Wolverines Ups & Downs: Who Stood Out In Loss To Ohio State

In Michigan’s biggest game of the season — The Game against No. 1 Ohio State — its offense and defense both stalled out, leading to a 27-9 loss.

Entering the matchup, the Wolverines had won four straight games against the Buckeyes, but the streak ended Saturday afternoon, as Ohio State discarded its Michigan bugaboo to cap off its undefeated season.

Along with the loss, the Wolverines’ playoff hopes were also put to rest, as it is very unlikely that a three-loss team will make the field at all, and their resume wouldn’t be strong enough regardless. They finished the regular season 9-3, and will get one more chance to crack double-digit wins in a bowl game.

Here are three ‘Ups’ and three ‘Downs’ from Michigan’s loss to Ohio State…

After struggling with consistency all season, senior kicker Dominic Zvada came to play against the Buckeyes. He nailed all three of his field goal attempts from 45, 25, and 49 yards, accounting for all nine of Michigan’s points.

While it didn’t lead to a Wolverine victory, Zvada did everything that was asked of him, and he at least kept Michigan in the game for a period of time. Considering all his volatility this season, Zvada’s consistent performance was a welcome sight, even if the outcome of the game wasn’t in his favor.

The Wolverines defensive line got pushed around by Ohio State’s front five. Michigan has been great all season at stopping the run, but the Buckeyes had very few problems picking up consistent yardage on the ground.

On 47 attempts, Ohio State gained 186 yards, the second most the Wolverines had allowed on the year. Protecting against the run has been Michigan’s strength all season, so as soon as the Buckeyes figured out how to break through, the Wolverines had no way to stop them.

Similarly, Michigan put very little pressure on Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, and that’s not a good recipe for slowing down that offense. Sayin had all the time he wanted in the pocket, and it allowed him to throw for three touchdowns.

The Wolverines actually had quite a nice first quarter, and junior defensive back Jyaire Hill was a big part of that. On Ohio State’s first offensive possession, Hill gave Sayin a rude welcome, jumping a route and coming down with a big interception.

While the Wolverines couldn’t convert the great field position into six points, Hill’s interception was probably the highlight of the game for the maize and blue. Outside of the interception, Hill was also solid in coverage, especially given that he was tasked with marking star wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith.

Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood struggled in his first taste of the rivalry. Part of his struggles could certainly be attributed to game script, as he threw just five passes in the first half. It’s hard to get into a rhythm at that volume, and especially so for a true freshman playing on what is likely the biggest stage he’s ever played on.

In total, he threw 8-for-18 for 63 yards and an interception. He also couldn’t get his legs involved, as he rushed for just one yard on six attempts. It’s hard to expect perfection — or even composure — from a true freshman on the biggest stage in college football, but even still, Underwood’s performance didn’t live up to his standard.

With senior linebacker Ernest Hausmann out for the game, senior Jimmy Rolder stepped up to fill his role. Rolder himself has missed some time this season due to injury, but when he has played, he’s been quite effective.

Saturday was no different, as he led the team with 12 total tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. At one point, Michigan’s linebacker room was the deepest on the team, but staggered injuries throughout the season thwarted a lot of continuity. Rolder’s consistency, however, was a big part of why the Wolverines defense was as good as it was for most of the season.

Senior edge rusher Jaishawn Barham had a quiet day off the line. He was held in check for a vast majority of the game, and was mostly a non-factor in the pass rush. It wasn’t solely his fault, but Sayin had all the time he needed in the pocket, and Barham just couldn’t get to him.

The big mistake that Barham made was an unsportsmanlike penalty he committed in the first quarter. With Ohio State on the goal line, it looked like Michigan had forced a field goal attempt after stopping the Buckeyes on third down. But Barham made contact with a referee with his helmet, earning a penalty and giving Ohio State a free first down.

Ultimately, the Wolverines stood tall once more and forced a field goal in the end, but those kinds of unforced penalties can be very costly, especially against a team like Ohio State.

Graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley was the only Michigan receiver that could get much of anything going, bringing in three catches for 46 yards…Freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh was nowhere to be found. On his only target, he drew a pass interference call, but that was all for the standout freshman…Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall was effective when he did play, averaging 8.7 yards per carry on his seven attempts, but his shoulder injury kept him sidelined for much of the afternoon.