Buckeyes Demolish Wolverines to End Four-game Skid in Rivalry, Indiana Awaits
- Ben Latham
- Dec 5, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 21
It was a result Buckeye Nation had waited six years for.
Ryan Day finally got the monkey off his back Saturday as No. 1 Ohio State prevailed over No. 15 Michigan in dominant fashion, 27-9.
One of the biggest questions leading up to this game was how the Buckeyes would respond when faced with adversity, and they quickly put that to rest.
After a Julian Sayin interception led the Wolverines to jump out to an early 6-0 lead, the Buckeyes never flinched.
In fact, holding Michigan to two field goals on their first two possessions was pretty indicative of how the game was going to unfold.
Sayin was remarkable after his opening-drive mistake, throwing for three touchdowns and completing nearly 80% of his passes in the process.
The way the offense was able to out-physical the Wolverines, especially in the second half with the 20-play drive, was extremely impressive.
The collective efforts of Bo Jackson, CJ Donaldson and Isaiah West in the running game were a joy to watch as Ohio State almost doubled up Michigan in rushing yards.
Now let's talk defense. Man, what an absolute masterclass by Matt Patricia yet again.
The way Matty P was able to quickly make adjustments after Michigan's first couple drives was remarkable, as the defense played lights out for the rest of the game.
The Silver Bullets held Michigan running backs to a grand total of -8 yards in the second half, an absurd stat.
Bryce Underwood had his worst game as a Wolverine, completing just 44% of his passes and throwing for a measly 63 yards. You're right, Bryce. Nobody's seen a freshman like you before.
There is no doubt in my mind that Patricia should win the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in college football, especially after his unit's dominant performance on Saturday.
Previewing Big Ten Championship vs Indiana
This will be the first-ever No. 1 vs No. 2 matchup in the Big Ten Championship Game, and I cannot wait for this one.
It's no secret that the winner of this game, whether that be Julian Sayin or Fernando Mendoza, will likely win the Heisman Trophy.
The Hoosiers are incredibly well-coached and arguably better than they were last year when the Buckeyes handled them in Columbus. However, you can argue that Ohio State is also better than they were a year ago.
Both teams are well-balanced and capable of imposing their will on both sides of the ball, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
Regardless of the result, this should be a phenomenal game between two of the most complete teams in the country.
Comments