Wolverines Headed to Indianapolis, Defeat Buckeyes, 42-27
Michigan had built its reputation under Jim Harbaugh on its inability to win the big games.
Heading into a matchup with Ohio State, a rival Harbaugh had never beat under Harbaugh, the narrative was set to be written yet again.
But Saturday, in a snowy Michigan Stadium, the Wolverines erased the plot and rewrote it themselves.
In a physical battle, the 2021 rendition of ‘The Game’ went to the Wolverines. At long last, Harbaugh has beaten the Buckeyes. With the win, the Wolverines will play in the Big Ten Championship for the first time in program history.
The game unfolded in vintage Michigan fashion, the Wolverines running the ball down after down. Hassan Haskins led the way with five touchdowns, including a four-yard burst to put his team up 42-27 with 2:17 left.
The Buckeyes crawled back within a score on a 10-yard toss from quarterback C.J. Stroud to TreVeyon Henderson, but the Wolverines put the game on ice with the same pounding run game that got them to that point.
A.J. Henning kicked off the scoring for Michigan, taking an end-around handoff 14 yards to the end zone. The Buckeyes answered with 10 unanswered, taking the lead on a 25-yard strike from Strout to Garrett Wilson.
Haskins scored the first of his quintet of touchdowns to make it 14-10, and a last-second field goal from OSU’s Noah Ruggles made it 14-13 heading into the locker room.
After a three-and-out from the Buckeye offense, the Wolverines marched 81 yards in just three plays, as a 55-yard run by Blake Corum set up Haskins’ 13-yard scoring sprint. Aidan Hutchinson broke Michigan’s single-season sack record on the ensuing drive, forcing another punt.
Haskins upped Michigan’s advantage to two scores with a one-yard run, but Henderson answered with a one-yard run. After the teams traded touchdowns, Michigan got the ball with 4:45 remaining.
It was Haskins’ turn to put the Buckeyes away, as runs of 15, 11 and 27 preceded his fifth and final touchdown from four yards out.
On the Buckeyes final drive, Stroud was sacked by David Ojabo on third down and threw short of the first down on fourth, giving the Wolverines the ball back to run out the clock.
Notes
- The Wolverines hadn’t beaten Ohio State in their last eight tries. The previous win for the Wolverines came in 2011, with Denard Robinson at quarterback.
- College Gameday’s Lee Corso, known for his pregame headgear choices, picked the Buckeyes to win.
- Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr was in attendance for the game. Carr was 6-7 in his career against the Buckeyes.
- Hutchinson broke the single season sack record with three in the game, passing David Bowns and Lamar Woodley.
