Halftime Analysis of No. 1 Ohio State vs No. 13 Michigan

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Ann Arbor, MI. — After defeating Indiana last week 39-14, Michigan now takes on the best team in the country and their arch-rival, Ohio State. Not many people predicted an upset by the Wolverines, as this Ohio State team is the best they’ve had in years, some think possibly ever.

Michigan won the coin toss and chose to receive. They were able to drive down the field with some ease, and they were able to score first off a 22-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Giles Jackson, but the extra point was missed by kicker Quinn Nordin and Michigan was only up 6-0 early on.

Ohio State answered back with their running back J.K. Dobbins doing the heavy lifting, running four times for 51 yards and a touchdown and catching a 28-yard pass. He was the main offensive weapon for that entire drive and Ohio State took the 7-6 lead.

Both teams struggled to get much going, until late in the first quarter when Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Olave as Ohio State extended their lead to 14-6.

Michigan didn’t cave into the Buckeyes demise as in just three plays Michigan scored off a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. The big 41-yard catch by tight end Sean McKeon helped set up the touchdown as Michigan was back in the game, down 14-13.

Despite facing a 2nd and 18, Fields found a wide-open wide receiver Garrett Wilson for a 41-yard gain that would set up another touchdown run by Dobbins, this one from seven yards out as Ohio State goes up by eight once again, 21-13.

Michigan was driving down the field and on the Buckeyes 12 yard line before quarterback Shea Patterson fumbled the football and turned it over. The first turnover by either team and a costly one for the Wolverines. That wasn’t the only mistake by Michigan as they forced a fourth down on the OSU possession after the fumble, but an offsides penalty gave OSU a first down. Two plays later, Buckeyes score on another run by Dobbins, Buckeyes up 28-13.

Michigan would move down the field with some ease as Patterson kept slinging the ball around with rare pressure. Despite the offense moving, they came up short as Peoples-Jones dropped a touchdown late in the second quarter, and Michigan would have to settle for a field goal and cut the lead at the half to 28-16.

POSITIVES:

• Michigan hasn’t really felt the pressure from Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. He’s accumulated nothing on the stat sheet so far as he’s gone up against left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. one on one, then dealt with right tackle Jalen Mayfield with help from right guard Michael Onwenu.
• Patterson is throwing the ball well today, with only one poor pass that was too far out of bounds for wide receiver Nico Collins to catch and stay in bounds. He’s 14/19 for 250 yards and a touchdown. He’s made the correct reads on the RPO plays and has been playing well once again, but that fumble will be huge on him.

NEGATIVES:

• Michigan hasn’t been able to get the running game going so far. Sure Jackson had the 22-yard touchdown run, but none of the actual running backs have found the holes that were open, or have made any big plays. Running back Zach Charbonnet has three carries for eight yards and he’s the leading carrier at the position. Michigan could only put up 35 rushing yards total in the first half. History shows whoever dominates the ground game usually wins it. Ohio State is hammering the Wolverines in that category right now 118-35.
• Michigan has had issues with stopping Dobbins as he is the heart and soul of the team’s offense. So far in the first half, he has 103 yards and three touchdowns on just 17 carries, along with a 28-yard catch on third and long. Michigan must figure out the answer to stopping him or else he will run all over them just like Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor did back in Week Four.