The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines saw their 10-game winning streak snapped and their Big Ten Championship hopes crushed by the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes as they fell 62-39 on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio.
Shea Patterson threw for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Karan Higdon had 15 carries for 72 yards. Donovan Peoples-Jones had seven catches for 62 yards while Nico Collins led the team with four catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes struck first in The Game with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Dwayne Haskins to Chris Olave. It was his first touchdown reception of the season. Michigan added two field goals to narrow the deficit, but Ohio State countered with two touchdowns to expand it. With 47 seconds left, Shea Patterson found Nico Collins for the maize and blue's first touchdown of the game. They would get the ball right back after the Buckeyes fumbled the kickoff. The Wolverines would recover the ball at the OSU 9-yard line. On the ensuing play from scrimmage, Patterson found Chris Evans on a wheel route for another touchdown. However, Patterson would be sacked on the ensuing two-point conversion that would have tied the game. The Buckeyes would add a field goal before the end of the half. The third quarter was all Buckeyes as they scored a touchdown on a blocked punt and another on a rush from Mike Weber. They also had a field goal to make it a 41-19 game going into the fourth quarter. Michigan would score two touchdowns in an effort to stay alive, but both were answered with touchdowns by the Buckeyes. Eventually, the Wolverines defense, considered by many to be the best in the country, was torched for 62 points and 573 total yards, the most the maize and blue have allowed since Jim Harbaugh, who is now 0-4 against OSU, became head coach. The Wolverines have still yet to beat Ohio State on the road since 2000. They haven't beaten them at all since 2011. Ohio State will move on to face No. 19 Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game. Meanwhile, the Wolverines will wait to see which bowl game they'll be placed in.
0 Comments
The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (10-1, 8-0) continued showcasing their dominance with a gritty win over the Indiana Hoosiers in their last home game of the season. Now to end the regular season, the maize and blue will travel to Columbus, Ohio for their annual rivalry matchup with the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes.
Opponent Overview The defending Big Ten champions have continued to play like one of the best teams in the country. This came even after the Zach Smith scandal, which was a bad look for the program and led to head coach Urban Meyer being suspended for the season's first three games. The scarlet and gray's offense is led by redshirt sophomore Dwayne Haskins. He's not nearly as mobile as his predecessors who have started at QB under Meyer, but his 3,685 passing yards (3rd in FBS) and 36 touchdowns (Tied for 1st in FBS) make him the best passer that the head coach has had at OSU. The running back core is led by J.K. Dobbins. The sophomore leads the team with 194 carries for 915 yards and eight touchdowns. Dobbins is joined by junior Mike Weber who has 127 carries for 711 yards and four touchdowns. The receivers are headlined by senior Paris Campbell who leads the team with 66 catches for nine touchdowns to go with 711 yards. K.J. Hill leads in receiving yards with 772. Senior Terry McLaurin has 30 catches for 579 yards and nine touchdowns. Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor should also see snaps. Players to Watch The Front Seven-Over the past two games, Michigan's defense has allowed at least 190 yards rushing, their highest marks this season. This Wolverines unit can't afford to have a game like that against a running back core in Weber and Dobbins that has carved them up in recent years. It'll also be especially important for them to keep the pressure on Dwayne Haskins and force him to make mistakes. The Secondary-The back four have been arguably the best part of Michigan's dominant defense. However, they're about to face what is by far their biggest test of the season. Dwayne Haskins will have a lot of time to throw the ball, especially if Chase Winovich can't play. From Paris Campbell to K.J. Hill to Johnnie Dixon, Ohio State has lots of weapons on the perimeter to get you with and the secondary will need to be ready for it. Shea Patterson-This is the game that Jim Harbaugh got Patterson to come to Michigan for. The Toledo, Ohio native will get his first taste of one of the greatest rivalries in sports which, this year, will determine who gets to play in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 1. There's no longer an excuse to hold back what he's capable of. It's time for Shea to unleash everything he's got from his mobility to his efficiency as a passer. This Michigan offense will need everything they can get to win for the first time in Ohio Stadium since 2000. Michigan and Ohio State will kick off Saturday, Nov. 24 at Noon eastern on