes Had Fumbles Penalties Summary Score Downs Rush Pass Com./Att. Int. No./Lost No./Yards Attendance Michigan /43 3 0/0 3/25 47,825 Utah /33 1 1/0 6/55 Away Oregon State /20 0 2/1 8/62 109,651 Michigan /26 1 2/1 10/105 Home UNLV /26 2 2/0 2/10 108,683 Michigan /25 1 0/0 3/34 Home BYU /28 0 2/0 5/45 108,940 Michigan /25 0 1/0 5/53 Home Michigan /33 1 3/2 7/65 51,802 Maryland /36 3 0/0 5/66 Away Northwestern /33 1 0/0 5/39 110,452 Michigan /23 0 0/0 3/28 Home Michigan State /39 0 0/0 5/44 111,740 Michigan /25 0 2/1 8/70 Home Michigan /27 1 2/1 5/47 50,709 Minnesota /33 0 0/0 7/53 Away Rutgers /27 1 2/0 7/80 109,879 Michigan /26 0 0/0 6/60 Home Michigan /46 1 0/0 13/72 49,557 Indiana /34 0 1/0 9/79 Away Michigan /38 1 2/1 13/ ,418 Penn State /32 0 1/1 3/30 Away Ohio State /15 0 0/0 5/39 111,829 Michigan /47 1 2/0 7/72 Home THE WOLVERINE THEWOLVERINE.COM