He did it. He finally did it.
I couldn’t even start writing this article until the clock hit zero because I’ve seen this game go wrong so many times before, but the kids are on the field and the win is on the books and I’m eating my words. Forgive me, Michigan fans, for counting myself among the nonbelievers. Forgive my doubting words, my pessimistic takes, my anti-Harbaugh sentiments. After 10 years of Buckeye dominance, Coach Jim Harbaugh has finally achieved what everyone was really starting to believe was impossible. Michigan 42, Ohio State 27 in the falling snow at the Big House.
After last week’s performance over Michigan State, I had no hope for a close game here. The Buckeyes embarrassed a team that No. 5 Michigan had already lost to. They looked like Alabama playing their token annual FCS opponent, making quick work of Sparty and locking in the No. 2 spot in the rankings. I wrote last week that they were hitting their stride right when they needed to, with C.J. Stroud making a great case for the Heisman and the Buckeye receivers running all over MSU’s safeties. But whatever worked last week did not work today — the Michigan secondary was all over Stroud’s usual options, limiting his opportunities for long passes and holding the Buckeyes to 64 yards on the ground.
Hassan Haskins gained 169 yards and etched his name into Wolverines history with his performance today as the second Michigan player to reach five rushing touchdowns in a game and the only player in history to rack up five rushing touchdowns in a game against Ohio State. The Michigan run game has looked good all season and looked absolutely dominant today, as Haskins and Blake Corum sliced through the Buckeyes’ defensive line with ease. The Wolverines played a nice clean game, throwing only a single interception early in the game that could have been a real hit to morale, but wasn’t. It was an absolutely dominant performance from Michigan on both sides of the ball.
Even when Ohio State went down by 15, they were still in the game, because it’s Ohio State and it’s Michigan, but the Wolverines just kept driving down the field and just kept on scoring. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was stellar today, with three sacks today making 13 for the season, another Michigan record. You can prepare all you want, but sometimes, one team just outperforms the other, and with this win, the Wolverines will advance to their first Big Ten Championship Game in history and the Buckeyes will fall out of playoff contention. There’s not much else to say besides that Michigan just played some really good football today. I’m on the train that fans have been rushing the field too often these days, but this is one of those times where it’s absolutely justified and 100 percent deserved.
Harbaugh was grinning ear to ear in his postgame interview, as he should be, as he’s just extended his leeway at Michigan at least several more years with this decisive W.
Said junior Michigan student Claire McDermott, resident field rusher, “AHSHHAHAHAHHHHGGGA. This is the best day of my fucking life.”
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