FOX. It wasn't done in the prettiest of ways, but the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (10-1, 8-0) were able to hold off the Indiana Hoosiers (5-6, 2-6) beating them 31-20 on Saturday evening in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Shea Patterson had 250 yards and a touchdown through the air and 68 yards on 10 carries. Karan Higdon took 21 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown. Zach Gentry led the team with two receptions for 83 yards. This was the last home game for many of Michigan's players including Chase Winovich, Karan Higdon and Tyree Kinnel. Underclassmen players like Devin Bush and Rashan Gary, may leave school early to go to the draft. The Wolverines got the ball to start the game and got on the board immediately with a field goal by Jake Moody who replaced the usual starter Quinn Nordin. He would go on to make all of his six field goal attempts, a Michigan program record. The Hoosiers would answer two drives later with a touchdown run by running back Stevie Scott to go up 7-3. The Wolverines added two more field goals from Moody and Indiana added one of their own to make it 10-9. Michigan finally added a touchdown thanks when Shea Patterson found Nick Eubanks over the middle for a touchdown. The team would miss a two-point conversion on the next play. Once the Hoosiers got the ball back they would march 75 yards on nine plays to make it a 17-15 game. The maize and blue drove all the way to the Indiana 3-yard line with seconds left in the half. Shea Patterson found Sean McKeon at the Indiana 2-yard line who was tackled in bounds so that the clock kept moving. The Wolverines tried to get one more play off and score, but they ran out of time and went into halftime down 17-15. In the second half, the Wolverines held the Hoosiers to a three and out. Once they got the ball back they charged down the field and took the lead back thanks to Karan Higdon's 2-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, they would add on another field goal. The Hoosiers got the ball with 2:37 left in the game with a chance to stay alive. Indiana got all the way to their own 44 yard line before the Wolverines forced a turnover on downs, giving the maize and blue a win in their last home game of the season. The Hoosiers have still yet to beat Michigan since 1987. They haven't won in Michigan Stadium since 1967. Next week, Michigan will travel to Columbus, Ohio to face the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes in a game that will determine who wins the Big Ten East. Though it wasn't the prettiest of performances, the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (9-1, 7-0) kept on rolling last Saturday with a 42-7 win over Rutgers. Now they'll return to Ann Arbor for their final home game of the season, a Senior Day matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Opponent Overview The Hoosiers (5-5, 2-5) have had a roller coaster season so far. They started off 4-1 before losing four straight games. The team was able to snap that streak in their most recent game, a 34-32 win over Maryland. Indiana's offense is led by Peyton Ramsey. The sophomore quarterback has completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 2,335 yards and 17 touchdowns. He's also second on the team with 97 carries for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Freshman Stevie Scott leads the team with 178 carries for 894 yards and eight touchdowns. Ronnie Walker should also see time in the backfield. The receiving core features ten players with at least 14 receptions this season. Leading the pack is Donavan Hale, who leads the team with 425 yards and six touchdowns. Luke Timian has a team-high 35 receptions to go with 323 receiving yards. Other names to watch on the perimeter include Nick Westbrook, Ty Fryfogle, J-Shun Harris II, Whop Philyor and Resse Taylor. Players to Watch The Front Seven-On the surface, these guys did what they had to do against Rutgers, but when you realize they allowed a season-high 193 rushing yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run, you'll realize that there's work to be done. Whether it was unpreparedness or simply coming in flat, the front seven can't afford to play like that against an Indiana offense that will be a lot less forgiving. They'll also need to put the pressure on Peyton Ramsey whose been sacked 23 times this season, the second highest mark in the Big Ten. Lavert Hill-The secondary has been arguably the strongest part of Michigan's defense this season and that's in large part thanks to Lavert Hill. However, the junior defensive back was placed in concussion protocol after taking a hit against Rutgers. His presence will be vital against an Indiana offense that ranks fourth nationally in completed passes. If he's unable to play, it'll be up to guys like Ambry Thomas to make things harder through the air. Karan Higdon-The good news is the senior from Sarasota, Florida became the first running back since 2012 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The bad news is he ran for just 42 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. It's good that he was able to score twice, but