On Michael Weber

As most diehard Michigan fans know by now, Detroit (MI) Cass Tech running back Michael Weber signed his National Letter of Intent to Ohio State on Wednesday after an intense battle between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. Of course, his position coach and lead recruiter, Stan Drayton, publicly accepted the running backs coach job for the Chicago Bears the very next day. This has prompted a bit of an uproar in recruiting circles and from Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher, a former Wolverine himself who went on the radio to vent about Urban Meyer's disrespect toward Weber and Cass Tech.

The key point is that Weber was on the verge of choosing the Wolverines, and his relationship with Drayton was one of the things that sold him on Ohio State. The final nail in Michigan's coffin was that they had accepted a commitment from Florida running back Karan Higdon, which was announced at 8:00 a.m., approximately 2.5 hours before Weber himself announced. Weber thought he was going to be the only running back in Michigan's class. But if he had been made aware of Drayton's impending departure, he almost certainly would have chosen Michigan.

The practice of coaches leaving immediately after National Signing Day without informing recruits is sneaky and slimy and dirty. It's dishonest to recruit17- and 18-year-old kids - or even grownups - into a situation where the recruiter knows the dynamic will change 24 hours after the binding agreement is signed. Texas's defensive line coach did it, UCLA's defensive coordinator did it, and there have probably been more instances this season of which I'm unaware. Coaches spend as much time with these kids as anyone over the next four years and often make promises of helping them reach the next level. It's one thing to take a promotion after a year or two or three, because the flow of life is inevitable. It's quite another to voluntarily leave the next day.

Weber's choices now include accepting his fate and sticking with Ohio State, where head coach Urban Meyer - who almost assuredly knew of Drayton's future - obviously isn't a straight shooter. Weber could also transfer schools, which would force him to sit out the 2015 season, accept a redshirt, and have four seasons to play four seasons at his chosen destination. The third most prominent option would be to fight the National Letter of Intent's validity, legally proving that Ohio State knowingly misled him into his current situation. California defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes successfully pulled the third option a couple years ago, which got him away from Notre Dame and to UCLA, where he played as a true freshman in 2013.

For what it's worth, I have heard through the grapevine that Weber wants out of his Ohio State deal, which is understandable considering the distrust he probably has for Meyer. Michigan and Wisconsin are both potential landing spots, as both recruited him hard, and with new staffs in place, everyone is almost 100% secure for the next year, at least. A Detroit-area lawyer has offered his services pro bono to Weber, who has a good case but might not want the headache of going through the legal process. It would be a difficult choice for a high school kid whether to prolong the recruiting shenanigans (Weber got tired of recruiting and does not bask in the attention) or start on the path to four years with an ethically questionable coach.

From Michigan's end, Weber said on National Signing Day that he thought he was the only running back being recruited by the Wolverines. Perhaps there is some distrust there, or perhaps he simply thought Jim Harbaugh would wait for Weber's decision before accepting another running back. Either way, it is a bit naive to think that Michigan - which did not take a running back in 2014 - would risk going a second straight year without a running back signee. If Weber had been given or accepted good advice, he should have reserved his spot with Michigan before Higdon even had a chance to flip. Programs can't gamble like that if they want to find success consistently.

Michigan did something similar to Ohio State back in 2006 when offensive coordinator Terry Malone left for the New Orleans Saints a day after National Signing Day. Of the signees that year, Malone appears to have been the lead recruiter only for Obi Ezeh. While the situation is somewhat similar, Ezeh was a fullback/linebacker who ended up playing defense, and Michigan promoted special teams coach Mike Debord from within to take over offensive coordinator duties. Those facts are somewhat beside the point, but the negative repercussions seem pretty minimal.

As for Weber's future, Ohio State has junior Ezekiel Elliott, sophomore Curtis Samuel, and redshirt junior Warren Ball ahead of him; they also have the nation's #1 running back, Kareem Walker, committed in the 2016 class. They hired Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck to replace Tom Herman, but Beck helped launch the careers of Ameer Abdullah and Rex Burkhead, so that's a positive if Weber ever earns the starting gig. Wisconsin's new head coach, Paul Chryst, is known for a power running game and has sophomore Corey Clement taking over the starting role; they also have a highly touted running back for 2016 in the form of Antonio Williams. Michigan has a top-heavy backfield scheduled for 2015, with three juniors and a redshirt sophomore vying for the starting gig but no 2016 commits in the fold. Regardless of where Weber ends up or when, there's going to be competition.

My guess is that Weber stays at Ohio State, where he would join rising sophomore cornerback Damon Webb and fellow 2015 signee Joshua Alabi, both of whom also went to Cass Tech. The allure of playing for the defending national champions and being "the next Ezekiel Elliott" is significant. The leading rumor right now for Drayton's replacement appears to be Notre Dame's Tony Alford.

