In a heavyweight bout, Michigan once again proves the tougher, more battle-tested team vs. Ohio State

In “The Game” featuring a pair of undefeated Big Ten heavyweights, Ohio State and Michigan spent the initial rounds Saturday feeling each other out. 

With stakes at a maximum — a trip to the Big Ten title game and a likely berth to the College Football Playoff — the Buckeyes and Wolverines swapped punts on the first four drives before the two bitter rivals started trading blows. 

Then they started throwing haymakers. 

With constant commercials, replay reviews and injury timeouts, “The Game” lacked any sort of rhythm, and yet the epic affair delivered on all its promise, with 60 minutes chalked with statements and responses from two of the best teams in the country in an instant classic.

After all the pregame hullabaloo about Connor Stallions, sign-stealing and Jim Harbaugh’s absence, the result Saturday came down to toughness, mettle and resiliency. And once again, Michigan was able to muster the knockout blows, a 1-2 combination of chewing up nearly seven minutes of clock in the fourth quarter and then intercepting Kyle McCord inside the final 20 seconds to secure a 30-24 win. 

“Michigan University, we love you!,” interim head coach Sherrone Moore in his postgame on-field interview after moving to 3-0 in place of the suspended Jim Harbaugh.

“Coach Harbaugh, we got your back baby! We love you!”

Sherrone Moore out-coaches Ryan Day

The Wolverines have now beaten the Buckeyes three straight times, and while Ryan Day had a solid offensive gameplan and dialed up some fantastic play calls for star wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. (five receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown), his team once again wilted late. 

But worse? Day, who now is 40-0 against the rest of the Big Ten but 0-3 vs. Michigan, was out-coached by an interim on the sidelines.

Behind Blake Corum and an offensive line looking for its third-straight Joe Moore Award, the Wolverines out-rushed Ohio State 156 to 107. Up 3 with 8:05 remaining, they nearly were able to milk the game away by slowly churning out the 5-6 yards a pop. 

On the day, Corum proved a key difference maker, converting a couple of 4th-down conversions in the first half. Then one play after All-American guard Zak Zinter went down with a bad knee injury in the third quarter, Michigan’s star running back made a jump-cut in the hole to sprint 22 yards for what ended up being the decision touchdown. 

“It’s Michigan vs. Everybody,” Corum said. “But the job’s not finished.”

The Wolverines will now play Iowa for the Big Ten title game, and Sherrone Moore is a big reason why. While Day turtled on multiple 4th down decisions — Ohio State punted on 4th-and-1 at midfield and settled for a 52-yard field goal just before halftime, which was predictably missed — Moore kept his foot on the gas all game. 

Moore didn’t coach like an “acting head coach” not ready for the moment. He was the aggressor. 

Michigan converted a trio of 4th downs in the first half — both leading to touchdowns. He inserted backup quarterback Alex Orji for a surprise 20-yard run. He dialed up a half-back pass for a 34-yard explosive play to set up a fourth quarter field goal. 

Aside from not allowing J.J. McCarthy, who otherwise was crisp and efficient all game (16 of 20 for 148 yards and a touchdown), to not pass to potentially seal the win on a 3rd-and-6, Moore’s in-game management was flawless. 

Perhaps Moore was even right to dial it back on the final offensive play because Michigan wasn’t going to commit a costly turnover. The Wolverines had the better kicker. The better defense. And a quarterback, who, unlike the guy on the opposite sideline, wasn’t going to give the game away. 

Kyle McCord made some strong throws Saturday, but he tossed a terrible interception in the first half to set up a short touchdown drive for the Wolverines, and he panicked under pressure on the pick to Rod Moore. 

Ballgame. 

The elimination title bout now sends the two programs off in totally opposite directions. 

Michigan, once again validated that it’s the current king of the Big Ten. There’s no asterisks on this W, either. Minus Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines again proved the more battle-tested team. They were the loose and confident. And it proved the difference. 

As for Day, the John Cooper comps will only get louder now. 

Despite a resume that screams, “Top 5 coach” in America, Ohio State isn’t supposed to lose to Michigan. Much-less three straight times and when the Wolverines are without their head coach. The Buckeyes are in a bizarro phase with their program right now, where they’re good enough to win a national title but they can’t win their conference because they can’t beat their rival. 

Two months ago, Day screamed about how wrong Lou Holtz was and that Ohio State was a tough, physical football team. 

Well, not tough enough. Again. And in a heavyweight bout, that’s a difference.