COLUMBUS, Ohio – Michigan beat No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 in a stunning upset in The Game on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
That means the Buckeyes likely will not play in the Big Ten championship game and will fall to the at-large pool in the College Football Playoff race. Ohio State (10-2, 7-2) suffered its fourth straight loss to Michigan (7-5, 5-4). The Buckeyes managed 252 yards against a tough Wolverines' defense.
That will leave perhaps a psychological impact more than anything else on Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who is now 1-4 against the Wolverines. How will the Buckeyes respond after yet another devastating loss to their rival?
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore led the Wolverines in the spoiler role. Kalel Mullings had 32 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown. It was an upset that evoked memories of Michigan's 13-9 upset against Ohio State in 1996.
How will that impact the Big Ten championship race? The College Football Playoff? A look at the ramifications of Michigan's upset.
MORE: Big Ten tiebreaker scenarios | Championship game outlook
How Michigan beat Ohio State in The Game
Michigan controlled most of the first half behind a strong defense that played as advertised up front. The Buckeyes managed 14 carries for 36 yards rushing in the first half, and Aamir Hall intercepted Will Howard and returned it to the two-yard line with 13:27 left in the first half. Kalel Mullings scored on a 1-yard TD run two plays later.
Dominic Zvada added a 54-yard field goal with 2:17 left in the first half to extend that lead to 10-3.
Ohio State, however, finally broke through on the next drive. Howard completed 6 of 7 passes for 58 yards on a 75-yard drive, which he capped with a 12-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Smith with 30 seconds left in the half.
Howard briefly left in the second quarter after taking a shot from Michigan's Makari Paige, but he returned after missing one play.
Ohio State had possession in Michigan territory three times in the third quarter, and those drives resulted in a punt, a Howard interception to Paige and a second missed field goal by Jayden Fielding with 1:58 left in the third quarter which erased a Caleb Downs' interception.
Michigan took over with 1:58 left in the third quarter and marched to the Ohio State three-yard line and had a first-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer intercepted Warren's pass, but the Michigan defense held again.
The Wolverines took over with 6:13 remaining and drove into field-goal range; with the key play coming on a 27-yard run by Mullings. Zvada kicked a 20-yard field goal for a 13-10 lead with 45 seconds remaining.
How Ohio State's loss to Michigan impacts Big Ten, CFP
The Buckeyes are out of the Big Ten championship game unless No. 4 Penn State and No. 10 Indiana lose on Saturday.
Ohio State will likely slip down the rankings to an at-large bid that plays on the road in the first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
