Ranking the top 10 plays from Ohio State’s cathartic 27-9 win over Michigan

Ohio State got production from all over the field on both sides of the ball in its 27-9 victory over Michigan on Saturday. After a troublesome opening five minutes, the Buckeyes dominated for the remainder of the game, methodically attacking down the field on offense and suffocating the Wolverines on defense.

Along the way, there were more than a handful of standout moments. As an excuse to rewatch the highlights for the 100th time since the win, here are my top 10 favorite plays from the beatdown in the Big House.

N0. 10: Caleb Downs’ big hit

With The Game already virtually over, Michigan was faced with a third-and-18 from its own 17-yard line. That didn’t stop Caleb Downs from laying the lumber on this big hit in space that would make Denzel Ward proud.

It was a great highlight for Downs, who had lost his previous two matchups against Michigan at Alabama in 2023 and Ohio State in 2024. The safety, whose integral role on the defense doesn’t always allow him to fill up the stat sheet, finished with three tackles and a pass breakup.

This hit forced a sad Wolverines punt, trailing by three scores late but knowingly incapable of converting a fourth-and-16 to keep the drive alive.

No. 9: Julian Sayin’s third down scramble

With Ohio State leading 24-9 in the third quarter and looking to run the clock, the Buckeyes flexed their muscles in the ground game. On a drive that ate up almost 12 minutes of game time, one of the biggest run plays came from the quarterback.

On third-and-3, Julian Sayin dropped back to pass, but found nobody open. The redshirt freshman elected to make things happen with his legs, scampering to the right and getting past the sticks, much to the delight of Ryan Day.

No. 8: Kenyatta Jackson Jr.’s sack

Michigan clearly did not trust Bryce Underwood to drop back and throw the ball, and so Ohio State’s defensive line did not have a ton of chances to get after the quarterback. With time running out and a three-score deficit, the Wolverines were forced to try and throw it in the fourth quarter.

Kenyatta Jackson Jr. made life difficult for the TTUN offense all game, and this time he completely bulldozed his way through the left tackle before getting his hands on Underwood, tripping him up on the snowy turf for the only sack of the day for either team.

Jackson had a great showing in Ann Arbor overall, recording three tackles, two tackles for loss and the sack.

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No. 7: Ohio State declines penalty, gets the stop

Matt Patricia has earned the utmost trust of Ryan Day to get the job done when his unit is called upon, and that has never been more clear than when Day declined a penalty late in the first quarter.

Underwood ran for no gain on second-and-5, and Michigan was called for holding on the play. Instead of pushing them back to second-and-15, Day elected to let the play stand and set the Wolverines up with third-and-5. The decision worked out, as Underwood was again swallowed up for no gain on third down, forcing a punt.

Ohio State had no reason to respect this offense, and they proved why on multiple occasions. This decision seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game.

No. 6: Arvell Reese shuts it down

Arvell Reese was only officially credited with two tackles on Saturday, but if you watched the game you know how incredibly disruptive he was from start to finish. This two play sequence was emblematic of what the freakishly athletic linebacker is capable of.

On second-and-9, Michigan attempted to run the ball outside, but Reese was right there in the backfield to slow him down before Jackson cleaned it up for a five-yard loss. On third-and-14, the Wolverines attempted a screen pass, but Reese kept his eyes on the quarterback the whole way and read it like a book, dropping Bryson Kuzdzal behind the line.

It is a treat to watch Ohio State’s linebackers work, and both Reese and Sonny Styles were lights out in The Game.

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No. 5: Brandon Inniss’ 4-yard touchdown

Ryan Day has talked all season about winning the middle-eight — the final four minutes of the first half, and the first four minutes of the second half. Ohio State got the perfect opportunity to double-dip against Michigan, getting the ball with five minutes remaining in the second quarter knowing they would get the ball to begin the third.

Beginning the drive at their own 13-yard line, the Buckeyes worked it all the way down the field, and were looking at third-and-3 from the Michigan 4-yard line. Having been stuffed on the goal line once already, it was imperative that Ohio State get into the end zone this time.

Brandon Inniss did just that on this great route for the touchdown.

No. 4: Davison Igbinosun’s game-sealing interception

Davison Igbinosun has been playing some of his best football as a Buckeye over the latter half of this season. Iggy had an interception waved off last week for a penalty against the defensive line, but he was not going to be denied this time around.

On the Wolverines’ final drive of the day, Underwood threw behind his intended target on fourth down right into the waiting arms of Igbinosun, who prompted streaked down the field and removed his helmet in celebration. It was a fitting close to The Game and an exclamation point on a dominant defensive performance for Ohio State.

No. 3: Bo Jackson’s 36-yard run

Bo Jackson etched his name into the history books with his performance in The Game. The freshman ran the ball 22 times for 117 yards against the Wolverines, adding four catches for 49 yards as well. His most impressive run of the day, however, came in the middle of the first quarter.

With the Buckeyes trailing 6-0 and needing some kind of spark, Jackson took the handoff and bounced outside. Two Michigan defenders were right in his face, but a little stutter step evaded the would-be tacklers as he then cut hard upfield and ripped off a huge 36-yard gain. The long run set up Ohio State’s first points of the game.

Jackson played his best game of the season on Saturday, and it could not have come at a better time.

No. 2: Jeremiah Smith’s 35-yard touchdown

Jeremiah Smith promised that he would not lose to Michigan again in his final two years at Ohio State, and he did his part to make good on that promise with his performance in Ann Arbor.

On fourth-and-5, the Buckeyes took a deep shot to Smith, who erased Zeke Berry with a filthy double move to create separation as he wandered into the end zone for a pivotal touchdown. The score gave Ohio State a lead that it would never relinquish.

The throw by Sayin was right on the money, and the play completely shifted the momentum of the game.

No. 1: Carnell Tate’s 50-yard touchdown

With speculation swirling about the health of both of Ohio State’s star wide receivers leading up to this game, there was far more uncertainty about the status of Carnell Tate. The junior had been held out against Purdue for what at the time was described as precautionary reasons, but Tate wound up missing three straight games, putting his availability for The Game in jeopardy.

In the end, Tate suited up on Saturday and looked no worse for wear. He came away with what is undoubtedly the top highlight of the contest, hauling in a 50-yard touchdown in the middle of the third quarter to give the Buckeyes a two-score lead.

Smith and Tate finished with a combined eight catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Not bad for a pair of banged up wide receivers!

Honorable Mention: The entire 20-play, 81-yard, 11:56 drive

While this list highlights individual plays, I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention Ohio State’s greatest drive of the season — and the greatest field goal drive you’ll ever see.

Beginning their possession with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter, the Buckeyes’ drive did not end until the 8:10 mark of the fourth quarter, chewing up 11:56 of clock as they churned out 81 yards on 20 plays. Of those 20 plays, 15 of them were designed runs, as Ohio State emphatically proved its toughness through the snow on the road.

Jayden Fielding capped off the drive with a 23-yard field goal to make it a three-score game, ending any last hope of a Michigan comeback.