Ryan Day has gotten loads of flak over his tenure at Ohio State for not profitable The Recreation. In fact, Day had received it in his first yr, however since that first win, Michigan had turned the tables on what was a lopsided rivalry within the 2010s. Michigan appeared to win every recreation by being the harder staff, pulling away late after sporting you down with laborious, bodily runs for the primary three quarters.
2025 began like a repeat of previous sins, with Michigan scoring on its first drive by ripping off chunk performs on the bottom. Then Julian Sayin adopted that up with a horrible interception, making an attempt to hit Jeremiah Smith in double protection. Over the previous few years, Michigan would’ve rolled that momentum to a detailed win — however this Ohio State staff is completely completely different.
Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith weren’t forgotten this yr, as Day was capable of lean on his sure-handed receivers to select up important first downs and preserve the Buckeyes on schedule all recreation lengthy. Extra importantly, they had been capable of unfold out the Michigan defensive position, which allowed Bo Jackson to have the sport of his freshman yr, totaling 166 mixed yards of offense.
One of many largest criticisms of Day was that he wasn’t prepared to lean on his passing recreation when Michigan’s defensive entrance took over in The Shoe final yr. He realized from these errors, but in addition didn’t stray away from the sluggish, methodical offense that has led them to an undefeated look within the Large Ten Championship.
He took an enormous shot to Smith on 4th down when the sport felt shaky, after which on the finish of the half, when Ohio State couldn’t end on the bottom on the aim line once more, Day trusted Sayin and Brandon Inniss on a fast hook route over the center to provide the Buckeyes respiration room earlier than the half. These sorts of performs have gone towards Ohio State each time since 2021, and right now they confirmed why they had been considerably higher than a median Michigan staff.
Most significantly, while you’re speaking about Ohio State this yr, you need to reward this protection. They had been in bend-but-don’t-break mode within the first half, and within the second half, they grew to become the ’85 Bears. Michigan ran solely 18 performs within the second half and held the ball for six:20 of recreation time. The Michigan offense had no solutions for the playmakers in white, and on offense, Day adopted the Jim Harbaugh script, bleeding the sport dry to tug out the win.
This Ohio State staff is clearly one of the best within the nation, however they’ll have their largest check of the yr towards Indiana. Will the protection have the ability to decelerate one of the best offense within the nation? If right now was any preview of that matchup, then I actually suppose they may.
