The first quarter was an exhibition of pure domination by the Michigan Wolverines. Then J.T. Barrett and Ohio State showed up to play in the second quarter. The Wolverines took a 14-0 lead on the Buckeyes early in the second quarter but Ohio State has forced a 14-14 tie at halftime.
Down 14-0 and mere moments after escaping a disaster with a sure interception being dropped by Michigan, Barrett got the Buckeyes on the board with a 21-yard touchdown run.
This was a TD the second Michigan CB turned his back thinking pass https://t.co/F3QoQhgA8d
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) November 25, 2017
With that rushing TD, J.T. Barrett has become only the 2nd player in FBS history to rush for 40 TDs and throw for 100 TDs. The only other: Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan. He had 47 and 102, respectively, between 2006-09. J.T. now has 40 and 101, respectively.
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) November 25, 2017
Michigan tied the game at 14-14 after getting Michigan’s defense to buy in on a handoff, allowing J.T. Barrett a chance to toss a ball over the middle to Marcus Baugh for a 25-yard touchdown.
Michigan defense fooled on that OSU TD https://t.co/2oVdxSYjxv
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) November 25, 2017
Ohio State was held to negative offensive yardage in the first quarter by an inspired Michigan defense, but the Buckeyes reversed the roles in the second quarter by getting their offense in sync and moving. For a moment, Ohio State actually had more offensive yardage than Michigan until a botched play led to a loss of yardage as Barrett fell on a loose football.
John O’Korn got the start at quarterback for Michigan, and he has completed nine of 16 passes for 63 yards and a score. O’Korn became the focal point of a controversial replay that was ruled Michigan was just short of picking up a first down. Whether he did or did not make the first down was still fair to question as there was no camera angle that definitively offered a concrete verdict. Sound familiar?
Is it that hard to have a proper camera angle for this stuff? https://t.co/G69AoJ0lpm
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) November 25, 2017
Michigan fans were not pleased with this outcome.
We’ll see what happens in the second half. Ohio State is still heading to the Big Ten championship game regardless of the outcome in Michigan Stadium, but the Buckeyes must win in order to remain a blip on the playoff radar for another week.