Form the offense to defense to coaching — Michigan football put together a masterful plan and executed it to perfection in a 45-23 win over OSU.
Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia grades Michigan football on a scale of A to F after the Wolverines’ 45-23 win over Ohio State on Saturday:
Blake Corum, Michigan’s Heisman Trophy candidate, touched the ball twice for 6 yards. The offense still hung 45 points and 530 total yards on the No. 2 team in the nation on the road. J.J. McCarthy started shaky (3-for-9 passing) before hitting three big passes for three touchdowns, including strikes for 69 and 75 yards.
Those two long plays went to Cornelius Johnson, who had four catches for 160 yards. McCarthy finished 12-for-24 for 263 yards to go with 27 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The running game, like McCarthy, struggled early before making its biggest statement of the year. Donovan Edwards, who played with a heavy wrap on his right hand, carried the ball 22 times and had 214 yards. The only play bigger than his 75-yard score in the fourth quarter was his 85-yard touchdown on the next possession. There was also a trick play on third-and-1 where Kalel Mullings took a handoff from McCarthy and threw a jump pass to Luke Schoonmaker for a gain of 15. The Wolverines went 8-for-17 on third and fourth downs.
SHAWN WINDSOR:Michigan makes a statement vs. Ohio State, takes a bow and plants its flag
RAINER SABIN: J.J. McCarthy’s massive impact for Michigan football can’t be measured by mere yardage
Ohio State entered as the No. 2 offense in the nation. It left searching for answers, wondering what defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and company did in the second half to shut down such a potent attack.
