Ohio State 42, Michigan 41
The lasting image of this game will be Devin Gardner, injured, spent, and devastated, flat on his back after his pass on the potential game-winning two-point conversion found Buckeye instead of Wolverine.
It's a shame, really, as Gardner gave one of great performances in the history of The Game today, leading a Michigan offensive explosion beyond anybody's wildest predictions. Gardner threw for 451 yards and four touchdowns, rushed for 34 yards and another score (above, Upchurch), and did all this despite clearly playing at less than 100%. The trio of running backs combined for 137 yards and another score on 24 carries; Al Borges, the offensive line, and the skill position players all had their best performances in over a month—603 total yards against the 13th-ranked defense in the country.
After Gardner lobbed a two-yard jump ball to Devin Funchess to make the score 42-41, Brady Hoke asked his seniors if they wanted to go for two and the win; Taylor Lewan said after the game that, to a man, the answer was yes. In a game that calls for cliché, they left it all on the field.
Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog
The Buckeyes did too, of course. The Michigan defense simply couldn't find a way to stop Braxton Miller (153 yards and three rushing TDs) and Carlos Hyde (226 yards and a score on 27 carries) on the ground; when OSU went to the air, they didn't hit often—Miller finished just 6/15 on the day—but when they did it went big, as Miller's six completions went for 133 yards and two more touchdowns. Missing safety Jarrod Wilson and weakside LB James Ross, not to mention focusing heavily on stopping the run, the defense repeatedly allowed big plays over the middle. By the time the Buckeyes got the ball with five minutes left and the game knotted at 35, the defense looked gassed and played like it, ceding a one-yard scoring plunge by Hyde to cap a six-play, 65-yard drive that featured exclusively runs.
Gardner was masterful in the two-minute drill, finding Funchess, then Drew Dileo twice, then Joe Reynolds, Justice Hayes, and Toussaint to move the Wolverines 82 yards before netting the final two and six points on the lob to Funchess. Michigan tried to free up a receiver on a rub route on the two-point conversion; the Buckeyes had it covered, though, and Gardner's hopeful throw landed in the arms of Tyvis Powell.
Michigan didn't just give Ohio State a fight—quite literally, in a couple instances (above, Fuller)—they played their part in an instant classic. Devin Gardner might've ended the game on his back; I'll remember all the times he got up before that, and what he did while he was standing, above all else.
December 1st, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
Borges called a decent first half as he has a few other times, mostly in bigger games. He reverted back to the old Borges later in the game, probably ran out of plays and didn't build off of plays that worked with similar yet different plays to confuse the D. It looked from the stands as if he called "same thing" four times and it didn't work once......Can't imagine why he doesn't make it look like "same thing" and do something different....laziness? I hope that this game didn't reduce our chance of getting a really good OC and he bringing the best in the business with him.......Includeing a S&C coach that can improve on toughness. For $650k/yr, M can get the best! As far as the 2 pt. conversion goes it was a good decision followed by a crappy play call. They had a mismatch to the right if Gardener would have rolled right......Perhaps a QB coach could have taught him to recognize this and call an audible. I'm very happy that M did good and it was a great game, however I'm worried that it will result in "same thing".
December 1st, 2013 at 10:42 PM ^
December 1st, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
I will remember losing.
December 1st, 2013 at 9:35 PM ^
Your dad fucked you up good, didn't he?
December 2nd, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
December 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
First time over here, and first time commenting.
I just want to say that the team I saw up there in Ann Arbor was a different team than we have seen all year...and that is a good thing. It is good for the rivalry and good for college football.
Despite a few snarky things on both sides of the fence that occured,, I want to say "thank you" to you as fans. Even though we pretty much "hate" each other, it is a respectful hate, and hopefully, with improvement next year (and I'm sure it will happen) for your team, these two teams will reestablish the strength of the Big Ten, as it should be.
I really DO hope you go out in your bowl game and decimate whoever you play, because again, this is good for all of us.
