game recaps
jabrill peppers
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2015 ohio state

Ohio State 42, Michigan 13 Comment Count

Ace


Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog

One team came prepared.

Ohio State's coaches prepared for Michigan's soft edges with an attack heavy on the power read. The Buckeye defense prepared for every wrinkle the Wolverines could conceive to utilize Jabrill Peppers and stopped them.

Michigan looked unprepared to deal with the Buckeye running game. The scheme was too passive and the adjustments ineffective, especially a move to a 3-man line. The linebackers weren't prepared to tackle Ezekiel Elliott in the gap or track JT Barrett in space. Nobody was prepared to block Joey Bosa.

For the tenth time in eleven years, Ohio State won The Game. The Buckeyes ran at will; Michigan couldn't trust its run game enough to even use it without ample trickery. While Michigan's 9-3 record and obvious team-wide improvement stand as a testament to the remarkable work of Jim Harbaugh, today's game showed just how much ground the program must make up on their chief rival.

Unlike last year, Michigan will get a full slate of bowl practices to work on their issues, and they'll face a quality opponent in a decent bowl game. Much like two years ago, there's a good chance they'll have to play that game with their backup quarterback, as Jake Rudock exited the game with an apparent shoulder or collarbone injury after taking a huge hit from Bosa.

Ohio State looked like a playoff team today. Michigan looked a long way off. That's exactly what we expected heading into the season; it's still hard not to be disappointed after seeing how the last few months have played out.

Comments

west2

November 28th, 2015 at 3:53 PM ^

this game shows how much Harbaugh has done with lessor talent and thats encouraging. I am concerned about the abysmal refing this season that has been so one sided against Michigan?!  In the offseason Michigan needs to address that in the appropriate forums behind the scenes.  Per the injury to Rudock he was on the sideline without any splint or suggestion that he had a fracture so hopefully he can play in the bowl.   I hope when the day comes when Michigan has the talent that Harbaugh remembers this game and puts the pedal to the metal and runs the score up on bucky.  But today is not that day, we will have to wait another year or 2 or 3 before we can really expect the maize and blue to be a bgtn champion contender.

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Steve333

November 28th, 2015 at 3:53 PM ^

Never expected this type of game. Ohio played a flawless game. Not one mistake, bad penalty or negative play. Michigan couldn't stop them or tackle them. Urban Meyer cherishes wins over discipline- at least he's consistent. Well played game by the Buckeyes. I hate them even more now.



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Wolvie3758

November 28th, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^

a big setback...not losing but HOW we lost ...It always seem like the OSU players want this game more...The defense was horrid..just horrid..If Rudock is out the bowl game goes out the window and we  end the year with 2 losses...WTF just happened...AGAIN

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kzoomgr

November 28th, 2015 at 3:55 PM ^

First half was pretty solid. OSU capitalized on their shots but we sustained drives and got into the red zone. Not bad for no run game. Second half was just odious in every possible way - the dong punch on Peppers, Bosa's INT and Meyer's smug sideline cheerleader routine were top of my list of things to hate.



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Mgrad92

November 28th, 2015 at 4:04 PM ^

Sums up my feelings perfectly, tho' I would have swapped the sentiments in the last graf: "Ohio State looked like a playoff team today. Michigan looked a long way off. It's hard not to be disappointed today after seeing how the last few months have played out, but this is exactly what we expected heading into the season."

If there was anything surprising about today's game, it's that a decisive OSU victory was a surprise — and that says a lot. We're still ahead of schedule, and the most important game is the next one. Onward and upward.

Joined: 01/13/2011

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worstever

November 28th, 2015 at 3:58 PM ^

Total horseshit...we got out coached and I hang that totally on Durkin...you have to make OSU pass and he didn't adjust. Saying this guy is some sort of defensive guru is a farce.



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ca_prophet

November 28th, 2015 at 4:04 PM ^

And played out more like I'd hoped than as I'd feared. The ending is still bittersweet, and it's ... incongruous ... that The Game supposed to be the closest in four years was the one that wasn't close at all in the 2nd half. We pulled out every trick on offense - there was a middle screen, a few good fakes, lots of Peppers - but scheme will not trump talent for long. One thing I noticed was that OSU rarely missed tackles - we couldn't break a really long play, despite a few chances, because OSU always mitigated the damage. And eventually Bosa crushed us - that interception was a superb play from a great player. And Elliot is a monster. In a reversal of form, we were the ones bouncing off an RB and missing tackles, and when we adjusted, Barrett simply kept and trucked us himself. Their weak RT wasn't an issue - they either gave him help or ran away from him. It is written above, and I'm sure the coaches will hammer it home - this was the difference between a pretty good team and a playoff contender. That is where we need to go, and despite today's result it is within our reach.

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WallyWallace

November 28th, 2015 at 4:05 PM ^

..but Harbaugh has done a 'good job' IMO.'Remarkable job' would be beating one of Utah, MSU or OSU with another coach's roster. Team is heavily penalized and inter-game adjustments have been suspect.

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ijohnb

November 28th, 2015 at 4:46 PM ^

here. We don't play particularly disciplined and certain calls he makes seem head scratching. The roughing call was a perfect example. We had field position falling in our favor and he sends everybody on a block? Why, exactly? Just asking for trouble.

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michiganman001

November 28th, 2015 at 4:06 PM ^

Michigan defenses have never done well against the spread and I guess thats just gonna be how it is. The offense got much better this last month, but against a real defense, they still falter. 

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Wolvie3758

November 28th, 2015 at 4:06 PM ^

doesnt that pretty much block any Ohio CFP chance? They wouldnt have even made the conference title game and the Iowa MSU winner gets in?...I just cant stomach Urban Meyer that smug ass bitch...I want them looking back at the MSU loss with regret for the rest of their lives...

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gwkrlghl

November 28th, 2015 at 5:28 PM ^

and since it's probably going to be #4 Iowa vs. #5 MSU in the B1G title game, that's basically the de facto Big Ten play-in game

OSU will probably go to the Rose Bowl over the Big Ten runner up

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lesh2273

November 28th, 2015 at 4:07 PM ^

Too many naysayers on this thread. We just won nine fucking games. How many of us honestly predicted that? We lost to three teams we should have lost to. Nine games is a great season and this loss will be a fire in the belly of the team for both a bowl game and next season. Congrats Michigan football. This is just the beginning.

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RobM_24

November 28th, 2015 at 5:12 PM ^

Coin flip victories can be luck. They can also be skill. The only way you know which one it is, is when you play an opponent with a proven track record. Sometimes (like today or when ND played Bama) you realize your record is probably better than it should be. We had a string of narrow victories and easier wins against non-spread offenses and backup QBs. The best game we played all year was against MSU, and we lost.

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