Former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit praises Michigan for winning The Game
After Michigan picked up back-to-back wins in The Game against Ohio State for the first time since the year 2000 — and by a lopsided margin for the second-straight year — former Buckeyes quarterback and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit praised the Wolverines for the win. A professional necessity, yes, but surely not what the former Ohio State quarterback had in mind for a postgame tweet when he got up this morning.
And Michigan not only won, but left Columbus with a 45-23 victory as emphatic as last years beating. Thus, Herbstreit had praise for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh on top of the team itself.
“Congratulations to [Michigan] on a great win today,” Herbstreit tweeted. “Jim Harbaugh, his staff, and obviously his players were locked in and on a mission to win today in Columbus — and they did it. On to Indy and more than likely a [College Football Playoff] appearance again-Impressive! Congrats!”
With the win, Michigan advances to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis next Saturday where it will face one of Purdue, Illinois or Iowa in a contest that the Wolverines will likely be large favorites in.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy reacted after the big win
It was McCarthy’s turn to help the Wolverines to a win over the Buckeyes after playing a few snaps a year ago — and he didn’t hide how much it meant.
“It was just trying to get back to myself, back to when I was five years old, dreaming about playing on this field,” McCarthy said. “Everything about it was magical.”
McCarthy had a monster day for the Wolverines, throwing for 263 yards and three touchdowns in the air while adding 27 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground to lead the way to a 45-23 victory. It wasn’t a perfect day — Michigan’s offense got off to a rocky start when star running back Blake Corum left the game — and McCarthy acknowledged that.
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However, the Wolverines finished strong and got the win. The scoreboard says it all.
“Obviously there’s some things I want back, but walking out of here with a ‘W,’” McCarthy said. “That’s all that matters, no matter how we got it done.”
For a team known for its ability to run, led by the one-two punch of Corum and Donovan Edwards, Ohio State did its best to stop the rush early on. That allowed McCarthy to make some big plays with his arm, and it worked out.
“They were trying to stop our identity,” McCarthy said. “We’re a smash-fest football team and they were trying to stop the run, so they let the passes get open deep.”
Donovan Edwards: ‘We prepared for this game all season’
Edwards also had a monster day, rushing for 216 yards and two touchdowns — a 75-yarder and an 85-yarder to seal the game. He stepped up in a big way in Corum’s absence, and it was the perfect way to cap off a regular season in which Michigan had one thing on its mind.
The Wolverines’ top goal was to beat Ohio State.
“It’s big,” Edwards said. “Big-time rivalry game, we knew what we had to do this game. We prepared for this game all season and in the offseason. So to get the victory, it’s a blessing from the Lord.”