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Michigan Wolverine Football Podcast — Game 12 Michigan 13 Ohio State 10 Commentary

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Michigan’s stunning 13-10 victory over Ohio State defied all odds, silencing doubters and reigniting the spirit of Wolverines fans everywhere. In this episode of the UM Go Blue podcast, @pcallihan and @Clint_Derringer break down the incredible performance that saw Michigan, a 19.5-point underdog, shut out the nation’s top-ranked Buckeyes in the second half. With a gritty defensive stand, clutch plays from Kalel Mullings and Dominic Zvada, and unwavering composure under pressure, the Wolverines proved their mettle. Coach Sherrone Moore’s leadership shines as the team celebrates a season-defining win, reminding us all of the power of resilience and unity.
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Nothing But ‘Net – Week #08 – 12/02/2024 – Fort Myers Tip-Off Champions

Greetings from frigid Madison, Wisconsin. We’re visiting our son here for Thanksgiving, and we’re staying a couple extra days to go to the Michigan at Wisconsin basketball game on Tuesday night.

The University of Michigan men’s basketball team played two games this past week, and they won both of them.  On Monday (11/25/2024), they beat Virginia Tech 75-63, then on Wednesday (11/27/2024), they beat (#22) Xavier 78-53.  Both games were in Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida as part of the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament.  Michigan’s record is now 6-1.

What Happened?

Michigan won the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament championship, and they did it convincingly against a couple pretty good teams.  When I wrote my article last week, Xavier wasn’t ranked, but this week they are: #22.  So, Michigan beat a decent Virginia Tech team on Monday, then beat a pretty good ranked Xavier team on Wednesday.  These are two important wins, both for Michigan’s post-season tournament resume and for Michigan’s confidence.

Game Flow

The VT game was exciting and tense the whole way.  VT led for most of the 1st half, and a good chunk of the 2nd half.  Michigan kept close, but they had trouble “getting over the hump”.  Fortunately, they pulled ahead in the 2nd half, and managed to hold the lead until the final buzzer.

Michigan had an early 5-2 lead at the 17:46 mark, then they went cold.  They let VT go on a long 10-0 run, and it was 12-5 with 13:01 to go.  UM finally scored again at the 12:53 mark to pull within 4 points (12-8), but VT promptly pushed the lead to 8 points (16-8) with 12:16 left, then 11 points (21-10) at the 10:13 mark.  The game was getting away from Michigan, but they didn’t panic.  They steadily ate away at the deficit, and got back within 4 points (21-17) with 8:46 to go in the half.  VT kept the lead in the 4-6 point range for a while, but Michigan kept clawing their way back, and finally took the lead, 29-28, with 3:55 left.  The two teams traded baskets the rest of the half, and Michigan led 34-33 at halftime.

The 2nd half didn’t start well for Michigan.  They immediately let VT go back on top (37-34) at the 19:13 mark.  VT kept the lead in the 1-3 point range for a while, but Michigan finally tied it back up (46-46) with 14:53 to go.  VT led for a little bit more, then UM went ahead for good (50-49) with 13:15 left.  Once Michigan pushed the lead up to the 8-10 point range, they never let VT get any closer than 8 points the rest of the way, winning by 12 points.

The Xavier game started out close, before Michigan pulled away.  Michigan took an early lead (10-4) at the 16:39 mark, but Xavier went on an 8-0 run to lead 12-10 with 15:22 to go.  That was their only lead of the game.  Michigan went back in front (13-12) just 13 seconds later, which started an 21-6 run that put Michigan ahead comfortably (31-18) with 6:33 left in the half.  The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half, with Michigan leading 41-30 at halftime.

The 2nd half was all Michigan.  Xavier got within 8 points a couple times, but Michigan always pushed the lead back into the 10-12 point range.  At the 6:04 mark, Michigan pushed the lead up to 13 points (64-51), and that’s when the game got away from Xavier.  Over the last 9:13 of the game, Xavier made one field goal and two free throws, while Michigan scored 20 points.  It was a dominant performance by Michigan.

