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Michigan RB Donovan Edwards reminds Ohio State Buckeyes 'they ain't got no gold pants'

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•about 20 hours•

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Michigan Wolverines football running back Donovan Edwards scored on his final carry at The Big House. (Photo by Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)
Michigan Wolverines football running back Donovan Edwards scored on his final carry at The Big House. (Photo by Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines football running back Donovan Edwards took the podium in the dingy press conference room after he ran wild in a 45-23 win over Ohio State in 2022, legendary college football writer Ivan Maisel asked him a question.

“Donovan, the long touchdown run … you came through the line, and there was nobody there,” Maisel said.

“Which one?” Edwards interjected, eliciting laughter from the entire room, including from his quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, and wideout Cornelius Johnson, both of whom were seated next to him.

The West Bloomfield, Mich., native had two long touchdown runs in the upset win over Ohio State, dashing 75 yards to go up 38-23 and 85 yards to seal the win and put his team ahead 45-23. It was a fair response — he legitimately needed clarification on which long run was being referred to, but it’s also quite the flex.

Edwards — an NFL Draft prospect who’s set to play in Saturday’s Reese’s Senior Bowl — had a similar moment on the field after Wednesday’s practice in Mobile, Ala.

Simone Eli, a reporter from WKRG in Mobile, asked, “How special was that year a couple years ago?”

“Which ones?” Edwards replied.

The Michigan standout had an incredible run in Ann Arbor — there’s no question about it. He left Michigan as part of the winningest senior class of all time, posting a 48-8 record, winning three Big Ten championships and a national title. Edwards is 4-0 against arch rival Ohio State, too, a fact he can rub in the face of Buckeyes at the Senior Bowl.

“They were all special, for real,” he continued. “I’ll do you one better: I’ll take you back to the freshman year, winning the Big Ten championship [for the first time] in over 10 years and beating Ohio State. Sophomore year, winning another Big Ten championship — two-peat — beat Ohio State. Win a national championship the third year, beat Ohio State again.”

Michigan stunned Ohio State this past season, winning 13-10 in Columbus, the Wolverines’ second road victory in the rivalry since 2000. Ohio State went on to make the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff and win the final over Notre Dame. However, there’s not a single player that was on that Ohio State team who beat Michigan as a Buckeye.

“And then much respect to the Ohio State Buckeyes — we’ve gotta give it to them for the national championship,” Edwards said. “Congratulations to my boys. Also beat them four times in a row, so the guys over there can’t say nothing about beating us; they ain’t getting no gold pants, either.”

Edwards has impressed at Senior Bowl practices ahead of Saturday’s game (2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network), and he said in an interview with The Draft Network that he’s looking to prove himself this week.

“It means I went out there and won my reps,” Edwards said of what a successful week would look like for him. “I want to prove I’m one of the best running backs in this class. Winning every single rep is what a successful Senior Bowl looks like for me.”

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