I lived in Pontiac for five years (bible college at Midwestern Baptist) and made many friends from north of the border, and I believe as we go forward into the dawn of the playoff, that you will return to prominence and represent the conference as in days of old.
As much as I fear a return to "normalcy" in the rivalry, it is coming. Of that I am sure.
God bless.
December 1st, 2013 at 5:03 PM ^
December 1st, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
December 1st, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
Like you I generally hate going for two in those situations. I'm not exactly risk-averse, but I'm risk-conscious and the odds don't usually favor it.
But yesterday not only was I sure, throughout the drive, that they would go for two, I was also hoping for it. Because, for once, I think it was the better play. The game in overtime is reduced to a red-zone competition. Not having your short FG kicker in a red-zone competition is bad news. And the defense was getting gashed. And Gardner was limping badly. I didn't like the overtime odds at all.
And I think the decision was already made when Hoke turned to the seniors. He KNOWS what they're going to say. There's no way in hell any group of players ever says "no, coach, we want to kick."
But asking them is a great psychological ploy. He's got their buy-in. They're pumped, they want it and they got it.
"Feelings ball" gets a bad rap around here. But I think Hoke sensed from his players that emotionally and physically the odds would never be better than that moment. And I think he was right.
December 1st, 2013 at 7:39 PM ^
The only thing that gave me pause was that taking the game into OT would perhaps have made OSU look bad--they needed OT to beat a struggling Michigan team. That being said, I think Hoke did the right thing. The goal is to win the game.
December 1st, 2013 at 9:16 PM ^
December 1st, 2013 at 10:22 PM ^
we will stay off your lawn. Also, when did playing with oneself become wrong? You seem to have a major problem with people touching themselves. Might want to talk to someone about that.
December 1st, 2013 at 10:32 PM ^
December 2nd, 2013 at 9:27 AM ^
December 2nd, 2013 at 6:58 AM ^
December 2nd, 2013 at 1:40 PM ^
#8 Who would this new person be? Coordinators like that just aren't available. Seems like the jury is still out on Hoke, so what awesome OC would want to move now knowing that they might be swept up in house cleaning in a few years?
December 2nd, 2013 at 9:20 AM ^
I always preached that you if you play hard and play smart, that's all that anyone can ask of you. That's what I saw for almost all of the game from both the players and coaches. So, I applaud a very well played game.
December 2nd, 2013 at 9:52 AM ^
Again, while I think we were all please at Saturday's performance, I think no one can be satisified, because it further exemplifies the question: Where has this team been all season? Where has this intensity, focus and heart been all year?? Whether you place the responsibility on the players or coaches, changes must be made. Without prejudice or malice, changes must be made and it must start on the offensive side of the ball. I think all of us wish the seniors good luck in their fitire endeavors, and their contributions will not be forgotten.
Brady's got some big decisions ahead...let's get to it.......HAIL!
December 2nd, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^
I still have a big concern with Borges, although he did cal a good game Sat. I agree with the comments that say are we just settling for a close game. I am also concerned if our whole season was a set-up for this game, not wanting to show everything and save it for OSU. There needs to be more creativity in this Offense. The D is a whole different story i have been down on the D for some time now. I could see it and some bad calls. Bottom line is we need some more speed on D. Guys cannot get off blocks D-line and LBs are just not that good.
December 2nd, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
... But im tired of coming up short guys. I understand theres some good to be taken from this game. Jobs were saved, lineman actually blocked, and Gardner was spotless. But its just time that we all stop giving slack and start jumping the gap. Whether we kept the game close or not, Ohio clearly was a machine. Theyre offense was unstoppable and more efficient. Yea we had like 600 total yards but it seemed like we barely made the plays that kept drives alive. I just want to get back to the days where we have a bread and butter. Something we can fall on when all else fails... (i.e. Ohios Run Game). We brought great effort and maybe two or three open field tackles could have won us the game, but its still a loss in my book.
December 2nd, 2013 at 12:29 PM ^
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