Stats

The stats for the VT game were just so-so.  Michigan shot decently overall (25-for-62 = 40.3%), they shot 3-pointers poorly (10-for-34 = 29.4%), and they shot free throws decently (15-for-20 = 75.0%).  They lost the rebounding battle (41-38), but they won the turnover battle (15-19).  They won this game with good defense and a slightly improved turnover margin.

The stats for the Xavier game were pretty good.  Michigan shot well overall (30-for-61 = 49.2%), they shot 3-pointers very well (11-for-22 = 50.0%), but they shot free throws poorly (7-for-14 = 50.0%).  They lost the rebounding battle (38-36), but they won the turnover battle (10-19).  They won this game with great 3-point shooting and greatly improved turnover margin.  It’s very encouraging to see Michigan’s turnovers trending downward.

Who Started?

The starters for both games were Nimari Burnett, Tre Donaldson, Roddy Gayle Jr., Vladislav Goldin, and Danny Wolf.

Who Looked Good?

No one for Michigan had two games in double figures, but 4 of the 5 starters hit double figures in one game.

Gayle was the leading scorer for Michigan in the VT game (20 points), but he only had 6 points vs. Xavier.

Wolf was the hero of the Xavier game, with 20 points and 14 rebounds.  He shot very well in the Xavier game (8-for-12 overall, 4-for-5 from deep).  Many of those 3-pointers came at a crucial time when Xavier was starting to creep back into the game.  He had a mediocre game vs. VT, with 4 points.

Donaldson hit double figures (13) vs. Xavier, and 9 points vs. VT.

Goldin had a great game vs. Xavier (18 points, including his first career 3-pointer), and a decent game vs. VT (8 points).  He must have listened to me, because he thought “dunk” instead of “layup” several times in both games.

Burnett almost hit double figures in the VT game (9 points), but he only had 5 points vs. Xavier.

Will Tschetter was the only bench player to hit double figures, with 10 points vs. VT.  He only had 4 points vs. Xavier.

L.J. Cason almost hit double figures in both games, with 7 and 8 points.

Rubin Jones almost hit double figures in the VT game (8 points), but he only had 2 points vs. Xavier.

Who Looked Not-So-Good?

Phat Phat Brooks played in both games, but didn’t attempt a shot.

Justin Pippen played in both games, and missed his only shot attempt, in the VT game.

Sam Walters played in both games, and scored 2 points on free throws in the Xavier game.  Otherwise, he had a terrible week shooting: 0-for-3 (all 3-point attempts) in the VT game, and

0-for-3 overall, 0-for-2 from deep vs. Xavier.

Who Else Played?

No one else played in either game.

Who Didn’t Play?

The Scout team didn’t get in either game: Ian Burns, Howard Eisley Jr., Harrison Hochberg, Jace Howard, and Charlie May.

What Does It Mean?

As I mentioned above, these were two important wins for Michigan, both for their post-season tournament resume and their confidence.  Bringing home some hardware is a big bonus.

What’s Next?

This week, Michigan plays two games, their first two Big Ten games of the season.  On Tuesday (12/03/2024, 9:00 p.m. EST, Peacock), they play at (#15) Wisconsin, then on Saturday (12/07/2024, 2:00 p.m., FS1), they play Iowa in Crisler Arena.

Wisconsin is currently 8-0, with an impressive win over (#9) Arizona.  They have a couple noteworthy players: John Tonje and Steven Crowl.  Tonje has won a couple Big Ten Player of the Week awards already this season, and Crowl is one of the better big men in the league.  Crowl is also a 7-footer, to go with another 7-footer and a 6’10” player, so Wisconsin has plenty of height.  This is going to be Michigan’s toughest test so far this season, and the Kohl Center is a tough place to pull off an upset.  I’ll be there in person cheering them on.

Iowa is currently 6-1, with no noteworthy wins.  They don’t have any noteworthy players, but they do have some height: a 6’10” guy and a 6’11” guy.  I don’t expect Michigan to beat Wisconsin on the road, so this is a crucial game.  Michigan doesn’t want to start the Big Ten season 0-2.  Michigan can beat Iowa, especially in Crisler, but they’ll need to play their “A” game.

Check back next week to find out what happened and why.

Go Blue!