If nothing else, this gives Weber an early introduction into the cold, cruel world of "business decisions."

Quick Thoughts on the National Championship Game

This is my only positive thought about Oregon at this point.

In case you didn't watch, Ohio State beat Oregon in the national championship game, 42-20. Oregon jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and then things were bad after that.

• For having a mobile quarterback themselves, Oregon did a terrible job of hemming in Cardale Jones. Their outside linebackers and defensive ends kept flying 10 yards upfield, which allowed Jones to step up in the pocket and/or escape contain. Maybe it was their goal to speed rush and try to rattle Jones, but the Ducks never adjusted.
• Ezekiel Elliott is a man. He had 220 or more yards in the final three games of the year, including 36 carries for 246 yards and 4 touchdowns against Oregon. He's not the most elusive guy around, but he has a good combination of speed and power.
• On the plus side, Urban Meyer went 9-4 following his first national championship at Florida. Unfortunately, he then went 13-1 following his second. Ohio State does not appear poised for a drop-off, because many of their best players (Ezekiel Elliott, Jalin Marshall, Darron Lee, Joey Bosa, J.T. Barrett) are too young to declare for the NFL Draft. However, there could be some turnover with the quarterback position (Braxton Miller to another school, Cardale Jones thinking about the draft) and some early entrants. But the Buckeyes recruit well and will most likely reload.
• The Big Ten has had a bad rap for getting pushed around in recent years, but the Buckeyes demolished Oregon up front. Aside from the pressure put on Oregon QB Marcus Mariota and the inability to create seams up front, the defining moment was when Jones scrambled up the middle and ran right through the tackle - I mean the nose tackle - of the Ducks, Alex Balducci.
• The Ducks flat-out laid an egg. They racked up penalties, made immature choices, had a poor game plan, dropped passes, etc. This was my concern when I pointed out that Meyer was 8-2 in bowl games and 2-0 in national championships, while Helfrich was in just his second year. Meyer's team was mentally and physically prepared to win the game, while Oregon was not.

Michigan-centric preview of National Championship Game: Ohio State vs. Oregon

Marcus Mariota

Whenever I watch a college or pro football game, I always have Michigan in the back of my mind. I was rooting for the Cardinals over the Panthers in last week's playoffs because the Cardinals have Larry Foote, Kenny Demens, etc. Obviously, I was disappointed. This past Saturday night, I was rooting for the New England Patriots because of Tom Brady; Fitzgerald Toussaint just doesn't have the same place in my heart.

So here's a look at Ohio State vs. Oregon (8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN) from a Michigan fan's point of view:

OHIO STATE PLAYERS FROM MICHIGAN
CB Damon Webb

OHIO STATE PLAYERS RECRUITED BY MICHIGAN
CB Eli Apple, OT Darryl Baldwin, TE Marcus Baugh, DT Michael Bennett, LB Kyle Berger, LB Devan Bogard, LB Dante Booker, DE Joey Bosa, CB Cam Burrows, CB Gareon Conley*, OT Taylor Decker, OT Kyle Dodson, RB Bri'onte Dunn, LB Curtis Grant, OG Joel Hale, TE Jeff Heuerman, DT Michael Hill, S Malik Hooker, DE Sam Hubbard, QB Cardale Jones, OT Jamarco Jones, OG Demetrius Knox, CB Marshon Lattimore, OT Evan Lisle, QB Braxton Miller, DE Steve Miller, OG Billy Price, CB Armani Reeves, DE Chris Rock#, DT Tommy Schutt, WR Devin Smith, S Erick Smith, DE Noah Spence, S Ron Tanner, OT Kyle Trout, TE Nick Vannett, DT Adolphus Washington, CB Damon Webb, LB Camren Williams

Hit the jump for some further info on tonight's game.

Thoughts on the Inaugural College Football Playoff

The inaugural College Football Playoff seedings were announced on Sunday afternoon, and as expected, there are lots of arguments going on around the country.

#1 Alabama (12-1) vs. #4 Ohio State (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl
I realize that Florida State has had several close victories this season against a pretty weak schedule, but the Seminoles have won 29 consecutive games. I don't really see why an undefeated Power 5 conference team shouldn't be ranked higher than two one-loss teams in Alabama and Oregon. I do think Alabama and Oregon have been more impressive this year, but Herm Edwards said, "You play to win the game." Florida State has won the game every time for over two years. (Full disclosure: I strongly dislike Jameis Winston and have a distaste for the nonsense that has gone on in Tallahassee since forever ago.) So I think FSU should be #1 and playing Ohio State in this game. It will be very interesting to watch the Crimson Tide play Ohio State, though. I think the Buckeyes are going to really struggle to slow down Alabama's running game with T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry, although OSU's pass rush might cause some trouble for Alabama.

