COLUMBUS, Ohio — Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said his advice to sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy was to “have at it” in his first game against rival Ohio State at Ohio Stadium.
Apparently, that was the message he gave the entire team.
McCarthy threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, Cornelius Johnson had two huge touchdown receptions, and running back Donovan Edwards, with a cast on his right hand and leading rusher Blake Corum on the bench most of the game, had back-to-back touchdown runs of 75 and 85 yards to lead Michigan to its first victory at Ohio Stadium since 2000.
Michigan, the No. 3 team in the College Football Players rankings, upended No. 2 Ohio State, 45-23, before 106,787 to win for the second straight time against its rivals. This also is the second straight Big Ten East Division title for the Wolverines (12-0), who will play for the Big Ten title next week in Indianapolis. Ohio State is 11-1.
The Wolverines’ running game, which had carried the team all season, was thought to be limited, with injuries to running backs Corum, who had been considered a Heisman Trophy candidate, and Edwards. Corum suffered a left knee injury late in the first half a week ago against Illinois, and Edwards had missed the last game and most of the previous game with an injury to his right hand.
Corum started the game but left in the first series limping. Edwards, playing with a cast on his right hand, had five carries for nine yards in the first half, but with his second-half explosion, he finished with 216 yards on 22 carries.
Defensively, the Wolverines’ top edge rusher, Mike Morris, who leads the team in sacks, suffered a high-ankle sprain late in the Nebraska game two weeks ago and was limited. He had one tackle in the first half.
Michigan took a 24-20 lead in the second half with a 75-yard, seven-play drive culminating with a 45-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy to freshman tight end Colston Loveland.
Ohio State punted its first drives of the second half, the second drive punctuated by three penalties.
That’s when the Wolverines launched an 80-yard, 15-play drive that took 7:51 that would ultimately build a 31-20 lead with 13:10 left in the game. Michigan got an enormous contribution from linebacker Kalel Mullings, who had been used at running back during spring practice, and he completed a not-so-pretty third-down pass to tight end Luke Schoonmaker for a 20-yard gain.
Michigan kicker Jake Moody was short on a 57-yard field goal with 9:21 left in the game, and Ohio State, which at that point had gained 54 yards in the second half, got the ball at its 39-yard line.
The Buckeyes drove to the Michigan 9-yard line, but Mike Sainristil made a big pass break up in the end zone on third down to force another field-goal attempt. Noah Ruggles made his third of the game, this time from 27 yards to pull the Buckeyes within 31-23.
But Edwards added Michigan’s second 75-yard touchdown on one play to build a 38-23, score with 7:11 left. At that point, Edwards had 18 carries for 122 yards and the one touchdown. He had two catches for nine yards.
The Wolverines’ defense again came up with a big stop with OSU at the Michigan 16-yard line. On second down, while OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud was being tackled, he tried to throw the ball but Michigan’s Taylor Upshaw got the interception with 4:19 left
Even with its run game at the bare minimum, Michigan kept things close and trailed Ohio State 20-17 at halftime after big-play touchdowns from McCarthy to Johnson. The Buckeyes gained 315 yards of offense in the half.
The Wolverines were credited with 10 rushing yards in the first half.
Corum, the Wolverines’ leading rusher, started the game but never returned to the field after coming out limping in the the first series.