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Michigan 13 Ohio State 10 – Game 12 Recap

GAME 12 PROJECTION vs. RESULTS

Final Score: 13-10, Michigan by 3 over Ohio State
SP+ Projection: Ohio State by 20.5 (+23.5)
CD Projection: Ohio State by 11 (+14)

FIVE FACTORS

GAME 12 RECAP @ Ohio State

See?! I am not crazy! Michigan’s best version in 2024 is a ball control, time of possession, field position strategy! They just saved it for The Game and sacrificed at least 2-3 losses in the regular season to trap Ryan Day!

In all seriousness, this had to be the plan all along, especially once Michigan learned Colston Loveland was unavailable. Kalel Mullings carried the Wolverines on his back again, rushing 32 times for 116 yards and Michigan’s only touchdown. His greatest moment, however, came on a 3rd & 6 in the 4th quarter. Mullings broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and bounced outside for a 27-yard gallup that ensured Michigan was in field goal range in a tied game.

For the fourth consecutive year, it’s a struggle to determine how much of Michigan’s defensive success is a maize-and-blue masterpiece, and how much is a scarlet-and-grey conundrum. Somehow, Wink Martindale was able to remove Jeremiah Smith from the menu in the 2nd half. Ryan Day was determined to prove the Buckeyes were tougher on the ground this year. Turns out he was wrong…again. Ohio State only mustered 77 rushing yards on 26 attempts, a pitiful 3.0 yard per rush.

After an atrocious 33-yard punt by Tommy Doman to start the day for special teams, Dominic Zvada cashed in a 54-yard field goal, and cooly nailed the 21-yard nail in the coffin with under a minute on the clock. Just like all the Wolverines, Doman had to show some toughness and bounce back. He uncorked a critical 68-yard punt and roll in the 2nd quarter, and finished with a respectable 47.3 yard average.

What a month for Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Wolverines. There seems to be some major changes related to personnel management and recruiting within the program. But other things remain constant. This Michigan team didn’t flinch in the moment, even when it was infuriatingly bleak. When all the chips were on the table, Ryan Day and his “National Title or Bust” Buckeyes were not tough enough to make the critical plays in November. Both programs now find themselves at very different crossroads, with Michigan riding the wave of four straight victories over Ohio State into 2025. SMASH!

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THE GAME – Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 2021

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

The fifth installment in this year’s series looking back at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry takes us to 1998. this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 2021. The first six years of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure as head football coach at Michigan had been less than satisfying, and some Michigan supporters wanted him replaced after the Covid-shortened 2020 season.

After careful consideration, Harbaugh was retained as Michigan’s head coach, and he displayed a renewed vigor as the 2021 season began. Michigan rumbled through the regular season schedule, with only a controversial loss to Michigan State preventing the Wolverines from entering the game against Ohio State with a perfect record.

Still, Ohio State had dominated Michigan for much of the previous two decades. Michigan fans and alumni could be forgiven for harboring some doubts about the Wolverines’ ability to beat the Buckeyes.

Once the game began, a common thread emerged: Michigan appeared to be more aggressive and confident than Ohio State, something that had been missing for many years. The Wolverines had the Buckeyes back on their heels, and it appeared that momentum had put on a blue jersey. Critics pointed out that Michigan didn’t score points in droves; the Wolverines responded by going back to basics, controlling the ball with a power running game. Michigan’s coaching staff had suspected all year that Ohio State was not physically tough, and this strategy reinforced that point. Michigan’s offensive line opened gaping holes in the Ohio State defense all game long; enabling Wolverine running backs to gash the Buckeye defense for significant gains. Treveyon Henderson scored for Ohio State to close the margin to 28-20 with more than 14 minutes remaining, but then Michigan slowy clamped down on the Buckeyes. A sack late in the game by David Ojabo put an exclamation point on a 42-27 Michigan victory that turned the tide in the rivalry. Michigan went on defeat Iowa to capture the Big Ten Conference championship. The Wolverines eventually lost to Georgia in the College Football Playoff, but that took nothing away from Michigan’s victory over Ohio State. Michigan reestablished itself as a national power–and just as important, a serious threat to Ohio State.

Thanks to YouTube and the Big Ten Network for the highlight video of this game. As always, we own nothing and we not profit from this content, which is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.