#2 Oregon (12-1) vs. #3 Florida State (13-0) in the Rose Bowl
This game should be Alabama vs. Oregon, in my opinion. But since it's Oregon and Florida State, I'll have to pick the Ducks in this one. I know I said above that FSU should be the top-ranked team, but Oregon will put more pressure on FSU than the other teams they've beaten. The Seminoles have won their last four games - against Miami, Boston College, Florida, and Georgia Tech - by an average of 3.5 points.

Teams left out: TCU and Baylor
I feel bad for TCU and Baylor for being left out of the playoff, but not bad enough to want a six- or eight-team playoff. The bottom line is that if you're not one of the top few teams in the country, you don't deserve to win the national championship. This is one year where the #5 and #6 teams have an argument to be #4 with a chance to be champs, but there are some years where #5 and #6 are clearly a notch below the top few teams. Those teams shouldn't be rewarded for getting hot or catching a couple breaks come playoff time. I always refer back to the New York Giants beating the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl following the 2007 season. The Giants were 10-6 during the regular season, but they got hot and beat the Patriots, who were 16-0 in the regular season. Does that win mean the Giants were the best team in the NFL that year? Absolutely not, but they get to claim to be champs forever and ever. The differences aren't as stark in college (since there are more teams, you're going to have more undefeated or one-loss teams), but I don't think college players should be asked to beat up their bodies and play football almost year-round just because the #6 or #8 team in the country wants a shot to play with the big boys.

My guess is that we'll see Alabama and Oregon in the national championship game.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Awards

Drake Johnson (#20) scored two touchdowns in Saturday's rivalry game against Ohio State

Let's see more of this guy on offense next year . . . Dennis Norfleet. Michigan is lacking big-play threats, and while Norfleet has yet to break a truly big play, he is one of those guys who can gain yards in chunks. He ended the OSU game with 3 carries for 10 yards and 1 catch for 9 yards, but at least one decent run was called back for an Amara Darboh hold (Darboh was called for two holding penalties in the game). Norfleet's final carry of the day lost 3 yards when he tried to run outside of his block, but he at least threatens to make people miss. Virtually every other receiver and running back is very likely to be brought down by the first guy.

Let's see less of this guy on offense next year . . . De'Veon Smith. Smith was essentially forced into action late in the year when Derrick Green went down with a broken collarbone. Smith was the starter essentially by default, and he responded with just one solid game (18 carries, 121 yards, 1 touchdown against Northwestern). Drake Johnson started against Ohio State and did well, and then Smith stepped in with 3 carries for 4 yards when Johnson got hurt. Smith is too slow to be a full-time back, and he doesn't break as many tackles as an ideal short-yardage back should. It's not Smith's fault that he got so much playing time, but Michigan can do better. Johnson passed him up late in the year, starter Derrick Green will return in 2015, and the Wolverines will also have the services of USC transfer Ty Isaac. Barring injuries or transfers, I think Smith should be no higher than #4 on the depth chart next year.

Let's see more of this guy on defense next year . . . Ben Gedeon. It will be interesting to see how the linebacker positions shake out next year. With a potential coaching change coming, the scheme may also change. However, Michigan should once again be deep at the linebacker position. The sophomore Gedeon would be a starter on some Big Ten teams, but he was stuck behind Butkus Award finalist Jake Ryan at middle linebacker. Next year weakside starter and #2 tackler on the team Joe Bolden will return, and former starting inside linebacker Desmond Morgan will come back from his shoulder injury that caused him to redshirt this year. Furthermore, part-time starter at strongside linebacker James Ross III will be back. It would almost be a shame for Gedeon to have to wait until his senior year to start, but that's a possibility with Bolden, Morgan, and Ross returning, all three of whom will be seniors in 2015.

Let's see more of this guy on defense next year . . . Jabrill Peppers. Peppers, the 5-star cornerback who took a medical redshirt, is needed in the secondary. Michigan should be solid at the very least with everyone but Raymon Taylor returning, but Peppers' playmaking potential is desperately needed. Michigan got just 2 interceptions from defensive backs this season, both of which came from sophomore Jourdan Lewis. Peppers could play safety, but his tackling ability is a good fit at slot corner, too; he or Blake Countess could start on the outside, with the other guy playing in the slot.

Play of the game . . . Devin Gardner's touchdown pass to Freddy Canteen. It was only a 3-yarder and Michigan's fate was essentially already sealed, but Gardner rolled right to find Canteen in the endzone near the sideline. Canteen - who showed flashes of promise in the spring but was quiet all season - made an excellent diving catch, getting a foot down before sliding out of bounds.

MVP of the game . . . Drake Johnson. I would like to pick Gardner (22/32, 233 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception), who made some nice plays as well. But Gardner also gift-wrapped two touchdowns for Ohio State. The first one was an interception on the opening drive, setting up OSU on Michigan's side of the field. The second was a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee. So I'll pick Johnson as the MVP. Johnson carried the ball 15 times for 74 yards (4.9 yards/carry) and 2 touchdowns, and he threw a halfback pass to Gardner for 18 yards. When Johnson went down with what I'm guessing is an ACL injury late in the game, Michigan's running game suffered greatly.

Ohio State 42, Michigan 28

Devin Gardner wishes good luck to J.T. Barrett after the Ohio State quarterback suffered a season-ending injury
(image via BR)

That was better than I expected. For the second year in a row, Michigan came into The Game with fans and analysts having low expectations. And for the second year in a row, Michigan made a game of it. I expected the Wolverines to keep it close in the first half, only to have the wheels come off late. The wheels certainly came off, but Michigan led the game for roughly half of the second quarter and they were tied until just over a minute remaining in the third quarter. Offensively, Devin Gardner turned it up a notch, Drake Johnson solidified himself as the best back available, and Doug Nussmeier unleashed some creative play calling that we had not seen for most of the year.

Drake Johnson is #1*. Of the runners available at the end of the season, I don't think there's any doubt that Johnson is the best option going forward. I hope De'Veon Smith got enough chances for fans and coaches to realize that he just doesn't have the speed to get the job done, and he's not the bulldozer that so many people thought he would be. Justice Hayes is a decent complementary or third down back, but Johnson (15 carries, 74 yards, 2 touchdowns) is quicker than the others and displayed some power on Saturday that might hint that he's learning how to run the ball in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, Johnson crumpled up on the ground when he scored his second touchdown, and it looked likely to be a torn ACL; Johnson also tore his ACL in the 2013 season opener, so it would be sad to see him have to go through the same rehab again. He ends the year with 60 carries for 361 yards (6.0 yards/carry) and 4 touchdowns. Out of those totals, 57 carries, 333 of those yards, and all 4 touchdowns came in the final five games against Big Ten opponents. He didn't have the chance to rack up huge amounts of yardage against Appalachian State and Miami, although he did have the advantage of running behind an offensive line that improved throughout the year.

I'm going to miss Devin Gardner. Gardner turned out not to be the best quarterback. He showed signs of improvement in the second half of 2013, and then he regressed this year. You can blame it on Brady Hoke, Doug Nussmeier, Al Borges, the receivers, the offensive line, playing wide receiver in 2012, Gardner himself, etc. There are any number of directions you can point. There are two big things about Gardner that I will miss. Much like Denard Robinson, I will miss Gardner's attitude and leadership. He was not the most vocal guy, but the kid took a beating behind Michigan's offensive line and never pointed fingers or complained about the guys in front of him. He also showed some sportsmanship when Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett broke his ankle, with Gardner coming out on the field to wish him well before he was carted off. The second big thing I'll miss about Gardner is his athleticism. The guy was one of the best athletes to play quarterback at Michigan, perhaps second-best behind his predecessor, Robinson. Gardner could run through tackles, juke defenders, outrun defenders, throw the ball deep, put touch on his passes, and make the game of football a beautiful thing to watch at times. I kept waiting for this guy to break out, but for all the reasons mentioned above, I'll always be left to wonder what could have been.

Clock management failure #1. At the end of the first half, Michigan's drive stalled with over two minutes remaining. The punt team was summoned. Rather than allowing the play/game clock to wind down under two minutes, Michigan snapped the ball with about 20 seconds on the play clock and 2:20 left on the game clock. Ohio State got the ball and calmly waltzed down the field to score with :07 seconds remaining. If you're Brady Hoke, what can you possible be thinking at that point? We know by now that Hoke's plan was not to get a stop, get the ball back, and run a hurry-up drive to score. Hoke isn't that aggressive. If Michigan did get the ball back, they would have run the ball until halftime. The only possible explanation is that Hoke wasn't paying attention or thinking that far forward, which is a pretty damning trait.

Clock management failure #2. Even with three minutes left and down three touchdowns in the final game of the year, Michigan still couldn't run a halfway decent hurry-up. They were huddling at times, they didn't know how to line up, etc. while the clock was ticking down. They had no urgency whatsoever. Gardner did lead a successful drive that culminated in a 3-yard touchdown pass to Freddy Canteen, but it left just 1:15 on the clock to get an onside kick, score, get another onside kick, and score again. I am usually a person who thinks that the game isn't over until the clock says 0:00, but Hoke managed to suck that out of me this year. Just like we know Hoke can't use his timeouts or manage the end of a half properly, we also know that running an offense with any kind of tempo is out of the question. More so than a lack of player development, these issues with game management (the clock, the timeouts, having the right personnel on the field, etc.) are the ones most damning if he wanted to make a case to keep his job going forward.

The lack of personnel development. As I mentioned above, the lack of anyone stepping up throughout the year is almost amazing. You can point to a few individuals who got better from 2013 to 2014 (Jourdan Lewis, Derrick Green, Joe Bolden) or who improved throughout the season (Jake Ryan, Drake Johnson), but the only unit to improve was the offensive line. No other position group seemed to take steps forward, except perhaps the running backs, whose performance is tied to the OL.

Holy cow, there has been a lack of takeaways. Michigan ends the 2014 season with 5 interceptions, their lowest total in at least 20 years. I looked at stats from 1995 onward, and I only stopped because I can't find a reliable source of information any earlier than that. Michigan got picks from Lewis (2), defensive tackle Willie Henry, defensive tackle Matt Godin, and linebacker Jake Ryan. The Wolverines are tied for 120th in interceptions and might end up lower after a couple teams play in bowl games. Michigan is #123 in turnover margin with -1.33 per game. In fact, it's almost amazing that Michigan is #10 in total defense and #28 in scoring defense with the inability to create turnovers and an offense that can't sustain drives. The lack of takeaways is obviously a negative for defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, but it says something that his scheming and Michigan's solid tackling have helped to prevent a total team breakdown.

I'm sad the season is done. This was one of those years where you see a bunch of talent on the field and expect big things, but big things don't happen. Michigan had a record-setting quarterback, a wide receiver who looked like a potential first rounder, a very good tight end, a 5-star running back, a solid kicker, a former All-Big Ten punter, and loads of talent on the defensive side of the ball. All that gets boiled down to a 5-7 season and a career for some of these seniors that ends with a thud.

I'm sad this is how it went down for Brady Hoke. I was not a fan of Michigan's hiring of Brady Hoke in 2011. He hadn't proven enough at a high enough level, and it showed that he was in over his head. However, I did hope that he would have success at Michigan. Not only because I'm a fan of the Wolverines, but because Hoke seems like a good guy, I wanted him to win and win big. There aren't enough decent guys winning national championships out there. Instead, there are people like Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher. Now it appears that Hoke's head coaching career is over at Michigan. Wherever he ends up in the future, I hope he can find success.

I still have high hopes for next year. Regardless of who the coach is, Michigan has a lot coming back in 2015. Devin Gardner is the only senior on offense to start, and Devin Funchess might declare for the NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Michigan has lost its best two players on defense (Jake Ryan and Frank Clark, the latter of which was kicked off the team, anyway), cornerback Raymon Taylor, senior kicker Matt Wile, and senior punter Will Hagerup. There are capable replacements for most of those guys, with the kicking job as the biggest question mark. This was a young team that should improve going into 2015.

Preview: Michigan at Ohio State

Rush Offense vs. Ohio State Rush Defense
Michigan is #63 in rushing offense (167 yards/game), and they are tied for #43 nationally with 4.74 yards/carry altogether. Quarterback Devin Gardner looked healthier than he has in weeks when he ran for 82 yards against Maryland, and Drake Johnson had 94 yards on just 14 carries. One thing that has contributed to Michigan's improvement since last year is the health and consistency of the offensive line, a unit that missed Graham Glasgow for the season opener and was dealing with some health issues for Kyle Kalis early in the year. Otherwise, the group has stayed intact enough that last year's starter at left guard, Erik Magnuson, has donned the #81 jersey and moved to tight end for the time being. Head coach Brady Hoke claimed that the Northwestern game was the line's best game of the season, and Michigan ran for twice as many yards against Maryland as they did against the Wildcats. Meanwhile, Ohio State is #41 against the run (148 yards/game allowed) while giving up 4.12 yards/carry, which is 59th. The high-scoring Buckeyes have faced just the 38th-fewest carries on the year. The leading tackler is junior strongside linebacker Joshua Perry (6'4", 250 lbs.), who is seventh in the Big Ten with 9 tackles/game (99 total). The next two guys on the list are the safeties, sophomore Vonn Bell (5'11", 200 lbs.) and redshirt sophomore Tyvis Powell (6'3", 205 lbs.). The Buckeyes are tied for 12th nationally with 81 tackles for loss, led by 18 from sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa (6'5", 285 lbs.), 11.5 from redshirt freshman weakside 'backer Darron Lee (6'2", 225 lbs.), and 8.5 from Perry. While Michigan's offensive line has improved, this is a formidable front coached by Penn State transplant Larry Johnson, one of the best defensive line coaches in the nation.
Advantage: Ohio State

Hit the jump for the rest of the preview.

Not much else matters

Video: Michigan Offense vs. Ohio State - Every Snap

Michigan vs. Ohio State Awards

Devin Funchess had 4 catches for 41 yards and 1 touchdown 

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drew Dileo. I wish Dileo (5 catches, 60 yards, 1 touchdown) had another year left in him. I just think he's one of the more dependable peripheral wide receivers at Michigan. He has had a couple balls go through his hands this year, but this passing offense goes a whole lot better when he's in the game, as compared to . . . say . . . Jeremy Jackson.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Power Al Borges. It's crazy how Michigan's offense started to get going a little bit once Borges realized that Michigan can't overpower teams with a bunch of baby-faced offensive linemen and a 195 lb. tailback. He went from a power team with a finesse running back to a finesse team with power running backs, and now things seem to be clicking a little bit.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Ben Gedeon. Actually, I want James Ross to return to his WILL position as soon as possible, but Gedeon's someone I'm looking forward to watching develop over the next couple years. The coaching staff has done a good job of identifying talent at the inside linebacker positions, and Gedeon (6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack) has looked solid for a true freshman who got thrown into the fire due to injuries.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Josh Furman. Furman (3 tackles, 1 pass breakup) gets lost out there. He was beaten for a 53-yard touchdown early, was slow to react in the running game, and took some bad angles. Hopefully Jarrod Wilson can return from his injury in time for the bowl game.

Play of the game . . . Devin Funchess's bubble screen. In a play reminiscent of the Indiana game, Funchess took a bubble screen to the right, leaped over cornerback Doran Grant, and sprinted up the right sideline for 22 yards before getting pushed out of bounds. This isn't anything new, but for a 6'5", 235 lb. guy to make these kinds of plays is pretty amazing.

Player of the game . . . Devin Gardner. Gardner had his second-best game ever with a 32/45 effort that resulted in 451 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 9 carries for 10 yards and 1 touchdown. A chunk of that came with a bum ankle. That's the most passing yards and touchdowns in the history of The Game. He looked beaten up for the past few games, but he looked rejuvenated in this one. Honorable mention goes to Jake Butt (5 catches, 85 yards, 1 touchdown) and Jeremy Gallon (9 catches, 175 yards, 1 touchdown).

Ohio State 42, Michigan 41

Freshman tight end Jake Butt caught this touchdown pass to tie the game at 35 (image via MLive)

And that's why this is such a great rivalry. When Michigan was 8-3 last year going up against an 11-0 Ohio State, it took some late field goals for the Buckeyes to win 26-21. When Michigan was 7-4 this year going up against an 11-0 Ohio State, it took a botched two-point conversion for the Buckeyes to escape with a 42-41 victory. Michigan has a very talented, capable football team. When they execute and play up to their capabilities, they can hang in there with just about anyone.

Devin Gardner played his behind off. Gardner must have had the adrenaline flowing early in the game, because he looked like a different player out there. The guy has looked bruised and battered for the past several weeks, but this week didn't show it until late in the game when he tweaked his ankle. He finished the game 32/45 for 451 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions; he also ran 9 times for 10 yards and 1 touchdown. That's arguably his best career performance, even though it came in a loss. His numbers were a little better in this year's Notre Dame game, but that game also featured an ugly interception thrown in his own endzone. If he can stay healthy, this is the type of player Gardner should be every week.

The two-point conversion, Part I. I was critical of Brady Hoke's decision to go for it on 4th-and-2 against Northwestern, so I'm not being a Hoke slappie when I say that I think going for two was the best decision at the end of the game. Michigan was the underdog. While they were playing better than they have in weeks, the defense wasn't up to par (no James Ross or Jarrod Wilson, Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller ran for a ton of yards, etc.) and Gardner was gimpy. If you extend the game there, you run the risk of having to slug it out for the extent of overtime with your most dynamic performer hobbled or potentially knocked out of the game. Hoke is a fairly aggressive coach when it comes to decision-making, and while it didn't work this time, I think he usually makes the right call.

The two-point conversion, Part II. What I didn't like was the play call. Maybe Ohio State was expecting it, but I was fully ready for Michigan to roll Gardner out to the right, where Drew Dileo had motioned into a trips look. And while that seems like an obvious call, it puts [an admittedly hobbled] Gardner on the edge, where he can make a play with his feet - or it puts him in an easier throwing situation with a rub route, a shovel pass, etc. On a critical play like that, I like to put my players in a situation that makes them  comfortable, regardless of what the other team might do. Yes, Ohio State may have been expecting a rollout, but that doesn't mean they could have stopped it.

The brawl. I would love to sit here and say that the Buckeyes started it and they're clearly the enemy, but that was instigated by a crew of Michigan players who were intentionally crowding freshman returner Dontre Wilson after the play. Wilson needs to be smarter and not let stuff like that get to him, but the Michigan guys lit the match. I was glad that more players weren't ejected, but there probably could have been a couple more if the referees wanted to really take control. As it turned out, things worked in Michigan's favor, since all they lost was special teamer Royce Jenkins-Stone; the Buckeyes lost an integral part of their offense and special teams in Wilson and a starting offensive guard, Marcus Hall, who proceeded to give two middle fingers to Michigan's crowd as he went to the tunnel, all the while stomping and throwing things in a childish temper tantrum. Hopefully that will result in a suspension for Hall.

Michigan was in a bad place defensively. I have made no secret of not being a fan of Josh Furman's abilities at safety, and he was the culprit on a couple big plays, including a 53-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith. Starting safety Jarrod Wilson was supposedly in a cast on the sideline, so I guess he wasn't an option, but Furman just isn't up to snuff as a safety. Despite very good speed, he doesn't recognize routes or read plays very well. It looks like he'll be in line to start next to Wilson next year, since both Courtney Avery and Thomas Gordon graduate, so hopefully his extended experience this season helps him improve. Meanwhile, the Wolverines were missing leading tackler James Ross after he got injured against Iowa last week. As far as I know, Ohio State was at full strength on defense, but the Wolverines' loss of two key players defensively - and the absence of placekicker Brendan Gibbons, who might have nailed a field goal instead of forcing Hoke to go for it on an ill-fated fourth down - could have made a difference.

Devin Gardner's fumble wasn't a fumble. His knees were down when the ball came out. Replay should have overturned the fumble. At the very least, the call should have "stood" but the referee said replay "confirmed" the fumble. Of course, that last sentence is pretty inconsequential.

The running backs are good? Freshman De'Veon Smith led the team with 7 carries for 57 yards, including a 38-yarder. His lack of breakaway speed was apparent, so hopefully people will stop saying that he's fast just because he ran away from a bunch of tiny kids at Warren Howland; but he did break a solid tackle attempt on that 38-yarder, so that's something. Senior Fitzgerald Toussaint had 5 carries for 33 yards and 1 touchdown, along wtih 4 receptions for 48 yards. Freshman Derrick Green had 12 carries for 47 yards. Overall, those guys combined for 24 carries, 137 yards, and 1 touchdown, which is a pretty solid day.

The offensive line is good? Hahahaha, just kidding, guys. No, the offensive line isn't good, but it has improved over the past few weeks. Michigan State and Nebraska were the nadir of the line, and now it has progressed to a mediocre level. I've said for a couple years that I think 2014 is where the offensive line starts to get it together, despite the losses of Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield, the latter of whom has never particularly impressed me. However, those running backs mentioned above were tackled for a grand total of zero  losses, a clear improvement from weeks past. The line still allowed 6 tackles for loss thanks to 3 sacks of Gardner, a couple Gardner runs, and a Devin Funchess run.

Al Borges and Darrell Funk are saved? Boy, oh boy. If you're an Al Borges hater, this performance might have been the worst thing for you. If Michigan came out and laid an egg offensively, I think Borges would have definitely been out the door after the season. He still might, but this makes it a tougher call. The same goes for Funk, the offensive line coach. Of course, Hoke and athletic director David Brandon are paid to look at things objectively, not just in the aftermath of one of Michigan's best offensive performances this year. The overall product on the field has been subpar for the majority of the year. I like that Borges eventually capitulated to running bubble screens, the bubble screen draw, and various other screens, but it took too long for Michigan to get away from running power and iso this year. The Wolverines had a heyday with screens to Funchess, Gallon, Toussaint, and Butt in this game, and for good reason.

This was a great game. Even without Michigan's final touchdown, this was a great game. Michigan could have pulled off a whopper of an upset, and even though they lost a heartbreaker, they should be proud of the game the played. Stepping back from the "Michigan should be winning these games more often" mindset that a lot of entitled fans have, this particular team was overmatched in every single phase of the game. Ohio State's closest win this season was a 7-point victory against Wisconsin, and their Big Ten wins this year have averaged a score of 47-20. When I did my game preview, I felt that Ohio State was better at running the ball, throwing the ball, stopping the run, and stopping the pass . . . and the statistics backed that up. On top of those categories, the Buckeyes had momentum and a championship-winning head coach on their side. All those advantages added up to a one-point victory. Regardless of what teams 1 through 133 accomplished, team 134 should be proud of its effort and execution yesterday.

Video: The enemy is made of people, too

Ohio sports anchor Dom Tiberi's daughter was killed in a car accident in mid-September, prompting the Buckeyes to give him a hug as they went out for their next game.