he needs to get a lot more yardage in order to keep Indiana's offense off the field. The Wolverines rank fourth nationally in time of possession and that'll be important to maintain on Saturday. The Wolverines and Hoosiers kick off Saturday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. eastern on Fox Sports 1. The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (8-1, 6-0) have faced three ranked opponents in three consecutive games. The team outscored those opponents a combined 101-27 and have cemented themselves as the team to beat in the Big Ten as a result. This week, they'll hit the road to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Opponent Overview While the Wolverines have won eight straight games after losing their season opener at No. 3 Notre Dame, things have gone in the exact opposite direction for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights (1-8, 0-6) won their first game of the year against Texas State 35-7. They've since lost eight straight games and are dead last in the Big Ten's East division. The team's offense is led by Artur Sikowski. The freshman quarterback has thrown for 1,100 yards, four touchdowns and 15 interceptions, the most in college football. Running back duties are split between three players. Sophomore Raheem Blackshear leads the team with 100 carries for 437 yards to go with two touchdowns. Senior Jonathan Hillman leads the team with six touchdowns to go with 72 carries for 299 yards. Freshman Isaih Pacheco has 68 carries for 318 yards and two touchdowns. The receiving core is also led by Blackshear whose 35 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns are all the highest marks on the team. Other names to look out for include Bo Melton, Eddie Lewis, Shameen Jones, Travis Volkolek and Jonathan Hillman. Jerome Washington could also see time, but he's missed the last four games with an injury. Players to Watch Rashan Gary-Seeing the star defensive end back on the field was a welcome sight for Wolverine fans everywhere. In his first game back from a shoulder injury, Gary had two total tackles and a QB hurry. It'll be interesting to see how he progresses in a game to be played in his home state of New Jersey. Tarik Black-The redshirt freshman receiver was also playing in his first game back from an injury on Saturday. Black made what would have been a 45-yard touchdown catch had it not been called back by a holding penalty on Michigan. How the coaching staff utilizes him going forward should be worth watching, especially given his power as a deep threat. Chris Evans-The junior running back saw more action than he had in a while even before the maize and blue entered garbage time against Penn State. His 12 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown was his best stat line since Sep. 15 against SMU. Meanwhile, his three catches for 30 yards were his best receiving marks of the season. It was one of those games that reminded fans just how versatile he can be. Maybe the coaching staff starts to utilize him more as the season goes on. The Wolverines and Scarlet Knights kick off Saturday, Nov. 10 at 3:30 eastern on the Big Ten Network. The No. 5 Michigan Wolverines (8-1, 6-0) continued their Revenge Tour with a dominant 42-7 win over No. 14 Penn State (6-3, 3-3) on Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor.
Shea Patterson threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns while carrying the ball 11 times for 42 yards and a touchdown. Karan Higdon had 20 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown. It was his sixth straight game with at least 100 rushing yards. Nico Collins had two receptions for a team-high 53 yards. Donovan Peoples-Jones had a team high three receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines started off with an eight-play, 76 yard drive made up entirely of run plays to take a 7-0 lead early in the game. Later in the first quarter, Quinn Nordin had his field goal attempt blocked and ran back for a touchdown before offsetting penalties negated the points. However, the team made up for it on its next drive as Shea Patterson found Donovan Peoples-Jones for a touchdown to make it 14-0. Michigan's defense would hold steady and the score remained as such going into halftime. It took some time for the maize and blue offense to get going in the third quarter, but Shea Patterson found Zach Gentry in the end zone to make it 21-0. On their ensuing drive, Penn State sent quarterback Tommy Stevens out to lead the drive. He threw a pick-six to Brandon Watson on the second play of the drive. The Wolverines would add on with rushing touchdowns from Ben Mason and Chris Evans. The Nittany Lions scored a touchdown to avoid a shutout, but it wasn't nearly enough as Michigan completed its most dominant win of the season. Michigan will hope to keep the momentum going next Saturday when they travel to New Jersey to face Rutgers. The No. 5 Michigan Wolverines are one of the hottest teams in the country right now following wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State in consecutive weeks. Fresh off a bye week, they'll look to keep the momentum going against No. 14 Penn State.
