Junior kicker Jayden Fielding (38) is comforted after the No. 2 Buckeyes 10-13 loss to Michigan Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Fielding missed two field goals during the game. Credit: Carly Damon | Asst. Photo Editor
Nobody thought it was possible, but it happened.
Ohio State had the better team, had the home-field advantage and had all the momentum.
But the Buckeyes also had all the pressure, were out-coached and simply outplayed for 60 minutes of football against an underwhelming Michigan team.
No matter which way you put it, if you’re Ohio State, you can’t blame one person or play for your fourth straight loss to the Wolverines.
Here are three reasons the Buckeyes fell short to Michigan, again.
The fourth quarter
Ohio State has started out most of its big games slow, so after the first few drives, it felt like the Buckeyes were in familiar territory.
This season, Ohio State has outscored its opponents 135-9 in the third quarter. That number was the same going into the Michigan game and still stands true after the game.
The Buckeyes failed to score in the entire second half, and when it mattered most, their fourth-quarter stats were abysmal against the Wolverines.
Ohio State’s offense only possessed the ball for 1:57 of the final 15 minutes and the Buckeyes were outgained by Michigan 101-10.
The Wolverines converted on 4-of-5 third downs, whereas Ohio State was 0-for-2, and in the final quarter alone, the Buckeyes offense ran seven plays, amounting to 10 yards good for 0.7 yards per play.
The rushing battle and offensive line
Leading up to The Game, it was said time and time again that Ohio State had to rush the ball effectively to come out on top.
It seemed at times offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s play calls were trying too hard to establish the run. When it was evident the rushing attack was flat, the Buckeyes continued to run the ball into Michigan’s strongest unit — its defensive line.
In The Game, Michigan rushed for 172 total yards, an average of 4.1 yards per carry. Ohio State, on the other hand, ran for 77 total yards on 3 yards per carry.
“We’ve talked about this many times: we have to run the ball, especially in this game,” head coach Ryan Day said. “It was a little windy out, and in order to win The Game, you have to be able to run it; we weren’t able to do that. [We] tried a couple different schemes, couldn’t quite get into a rhythm.”
Establishing a good rushing attack starts up front with the offensive line. Ohio State’s five linemen were the fifth different combination of starters this season, and against an exceptional Wolverines front, the Buckeyes couldn’t hold up.
“Some of the stuff that happened in the offensive line and shuffling things around ended up really coming to a head today,” Day said. “Some of those guys, I’ll have to look at the film and figure it out, but we just couldn’t seem to get through to the second level on some runs and [it] led to some frustration.”
Missed opportunities galore
Turnovers, missed field goals and blown touchdown chances.
Ohio State coughed up many opportunities Saturday.
The most simple missed chances were off the right leg of Jayden Fielding, who came into the game a perfect 14-of-14 on field goals inside of 40-yards, but walked off the turf having missed two from inside that range.
By simple math, the 38- and 34-yard field goals cost the Buckeyes 6 points, and in a game where they only lost by three, it was a difference maker.
“You miss opportunities like those two field goals and, yeah, it’s gonna cost you a game like this,” Day said. “Every yard matters, every point matters, and it didn’t get done.”
But the two missed field goals weren’t the only difference maker.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard entered the game having thrown six interceptions in the first 11 games, but threw two against the Wolverines.
The first was when Howard dropped back to pass on third down inside of his own end zone. The ball was thrown too late on an out route and returned by Michigan down to the Ohio State 2-yard line, leading to a Wolverines score two plays later.
The second interception came at yet another inopportune time, just as the Buckeyes offense was in the red zone and threatening to score. Howard had wide receiver Emeka Egbuka open, but threw the ball too late and behind him, giving the ball to the Michigan offense.
“Both of them were on me,” Howard said. “First one, we were throwing out routes, they were playing like palms, reading eyes inside, and I gotta keep it outside and I can’t let them make that play. The second one, [Egbuka] was running an option route, he went out, came back in and I was just a little behind him on the throw.”
The Buckeyes defense forced two turnovers as well, but the Ohio State offense failed to capitalize both times.
Just three plays after Howard’s second interception, Michigan quarterback Davis Warren returned the favor and was intercepted by Buckeye safety Caleb Downs, giving Ohio State the ball back in the Wolverines’ red zone.
Needing only 16 yards to score, Ohio State’s offense rushed the ball for no gain, threw an incomplete pass and rushed the ball again for zero yards, resulting in a missed 34-yard field goal.
The second forced interception, like the first, felt like the Buckeyes were finally going to take advantage.
First-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Michigan’s offense elected to throw the ball, but defensive end Jack Sawyer dropped back into the end zone and intercepted Warren’s underthrow.
Instead of driving the length of the field to take the lead in the fourth quarter, Howard and the Buckeye offense went three-and-out and punted on fourth-and-1.
“It was a great play by Jack [Sawyer] on the goal line, just unbelievable effort right there to give the offense a chance, but go 3-and-out and it’s 4th-and-1 in our red zone,” Day said. “I just felt like at that point, we had to punt it because if you don’t get it there, the game’s probably in the balance.”
