Ohio State Buckeyes: 5 things to know about another loss to Michigan

Many of the group came back with the specific stated goal of winning the rivalry game, but they did not get it done.

Here are five things to know about The Game 120:

1. Michigan couldn’t have written a more perfect script for an upset.

The offensively challenged Wolverines did not have to do anything out of the ordinary to win. They tried a trick play or two, but that didn’t matter much.

They ran the ball, played good defense and let No. 2 Ohio State beat itself with turnovers, penalties and special teams miscues.

It marked the fourth time in six years the underdog won The Game, but the last time an unranked Michigan team beat Ohio State was in Ann Arbor in 1993. Unranked Ohio State teams beat ranked Michigan teams in 2001 and ‘04.

The Wolverines increased their lead in the series to 62-52-6.

2. Will Howard struggled in his only OSU-Michigan game.

The Kansas State transfer heartened Ohio State fans by saying all the right things about the rivalry over the past week, but then he had his worst game of the season.

Howard completed 19 of 33 passes for 175 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions that were both critical. The first set up the Wolverines’ only touchdown, a two-play, 2-yard drive that gave them an early 7-3 lead in the second quarter. The second cost Ohio State a chance to try a field goal in the third quarter.

Some of his struggles followed getting knocked out of the game briefly in the second quarter when he took a hard hit to the head. Howard was evaluated by the trainers before being able to return but rarely looked like the player who had completed 74 percent of his passes in the first 11 games.

“I got banged up, got hit, and yeah, it was my head and I was good enough to come back,” Howard said after the game.

Day said he followed the advice of the team’s medical staff.

“He came out for a second and they said he was available and that he was OK to go back in the game,” Day said. “I checked with him and he said he was in good shape. Didn’t recognize anything just in terms of the interaction that led to anything other than for him to go play.”

3. The Buckeyes had one of the best red zone offenses in the country all season, but they had three empty trips Saturday.

That was the result of two missed field goals and a Howard interception that prevented another field goal attempt.

“There’s a fine line of trying to make plays and win the game but also being smart enough to take care of the ball, so that’s the balance of playing quarterback,” Day said. “I think we all know Will gave it everything he possibly had today.”

4. Michigan won the rushing battle decisively — eventually.

The Wolverines had 95 yards on the ground in the first three quarters but managed 77 in the fourth, including a vital 27-yard run by Kalel Mullings that converted a third-and-6 near midfield and put Michigan squarely in range for the winning field goal.

Ohio State never got its ground game in gear as the revamped interior line was overwhelmed by Michigan’s stout tackles and speedy linebackers.

Quinshon Judkins ran for 46 yards on 12 carries while TreVeyon Henderson had 21 yards on 10 carries for the Buckeyes and Mullings finished with 116 yards on 32 carries.

“I felt like we were prepared to play well in this game, and I think you can see maybe some of the stuff that happened in the offensive line and shuffling things around ended up really coming to a head today,” Day said. “We’ll have to look at the film and figure it out.

“We just couldn’t seem to get through the second level on some runs, and that is some frustration.”

The last time a team won The Game but lost the rushing battle was a 38-26 Michigan victory at Ohio Stadium in 2000 when Ohio State had the advantage 149-88.

5. What’s next for the Buckeyes isn’t immediately clear.

They are not likely to slide all the way out of the College Football Playoff when all is said and done thanks to a pair of wins over top five teams and a one-point loss to No. 1 Oregon, but the loss cost them a trip to the Big Ten Championship game next week against the Ducks.

Ohio State could still host a playoff game Dec. 20 or 21 depending on what else happens across the country.

“We’re fresh off the game so I don’t really have the answer to that,” Day said. “We’re very disappointed. Never thought this would happen right here. We were expecting to win this game and then go play in the Big Ten Championship Game and neither of those things happened, so we don’t know what’s going on now. This is just too soon to try to figure out what’s next. Once we have more information in about a week we’ll figure that part out. I’ll bring them together here pretty soon and talk to ‘em but there are a lot of guys who are crushed right now.”

Senior linebacker Cody Simon, who came back for a fifth season and appeared to be holding back tears, was one of those guys.

“I don’t really know what’s gonna look like, but this hurts,” Simon said. “We’ve got to keep it together as a team. The seniors have to be leaders, have to make a difference, but it’s hard to swallow this pill.”