Free Press sports writer Rainer Sabin highlights the best and worst performances from Michigan football’s 27-9 loss to Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 29, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Winners
Ryan Day
A year ago, Day was treated like a pariah in Columbus after the top-ranked Buckeyes stumbled repeatedly in a shocking 13-10 loss to a mediocre Michigan team that had a malfunctioning offense. It was a haunting defeat for Day, whose record against the Wolverines fell to 1-4. Some wondered whether he could overcome such a calamitous setback. But Day showed his resolve, leading the Buckeyes to four straight victories in the College Football Playoff to win his first national championship.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks to referees during the first half against Michigan at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.This season, he has guided Ohio State to an undefeated regular season, capping it with a resounding victory over the Wolverines. Throughout the afternoon, Day put on a coaching master class as his offense dictated the terms by bullying the Wolverines. Because of his fine work Saturday, Ohio State has regained the edge in the rivalry for the first time since 2019 — when he was in the first year of his brilliant tenure.
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Chip Lindsey
Last season, the Wolverines had the least productive passing attack among Power Four teams. Their inability to consistently throw the ball led to five losses in their first 11 games and cost offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell’s job. His successor, Lindsey, was charged with reviving Michigan’s grounded air attack by harnessing the talent of Bryce Underwood — the nation’s No. 1 recruit in 2024. But on Saturday, Lindsey took the ball out of the freshman sensation’s hands while implementing a conservative game plan. Underwood threw five times in the first half, completing three of those attempts for just 16 yards — 129 fewer than his Ohio State counterpart, Julian Sayin. The offense, in turn, became one-dimensional and too reliant on its running game. That left the Wolverines in a bad spot when they were forced to erase a mounting deficit in the second half. Out of rhythm, with a passing game that just could not get going, Michigan flatlined during the final two quarters. The Wolverines scored zero points and generated just 39 yards over the final two quarters. It was dismal effort that had Lindsey’s fingerprints all over it.
Michigan defense
Against its two best opponents this season, USC and Oklahoma, Michigan surrendered an average of 448 yards and the vulnerabilities of its defense were exposed. The breakdowns that occurred in those losses raised doubts about whether Wink Martindale’s bunch could consistently hold the line against the Buckeyes’ balanced offense. Narrator: They couldn’t. By the midpoint of the third quarter, when Ohio State seized a 24-9 lead on a 50-yard strike from Julian Sayin to Carnell Tate, the Buckeyes had already amassed 312 yards. Down after down, Ohio State controlled the line of scrimmage, winning at the point of attack and walling off Sayin. The Wolverines couldn’t generate much pressure, leaving their suspect secondary exposed. Zeke Berry was routinely exposed while surrendering multiple chain-moving completions to Carnell Tate and a 35-yard touchdown pass to star Jeremiah Smith that gave the Buckeyes their first lead in the second quarter. The defensive failures were captured in the final box score. Ohio State converted 10 of its 17 third-down chances and owned a 20-minute advantage in time of possession.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBryce Underwood
Aside from the 2024 upset of Ohio State, perhaps the biggest coup of the Moore era was the successful last-minute recruitment of Underwood. The Wolverines paid a princely sum to secure his commitment, but the cost seemed worth it after Michigan spent last season rotating between three underperforming passers. But on Saturday, Underwood was nothing more than an expensive accessory. He made little impact, as Lindsey and Moore initially seemed hesitant to lean on Underwood’s million-dollar arm. When Michigan’s hand was forced and the Wolverines had to pass their way out of trouble, Underwood couldn’t deliver enough accurate throws to sustain drives. Several were high and wide of the mark. Underwood’s miserable afternoon was punctuated when he fired another errant pass that was intercepted by Davison Igbinosun. The freshman finished with a ugly stat line, completing 8 of 18 pass attempts for just 63 yards.
Sherrone Moore
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore arrives at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor ahead of the Ohio State game on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.Up until Saturday, Moore’s greatest distinction as the Wolverines’ coach was his perfect record against the school’s rivals. He was 2-0 against Michigan State. He had also led U-M to two rousing wins over Ohio State — once as the acting coach in 2023 and then again as the permanent successor to Jim Harbaugh. His success in these big moments helped provide cosmetic cover for the general regression the program has experienced since the Harbaugh Era concluded. Over the past two seasons, the Wolverines have dropped eight of their past 25 games. This year, they are 9-3. But that record is rather hollow. After all, Michigan has lost to the only two ranked opponents it faced. Now, the Wolverines no longer have the upper hand in the rivalry with Ohio State after the Buckeyes outmuscled them en route to a throughout conquest of Moore’s team. Moore was perhaps The Game’s biggest loser Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sherrone Moore perhaps biggest loser for Michigan football in OSU loss
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