The moments when Michigan players felt Ohio State tap out

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If you’re a Michigan football fan, you heard it all this week. When Cade McNamara expressed confidence in his offense, Ohio State media and fans took it as a slight. When Aidan Hutchinson said that he and the defense weren’t scared of the top-rated scoring offense in the country, those same factions laughed it off as ludicrous.

Who’s laughing now?

Michigan dominated Ohio State, bruising the Buckeyes up front on both sides of the ball. The Wolverines accumulated 297 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, while OSU’s C.J. Stroud was sacked four times — with eight total tackles for loss in the game.

For the maize and blue, the biggest reason why this team was able to snap the 10-year, eight-game streak was due to the team playing complementary football, and dominating up front.

“We were so dominant, I think — offensively, defensively,” team captain Aidan Hutchinson said. “The offense was moving the ball. I don’t know how many yards they had, but they were moving that thing up and down the field. Defensively, we let up a couple big plays, which we knew were gonna let up. We got big in the red zone on a couple of those drives. I thought we played good, complementary football.”

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Considering that Michigan did dominate the Buckeyes, when did the players on the line sense that the scarlet and grey were letting up, tapping out?

For fifth-year right tackle Andrew Stueber, it started when the offense came out after halftime and just ran it right down the Bucknuts’ throats.

“When we came out in the second half, the defense started, and they did a tremendous job there,” Stueber said. “And then the offense came out and we only ran down the ball down the field. After halftime adjustments, having time to see what they were doing and being able to adjust, when you come out and only run the ball, you take it down the field, it says something about the confidence in themselves. It was the first time they really faced adversity like that and we just continued to roll, continued rolling. I think that was the moment when you felt the tide shift from an offensive line perspective.”

For the defense, Hutchinson said that he felt it after the offense moved the ball after a Buckeyes’ score, yet again. From there, the Ohio State offensive front started to relent more and more.

“When that offense scored in the fourth quarter, eight minutes left, to go up two touchdowns, emotions started going down,” Hutchinson said. “It was really hard to contain, because I could feel it coming. I really — I was so confident in our offense and our defense to get the job done. And in that moment, I knew whatever happens in this game, I think it’s over.”

Ohio State coaches and players are vowing revenge after the game, but one thing is certain — they will have to wait a year, while the Wolverines will have indisputable bragging rights.

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