Opponent Overview Despite heavy losses from last year's team, the Nittany Lions still have a lot of talent across the board. However, they haven't quite been able to put it together the way fans hoped they would. Penn State (6-2, 3-2) let a 26-14 fourth-quarter lead against Ohio State slip away as they lost 27-26. The next week, they led Michigan State 17-14 before a touchdown pass with 19 seconds left gave the Spartans the win. The team has since rebounded with wins over Indiana and Iowa. However, neither of them came easily. The offense is centered around quarterback Trace McSorely. The junior has completed 52.8 percent of his passes for 1,620 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's also taken 110 carries for 617 yards and nine touchdowns, the most in the Big Ten. In the backfield, he's joined by junior running back Miles Sanders. His 834 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground are both the second best marks in the Big Ten. He also had 15 catches for 112 yards. The receivers are led by true freshman KJ Hamler, whose 27 catches for 497 yards and five touchdowns are all team-highs. Juwan Johnson and DeAndre Thompkins make for dangerous deep threats while tight end Pat Freiermuth will make noise in the red zone. His four receiving touchdowns are second most on the team. Players to Watch Chase Winovich-The front seven has done well to start their season, but they're about to face their toughest test of the season. As a team Penn State has scored 27 touchdowns on the ground, tied for second most in college football behind Georgia Tech. It'll be up to guys like Chase Winovich and Josh Uche, who leads the team with 5 sacks, to hold down the backfield duo of McSorely and Sanders, especially if Rashan Gary has to sit out another week. Shea Patterson-Despite what he's been able to do already, Patterson will have to kick it into another gear. The junior will be tasked with matching Trace McSorely's offensive production in what might end up being a shootout. In doing so, he'll need to avoid a Penn State defense that has 28 sacks, the most in the Big Ten this season. Quinn Nordin-A guy who had usually been a reliable source of scoring has become very inconsistent. Nordin has made just three of his last six field goal attempts including a brutal miss from 38 yards out against Michigan State in the team's last game. Mistakes like that won't fly in games like the one coming up. Michigan will need all the points they can get to match the Nittany Lions and Nordin's consistency will be a big part of that. Michigan and Penn State kick off Saturday, Nov. 3 at 3:45 eastern on ESPN. The Paul Bunyan Trophy is going back to Ann Arbor, Michigan after the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines (7-1, 5-0) defeated the No. 24 Michigan State Spartans (4-3, 2-2) 21-7 in East Lansing on Saturday afternoon.
Shea Patterson completed 14 of his 25 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Karan Higdon led all rushers with 34 carries for 144 yards. He has run for at least 100 yards in seven straight games. Grant Perry caught three passes for 30 yards while Nico Collins had three catches for 24 yards and a touchdown. Donovan Peoples-Jones had a team high 79 receiving yards on a touchdown catch. The game started off slow, not just because of a lack of offensive production, but also because of a weather delay that lasted almost 90 minutes. Once the storm let up, Shea Patterson found Nico Collins to make it 7-0 in favor of the maize and blue. The rest of the half featured some missed opportunities, including Michigan choosing to punt the ball inside MSU's 40 yard line on consecutive drives. On their next drive, Quinn Nordin missed a 38-yard field goal. The Spartans wouldn't do much more and the game remained 7-0 going into halftime. The Wolverines came out of the second half very sloppy as they fumbled the ball away on their first three drives. The first fumble put Michigan State seven yards away from the goal line. Two plays later, the Spartans tied the game on a trick play pass to quarterback Brian Lewerke. The maize and blue didn't do anything to get their offense going until later in the third quarter. After starting at their own 21-yard line, Shea Patterson found Donovan-Peoples Jones down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown to put Michigan back up 14-7. On their next drive, the team drove 84 yards in 13 plays to make it a 21-7 game early in the fourth quarter. From there, the defense, which allowed just 95 total yards all day, did their part and capped off Michigan's second straight win over a ranked team. They beat the No. 15 Wisconsin Badgers in their previous game 38-13. The win is Michigan's first against a ranked opponent on the road since 2006. That year they beat the No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 47-21. The maize and blue can now rest easy with a bye week coming up. The next week, they'll host the No. 18 Penn State Nittany Lions in yet another big game. The No. 6 Michigan Wolverines (6-1, 4-0) kicked it into high gear for a 38-13 win over No. 23 Wisconsin. They not only continued their dominance that they've had over the past six weeks, but they also showed that they can play with some of the better teams in the country. However, they'll need to do it again in a big rivalry game against the No. 24 Michigan State Spartans.
