Wolverines Blown Out 42-7 in Columbus

The Michigan football team completed its regular season with a 42-7 loss to No. 10 Ohio State on Saturday afternoon in Columbus. Michigan running back Brandon Minor scored the Wolverines only touchdown of the contest, a 1-yard run on fourth down, as Ohio State pulled away with a 28-0 advantage over the final two quarters.

COLUBMUS – The Michigan Wolverines football team suffered the not-so-perfect end to the not-so-perfect season with a 42-7 blowout loss to the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Trailing just 14-7 at halftime, the Maize and Blue were unable to capitalize to the tune of any offensive points in the second half despite numerous possessions inside Ohio State territory in the game-deciding third quarter. Ohio State scored on its first possession of the half to effectively end it.

After totaling just 94-yards of total offense in the first half, the Michigan team moved the ball for 87-yards in the third quarter alone, but none of the drives resulted in Michigan points. Brandon Minor led the Michigan offense with 67-yards and a score on the ground. Quarterback Nick Sheridan completed just 8-of-24 passes for 87 yards. Ohio State’s Chris Wells rushed for 134-yards and a score on just 15 carries.

Along with his touchdown, Wells set the stage for the Buckeyes second half blowout with a 42-yard scamper on Ohio State’s first play of the second half. Backed up inside the 10, Wells took a pitch around the left side and carried it into Michigan territory before being shoved out of bounds. Daniel “Boom” Herron took the following handoff 49-yards to pay dirt to make it 21-7 Ohio State.

At that point the Buckeyes never looked back.

Michigan, again, moved into Ohio State territory on its next possession. A Buckeye roughing the kicker penalty that moved the chains for U-M after a quick three-and-out, but they were unable to move into field goal range and the drive quickly stalled.

After exchanging punts one more time, Ohio State scored again with 3:54 let on the clock to provide the insurance. The scoring drive started on the Michigan 8-yardline after Ray Small took a Michigan punt 80-yards down the sideline before Michael Williams dragged him to the turf. On first down Terrelle Pryor connected with Brian Robiskie for a 28-7 Buckeye lead.

Ohio State added two more touchdowns in the final quarter. Boom Herron scored from 2-yards out for his second touchdown of the afternoon, and Buckeyes quarterback Todd Boeckman completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Brian Hartline up the middle of the field.

Michigan opened the game with the ball on the Ohio State 12-yardline following a Stevie Brown interception on Terrelle Pryor’s first series. Michigan struggled to a three-and-out, though, and K.C. Lopata’s short field goal sailed wide left to keep the score 0-0.

The defense again created a short field with a three-and-out stop on the Buckeyes offenses second possession, but punt returner Martavious Odoms fumbled the Buckeye kick and Ohio State took over again near midfield. The Michigan offense didn’t net a single first down through the opening quarter.

Ohio State scored the lone touchdown of the first quarter on a Beanie Wells 59-yard run. They doubled their lead to 14-0 on its first possession of the second. After moving the ball close to the midfield stripe, Pryor found Hartline for his first touchdown reception of the game, a 53-yard bomb behind safety Stevie Brown.

Michigan’s lone touchdown of the contest came in the final moments of the half. Michigan moved the ball 65-yards on 14-plays to make it 14-7 with 2:44 left in the second quarter. Brandon Minor provided most of the legwork with a 22-hard run to the 1-yardline to set up his fourth down touchdown run. Sheridan passes on two different third-and-long situations to move the chains on the drive.

The loss is the Wolverines fifth straight loss to Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes.