Michigan football has shown it can beat Ohio State. Now it’s time to beat everyone else.

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DETROIT − It’s all still out there for this Michigan football team. But then that’s been true on this day twice before, and when the Wolverines stepped beyond the Big Ten and onto the national college football stage, they discovered they weren’t ready.

Especially the first time, two years ago, when U-M snapped its losing streak against Ohio State, thumped the sacrificial Big Ten West fodder in the conference title game — Iowa, if I recall, though does it matter? — and then lined up against Georgia in South Florida.

That was an awakening.

Last year wasn’t as demoralizing. U-M had the quickness and speed and beef to stay with TCU and might have knocked them off if not for a couple of pick-sixes. Progress, right?

Michigan running back Blake Corum runs against the Ohio State defense during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023.

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Well, here they are again with a date in Indianapolis that feels like a foregone conclusion — again, apologies to Iowa; they’re back and just as incompetent offensively — leading to a likely return to the College Football Playoff.

And as nice as it was for U-M to quiet the sign-stealing noise and bring Ryan Day near tears (metaphorically, of course), as nice as those results were after holding off Ohio State for a third consecutive season, this program and its practitioners are getting a little antsy.

They’d just as soon finish the quest this time. As Blake Corum said before the season began: National title or bust.

He meant it, if you were wondering. And was prepared to live with the results if his team hadn’t gutted through a grinding, taut slog Saturday afternoon at Michigan Stadium.

“This is why I came back,” he said.

He…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-football-shown-beat-ohio-004054020.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2023-11-27 00:40:54

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