Media Roundup: What The National Media Is Saying About Michigan Football After Defeating Ohio State

Michigan recorded its second consecutive 12-0 regular season on Saturday after taking down Ohio State, 30-24. The Wolverines have now defeated the Buckeyes three seasons in a row, but this year was much tighter than the previous two.

The Buckeyes put up a fight until the very end when Kyle McCord threw his second interception of the day and it wound up in Rod Moore's hands.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day is now 1-3 against the Wolverines and it's looking like OSU has a Michigan problem.

The national media has been split down the middle for some time revolving around the Wolverines. Some believed Michigan was a good team, while others weren't so sure with the Wolverines' strength of schedule.

But after Michigan took down the Buckeyes, almost everyone is starting to give the Wolverines some love.

Here is what the national media is saying after Michigan defeated Ohio State.

CBS Sports gave Michigan an A+ after beating the Buckeyes:

It was old-school, it was physical, it was passionate, and it was perfect for Michigan as it topped rival Ohio State 30-24 in Ann Arbor. More importantly, the Wolverines controlled the game from the outset, proving that they are the biggest threat to Georgia in the College Football Playoff race.

ESPN's Heather Dinich has Michigan ranked No. 2 behind UGA:

Michigan now has two (potentially) top-10 wins -- Ohio State and Penn State -- and has won two of its past three games on the road. The Wolverines played another complete game on Saturday, beating their rivals with smart playcalling from acting head coach Sherrone Moore, and an aggressive defense. The selection committee will consider that the Wolverines were able to win without coach Jim Harbaugh, who was suspended for his third straight game, and they overcame injuries to key players, including veteran offensive lineman Zak Zinter and cornerback Will Johnson. Michigan could certainly make a case as the nation's No. 1 team, but Georgia's résumé is still stronger.

ESPN staff writers vote Michigan second in their power rankings:

The Wolverines beat Ohio State for a third time in a row and will now play for a third Big Ten championship in a row. Michigan was held to just 38 yards rushing in the first half against the Buckeyes, but was able to keep chipping away against its rival to ultimately come out on top in a 30-24 win. The Buckeyes had given up just three rushing touchdowns all season, but running back Blake Corum scored two touchdowns on the ground to help put Michigan on top. The Wolverines' defense had two important interceptions that helped seal the win. The first came from corner Will Johnson on the Buckeyes' third possession and resulted in an offensive touchdown, and the second came from Rod Mooreto effectively end the game. Michigan will now try for a conference crown and another shot at the College Football Playoff.

Fox Sports RJ Young ranks Michigan No. 1:

No Jim Harbaugh, no problem.

For the third year in a row, the Michigan Wolverines beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in The Game to clinch the Big Ten East title.

It’s only the second time in 26 years that Michigan has tripled up Ohio State. The last time the Wolverines enjoyed this kind of success against their hated rival, they won a share of the 1997 national title.

The Wolverines are now just three wins away from doing just that — winning the national title.

Adam Rittenberg gave five reasons Michigan could win it all this year, starting with J.J. McCarthy:

The experience of this Michigan team has been especially important given Harbaugh's suspension and the intense media scrutiny on the program. Almost every position group boasts numerous players with significant starts or notable field time. Even after a devastating injury like Zinter's against Ohio State, Michigan responded by moving fifth-year lineman Karsen Barnhart to right guard and then sliding in Trente Jones, another fifth-year player, to Barnhart's spot at tackle. The offense continued to move.

"We're always talking about the six best guys, the five best guys, whoever it is," said Sherrone Moore, who oversees the line.

McCarthy's savvy has stood out this season as Michigan has asked different things of him than in 2022, when the team rode running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. After an excellent start -- he had 2,134 pass yards with 18 touchdowns on 75.7% completions through Michigan's first nine games -- he didn't attempt a pass down the stretch against Penn State, as the Wolverines called 32 consecutive runs. Then, after a shaky performance last week at Maryland, McCarthy executed a precision passing game to near perfection against Ohio State, completing 16 of 20 attempts for 148 yards and a thread-the-needle touchdown to Roman Wilson. He completed 12 of 12 passes of 5 yards or less, and recorded his fifth game with at least 80% completions, tying Oregon's Bo Nixfor most in the FBS. His mobility also stood out against a fast Buckeyes defense.

"I told him before the game: 'Listen, when the game matters in some critical situations, I'm going to put the ball in your hands, because I know you're going to make a great decision,'" Moore said. "I know where his mindset is at, especially on those critical downs."