WATCH: Michigan, Ohio State break out in fight after end-zone scuffle
The stakes are as high as can be for Michigan-Ohio State, as is expected when the 10-1, fifth-ranked Wolverines look to spoil the 10-1, second-ranked Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff hopes.
But as it soon became clear on Saturday, when the stakes are high, so too are the tensions. Michigan jumped out to a 14-13 lead over Ohio State in the first half, and the two programs were seen jarring in the tunnel at halftime. They nearly broke out into a fight, but a few coaches and a number of game officials stepped in to break it up.
Michigan then scored on consecutive second-half possessions, moving its lead to 28-13. But on the Wolverines’ second touchdown drive, when quarterback JJ McCarthy took a first-and-goal rush for a few yards, the fighting got worse. McCarthy was pushed out of bounds — meanwhile, in the end zone, wide receiver Roman Wilson wouldn’t let go of Cameron Brown’s legs while Wilson was on the ground. Brown, the Ohio State cornerback, responded with anger, ripping off Wilson’s helmet in the end zone. Brown picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his actions, but Wilson emerged unfazed.
Michigan, Ohio State fight in tunnel
In a video posted to Twitter, the entire Ohio State and Michigan rosters were seen jarring at one another during halftime. They were separated by a mere few feet; the only thing that stood between them were a line of coaches and support staff, as well as a handful of game officials. Though the choice words were nearly impossible to make out, the yelling didn’t seem to stop, and players on both sides were gesturing their middle fingers to the other team.
Michigan went into halftime with a 14-13 lead over Ohio State, marking just the third time the Wolverines led the Buckeyes at halftime since 2004. In each of the other two instances, Michigan ultimately blew the lead and lost the game; in 2012, the Wolverines blew a 21-20 lead and lost 26-21, and more recently in 2016, Michigan led 10-7 only to lose 30-27. It also marks the first time that Ohio State trailed a team by halftime since Week 2 against Oregon, the Buckeyes’ only loss of the season.
Jim Harbaugh has Michigan off to its best season since he took over in 2015. The Wolverines have only amassed 10 wins three times since then, and the Wolverines have already notched a 10-win season with rivalry week and postseason play still on tap.
Ohio State currently has a 61 percent chance of making it to the College Football Playoff, per ESPN. Should Ohio State lose to Michigan, it will lose its only chance of making it to the Big Ten Championship game — as a result, ESPN projects that the Buckeyes’ odds of making the College Football Playoff would drop down to 16 percent.