3 winners, 3 losers after Michigan Football’s loss to Ohio State

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Michigan’s win streak against the Buckeyes is over after losing to No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday. It wasn’t even close, as the Wolverines fell, 27-9. Michigan’s offense only managed 163 yards, but gave up 419 (!) to the Buckeyes.

Here are our three winners and three losers after Michigan’s performance against Ohio State.

The Wolverines absolutely dominated in the trenches. They had a chance early to go up by two touchdowns and came away with just six points. Michigan’s offense couldn’t get anything going the rest of the game, and was just 1-of-9 on third down. Ohio State, meanwhile, was 10-of-17 on third down. The Buckeyes played with control and confidence, while Michigan allowed them to pick up small yards and win the game. Michigan’s going to need more from the trenches in the future.

Zvada is the only reason Michigan didn’t put up a goose egg. For a season filled with some disappointment, he was perfect against the Buckeyes once again. He was 3-of-3 (45 yards, 25 yards, and 49 yards ) and gave Michigan a chance to stay in this game early.

While the team had a good start, they quickly looked undisciplined and lacked focus. Personnel decisions were questionable throughout the game — offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey didn’t call a great game, and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale didn’t look like he did his homework. They also didn’t/couldn’t make any meaningful adjustments in the second half. Special teams — mostly a disaster. I’m not one to bring out the pitchforks and a hot seat, but Michigan took a shellacking on Saturday, and that’s not all on the players.

I can’t imagine it’s easy playing on an injury, but Jordan Marshall looked like he was ready to play, even if the coaches did throw him in there willy-nilly. He didn’t have a great performance in the second half, but he still averaged 8.7 yards per carry and picked up 61 yards on seven attempts. In a game where Michigan got completely embarrassed, you’ve got to give him some credit for trying to give it a go.

Listen, there’s plenty you can complain about when it comes to Michigan’s on-field performance, but I’m going to use this space to talk about officials. They ruled a touchdown for Jeremiah Smith that should’ve been a touchback. Linebacker Jaishawn Barham wasn’t ejected for head-butting an official. There were a few pass interference calls against Ohio State that didn’t seem like catchable balls. A weird touchdown call was made when quarterback Julian Sayin was clearly short (even though that one was correctly overturned on review).

The Game is better when it’s well-officiated, and the Big Ten should be embarrassed it didn’t have a better crew working this game. Though I’m sure Tony Pettiti spent his Saturday lobbying to sell off some of the conference.

I know people are going to immediately disagree, but hear me out on this one. Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry had a few big plays, with Hill coming down with an interception and Berry making a beautiful pass breakup on Ohio State’s first drive. It wasn’t enough to win, but when your defensive line isn’t getting any pressure, they hung in there. Yes, they had some blown coverages, but guys like Brandyn Hillman, Mason Curtis, and Jordan Young had some plays that could’ve made a difference if Michigan’s defensive front was able to get a little more pressure. In a game that has a lot to complain about, I’m going to look at some of the bright things our secondary did.

We know the team wins and loses together, but who would you say won the day, and who could use some improvement heading into next week? Let us know in the comments!