Opponent Overview The Spartans (4-2, 2-1) went into the year as a popular dark horse pick to win the Big Ten. However, their season has been a roller coaster so far. They've lost at Arizona State and at home to Northwestern. However, they went on to upset No. 18 Penn State last week in University Park, a very hard place to play. Their offense is headlined by Brian Lewerke, one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten. His 1,587 yards are fifth most in the conference. He's also had a team-high 55 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown. The rushing attack is led by sophomore Connor Heyward whose 50 carries for 191 yards and three touchdowns are the highest marks on the team for any running back. He also has 20 receptions for 125 yards. La'Darius Jefferson and LJ Scott should also get snaps as well. Felton Davis III leads a deep receiving core with 31 catches for 474 yards and four touchdowns. He joins Cody White and Darrell Stewart Jr. to make up the perimeter attack for the Spartans. Players to Watch The Front Seven-Last year, Brian Lewerke made things difficult for the Wolverines defense. He accounted for both touchdowns in the 14-10 MSU win and accumulated 155 total yards. However, he has been pretty susceptible this season. Lewerke has thrown seven interceptions, the second highest mark in the Big Ten. He's also been sacked 14 times, also second in the Big Ten. If the front seven can get to him early and often and force him to make mistakes, they'll make things a lot easier for the rest of the maize and blue. Shea Patterson-The junior starter for the Wolverines made the plays he needed to give his team a big win on Saturday. Most of those plays came on the ground as he took nine carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, a season high stat line for Patterson. However, Patterson threw for just 124 yards and no touchdowns in that same contest. Rushing games like the one against Wisconsin will help, but he needs to be better at putting the ball in the air if he wants to get out of this matchup with a win. Karan Higdon-To say Higdon has been great as of late might be an understatement. The senior bell-cow has run for at least 100 yards in his last six games. However, that streak will surely be tested against a Spartan defense that only allows 62.3 rushing yards per game, the best mark in college football. He and Chris Evans will need to keep doing their part for their offense to keep things going. The Spartans and Wolverines kickoff Saturday, Oct. 20 at Noon eastern on FOX. TThe No. 12 Michigan Wolverines (5-1, 3-0) have played well since a 24-17 loss at No. 5 Notre Dame to start their season. Their offense has improved, especially in the passing game, and their defense continues to be one of the best in the country. However, their improvement is about to be measured this week when the No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers come to visit.
Opponent Overview Last year, the Badgers went 12-0 before losing to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. They'd go on to finish the season 13-1, their best record in program history. This year has been good but the team hasn't quite met expectations. Their defense isn't nearly as dominant as it usually is, especially with a banged-up, inexperienced secondary that gave up 400 passing yards for the first time in 13 years in last week's game against Nebraska. However, there has been improvement on this team and no one player has improved more than quarterback Alex Hornibrook. The junior has completed 64 percent of his passes for 963 yards, seven touchdowns and just two interceptions. However, their offense runs through Jonathan Taylor (no pun intended). The sophomore running back and Heisman trophy candidate has 126 carries for 849 yards, third best in college football, and eight touchdowns. The receivers are led by A.J. Taylor. The junior from Kansas City leads the team with 18 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Ferguson follows him with 16 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Expect Garrett Groshek, Kendrick Pryor and Danny Davis III to see time as well. Players to Watch The Front Seven-This will be an area to watch throughout the game, especially if Rashan Gary can't play. The Wolverines surrendered 182 yards on the ground to the Badgers. That's not something they'll be able to afford if they want to survive this game. With or without Gary, the front seven can't afford to get down early like they have the last two games. Karan Higdon-The senior running back has done well this season, running for 100 yards in each of his last four appearances. However, he'll be hard pressed to chip away at a Wisconsin defense known for its ability to stop the run game. This will be especially noteworthy if Chris Evans still can't play. Shea Patterson-The junior quarterback has been a stable force on offense over the past month. However, he'll need to be more of a playmaker against Wisconsin, that means more deep throws down field and more mobility in the pocket. This is the kind of game that Michigan got him for, now it's time for him to prove he can deliver. : The Wolverines and Badgers kick off Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 eastern on ABC. |
AuthorBeat writer for Michigan Wolverines football and basketball, Ithaca College '20 Archives
November 2018
Categories
All
|