Encore, Encore: Second-Half Scoring Surge Paces U-M to Another Win Over OSU, East Title

Saturday, November 26

Columbus, Ohio

Noon

Michigan

12-0 , 9-0

Ohio State

11-1 , 8-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Ohio State

(Michigan Photography)

Encore, Encore: Second-Half Scoring Surge Paces U-M to Another Win Over OSU, East Title

11/26/2022 4:42:00 PM | Football

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By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

Site: Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Stadium)
Score: #3 Michigan 45, #2 Ohio State 23
Records: U-M (12-0, 9-0 B1G), Ohio State (11-1, 8-1 B1G)
Attendance: 106,787
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Dec. 4 -- at Big Ten Championship (Indianapolis, Ind.), 8 p,m. (TV: Fox)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another as the No. 3-ranked University of Michigan football team used a huge second half to defeat rival No. 2 Ohio State 45-23 and capture its second straight Big Ten East title on Saturday (Nov. 26) at Ohio Stadium. It was U-M's first road win in the series since the 2000 season.

The Wolverines outscored Ohio State 28-3 in the second half and out-rushed the Buckeyes 242-19 after posting just 10 yards on the ground in the first half. In total, Michigan earned 530 yards of offense on the day -- 278 passing, 252 rushing -- and boasted five scoring plays of 45 yards or more.

McCarthy was 12-of-24 passing for 263 yards and tied his career best with three passing touchdowns and carried the ball six times for 27 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Senior wide receiver Cornelius Johnson earned a pair of long touchdown catches in the second quarter, leading the receiving corps with four receptions and a career-high 160 yards, while sophomore running back Donovan Edwards iced the game with two long touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, totaling 216 yards on 22 carries -- both career highs for the sophomore back.

Both teams scored on their opening drives in the first quarter. Ohio State went 81 yards on 12 plays and capped the drive with a four-yard passing touchdown before Michigan answered with a 49-yard field goal from graduate-student kicker Jake Moody -- his third longest of the season. OSU added a late 32-yard field goal to take a 10-3 lead into the second quarter.

Then the fireworks started. The second quarter produced 24 total points and scores on four consecutive possessions over just 3:37 on the clock. Johnson boasted touchdown catches of 69 and 75 yards -- the second and third longest of his career -- while Ohio State kept pace with a field goal and lengthy touchdown pass of its own to retake the lead before halftime.

Johnson's first touchdown successfully converted a third-and-nine for the Wolverines. He broke a tackle at the Michigan 40, stayed on his feet and ran untouched into the end zone to even the score at 10.

Ohio State answered with the 47-yard field goal, but the Wolverines went deep again on their very next offensive play. McCarthy found Johnson wide open on the OSU 30 to complete the 75-yard touchdown pass -- the longest of his collegiate career -- and gave Michigan its first lead of the game, 17-13.

The Buckeyes used a 42-yard touchdown pass on their next possession to take a 20-17 lead into halftime.

Michigan received the ball to start the second half and promptly drove it 75 yards on seven plays to retake a 24-20 lead on freshman tight end Colston Loveland's 45-yard touchdown catch on the right sideline -- a career long reception for the rookie and his first collegiate touchdown.

The Wolverines used another lengthy drive, going 80 yards on 15 plays, to extend their lead to 31-20 early in the fourth quarter. The drive, aided by a 15-yard pass from junior linebacker/fullback Kalel Mullings on third-and-one and an OSU pass interference penalty in the end zone on third-and-11, ended with a McCarthy three-yard quarterback touchdown run -- his fourth rushing touchdown this season.

Ohio State broke its second-half scoring drought with a 27-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, but Michigan responded immediately as Edwards ran for 75 yards down the right sideline for a TD on the next offensive play. The score extended U-M's lead to 38-23 with 7:11 remaining.

After graduate-student edge Taylor Upshaw all but sealed the Michigan victory with an interception -- the first of his collegiate career and the first turnover of the game -- on its own eight-yard line, Edwards added big insurance with an even longer touchdown run, going 85 yards to pad the U-M lead to 45-23. Edwards twice upped his career long in the final quarter; his previous long was 67 yards earlier this season against Penn State.

Michigan added another interception from junior safety Makari Paige -- his first -- to retake possession and wind down the clock.

The Wolverines will play for the Big Ten Championship for the second year in a row. The game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 3) in Indianapolis, Ind., at Lucas Oil Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on Fox.