No. 3 Michigan dominates No. 2 Ohio State, remains undefeated in 45-23 win

In what looked destined to be a shootout, both defenses clamped down in the third quarter. In the only score of the quarter Michigan's offense was able to connect on another big play for a 45-yard touchdown when J.J. McCarthy found Colston Loveland to give the Wolverines the lead. The touchdown pass marked the third touchdown of more than 40+ yards for Michigan. 

After only running for 10 total yards in the first half, Michigan's running attack started to heat up. Collecting 70 yards on the ground as a team in the third quarter, Donovan Edwards has started to find holes and now has a team-high 13 carries for 46 yards. 

ANOTHER BIG PLAY FOR THE TOUCHDOWN! 🔥 😤 @UMichFootball @colstonlovelan1 x @jjmccarthy09 pic.twitter.com/N5nlJ7ejbz

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 26, 2022

After Ohio State retook the lead 13-10, Michigan responded quickly with another long touchdown pass to Cornelius Johnson. This time, a 75-yard pitch-and-catch to give the Wolverines the 17-13 lead. 

Johnson now has 3 catches for 156 yards and 2 TDs while quarterback J.J. McCarthy is 5-of-11 for 192 yards passing. 

After allowing a long touchdown drive, Michigan's offense went to work and responded with a field goal. Jake Moody connected on a 49-yard field goal to put Michigan on the board. Moody's field goal was just three yards shy of his career-long (52 yards). 

Kick is good! 🙌 @UMichFootball is on the board! pic.twitter.com/n8mpUmjZ5Z

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 26, 2022

The following is from Mike Lopresti's NCAA.com preview of this week's rivalry games:

Sad but true fact for the Wolverines: The last time they won at Ohio State, current star running back Blake Corum was a week from being born and Tom Brady had just graduated. Michigan has lost nine games in a row in Columbus since the last victory in 2000, and now would be an excellent time to end the streak since a Big Ten championship and a prime spot in the playoff bracket very likely go to the winner. It says something about the historical parity of this rivalry that even with the Buckeyes’ recent dominance at home, they barely lead the Columbus portion of the series 28-27-2.

As has been true so many times across two centuries, the game comes with lots of shiny numbers. Half of the four remaining unbeaten 11-0 records in the country will be on the field Saturday. The only two teams in the nation currently ranked in the top-10 in both scoring offense and defense will be there. This is the 12th time they have met as top-5 members. And there are as many intriguing questions as decals on the helmets.

Will Michigan’s offensive line steamroll the Ohio State defense as it did last November in Ann Arbor?

Corum shares the national lead with 19 touchdowns scored, but will he even play because of a knee injury?

The Buckeyes have been a fireworks show in the air, from quarterback C.J. Stroud and his 35 touchdown passes to receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., with 78 percent of his 65 receptions going for a first down. Any answers for that, Wolverines defense?

Ohio State’s 29-game home winning streak against Big Ten opponents goes back to 2015, so no current Buckeye has ever known the feeling of losing a conference game in Ohio Stadium. This is no time for a new experience, right?

Can Michigan get its customary fast start — the Wolverines have outscored opponents 210-67 in the first half — to take some of the scarlet out of the Ohio State crowd?

Sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy has justified Jim Harbaugh’s decision to start him with a 67 percent completion rate and a 14-2 touchdown-interception ratio. But he’s never played a down in Ohio Stadium, so how’s that going to work out?

And most of all, will the loser look good enough to make a case for a second playoff spot for the Big Ten? Bo and Woody never had to worry about that one.