ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Here are five things we learned from Ohio State’s 30-24 loss at Michigan on Saturday.
Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to quarterback Kyle McCord (6) on the sideline during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State lost 30-24.
Slow start proved fatal for Ohio State
It took time for the Buckeyes to kick into high gear in most of their wins this fall.
In four out of the past five weeks, they were unable to score more than one touchdown in the first half and even trailed Rutgers at halftime earlier this month.
Entering this weekend, they ranked 33rd in the Football Bowl Subdivision in first-half scoring with an average of 16 points, a drop-off from last season when they were third with an average of 23 points over the first and second quarters.
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The slow starts had not doomed them as they pulled away from overmatched opponents, but cost them in a matchup with another top-five team.
Ohio State gift-wrapped the first touchdown for Michigan in the first quarter after an interception from quarterback Kyle McCord positioned the Wolverines at the Buckeyes’ 7-yard line.
The Buckeyes would later fall behind Michigan, 14-3, in the second quarter, before adding a touchdown ahead of halftime.
The deficit allowed the Wolverines to control the ball in the second half and maintain possession for 18:15 out of 30 minutes.
Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes place kicker Jayden Fielding (38) hangs his head after missing a field goal at the end of the first half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.
Fourth-down decisions shaped the result
Ohio State…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-things-learned-ohio-state-001013185.html
Author : The Columbus Dispatch
Publish date : 2023-11-26 00:10:13
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