Preview: Michigan vs. Ohio State

Rush Offense vs. Ohio Sate Rush Defense
Michigan is now 101st in yards/game with 129 and #114 with just 3.16 yards/carry. It's ugly. Michigan's interior offensive line is getting abused on a weekly basis, and there's no help in sight. Long-time starter Fitzgerald Toussaint is averaging 3.4 yards/carry, while freshman Derrick Green has taken the bulk of the carries for the past couple weeks and is still averaging only 3.1 yards/carry. Quarterback Devin Gardner is Michigan's big-play threat in the running game, but he looks battered and a step slower than he did in the first half of the year. The Wolverines have allowed 102 tackles for loss so far this year, second-worst in the nation to Idaho. Ohio State is #6 in the country and giving up just 95 yards/game on the ground, along with a 2.89 yards/carry average, which is good for #3 in the country. Their leading tackler is junior weakside linebacker Ryan Shazier (6'2", 230 lbs.) with 109 stops, followed by redshirt senior free safety C.J. Barnett (6'1", 204 lbs.) with 61. Yes, the leading tackler has 48 more tackles than the next guy. The entire front four was recruited by Michigan coming out of high school - freshman strongside end Joey Bosa (6'5", 275 lbs.), junior defensive tackle Michael Bennett (6'3", 285 lbs.), junior nose tackle Joel Hale (6'4", 310 lbs.), and sophomore weakside end Noah Spence (6'4", 252 lbs.). Shazier leads the team with a whopping 20.5 tackles for loss, while Spence, Bennett, and Bosa have 12.5, 10, and 9, respectively, and the Buckeyes rank #26 in the country with 75 tackles for loss as a team. The front four are going to overwhelm Michigan's offensive line, and Shazier is going to be free to roam.
Advantage: Ohio State

Pass Offense vs. Ohio State Pass Defense
Michigan has been tumbling in their pass efficiency, now ranking #46 in the nation (138.5) in that category, along with #63 at 234 yards passing/game. Gardner completes just 58.7% of his passes and has thrown 17 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon has surpassed a thousand yards and now sits at 71 catches for 1,109 yards and 8 touchdowns. Tight end/wide receiver hybrid Devin Funchess is a 6'5", 235 lb. mismatch nightmare who has 43 catches for 686 yards and 5 scores, although Michigan rarely goes to him in the red zone. Gardner has been sacked 32 times, good enough for #112 in the country. Ohio State is #81 in passing defense, giving up 238 yards/game through the air with a 122.7 passer rating allowed (#50). They have made 13 interceptions, which is #34 in the nation, and the leading interceptors are cornerbacks redshirt junior Bradley Roby (5'11", 192 lbs.) and junior Doran Grant (5'11", 191 lbs.), both of whom have 3 picks and 1 touchdown. Spence leads the team with 7 sacks, while Shazier is just behind with 6.5; overall, the Buckeyes are #2 in that category with 36 on the year. Last year backup defensive tackle Adolphus Washington beat All-America left tackle Taylor Lewan for a sack, so one can only imagine what this front will do to Michigan's line this year. Michigan's receivers can beat OSU's secondary if Gardner has time, but that's a tall order.
Advantage: Ohio State

Rush Defense vs. Ohio State Rush Offense
The Wolverines give up just 116 yards/game, good enough for #14 in the country, and the 3.23 yards/carry allowed is #15. It's a very solid crew. The problem last week against Iowa arose when third-leading tackler Desmond Morgan (69), the middle linebacker, left in the first quarter with an injury, only to be followed out of the game by leading tackler James Ross (81), the weakside linebacker. Weakside end Frank Clark leads the team with 12.5 tackles for loss, and both strongside linebacker and utility defensive lineman Jibreel Black have 7.5 on the year. The Buckeyes have an experienced offensive line with fifth year senior Jack Mewhort (6'6", 308 lbs.), senior Andrew Norwell (6'6", 316 lbs.), fifth year senior Corey Linsley (6'3", 297 lbs.), fifth year senior Marcus Hall (6'5", 315 lbs.), and sophomore Taylor Decker (6'7", 315 lbs.) from left to right. That's a significant size advantage compared to Michigan's undersized defensive front. Ohio State gains 315 yards/game on the ground (#6 nationally) and averages 6.91 yards/carry (#1). They're led by senior Carlos Hyde (6'0", 235 lbs.;1,064 yards, 13 touchdowns), junior quarterback Braxton Miller (6'2", 215 lbs.; 738 yards, 5 touchdowns), and redshirt senior Jordan Hall (5'9", 191 lbs.; 519 yards, 8 touchdowns). Every offensive player who has notched a carry this season averages 5.32 yards per carry or higher. This is strength against strength but . . .
Advantage: Ohio State

Pass Defense vs. Ohio State Pass Offense
Michigan is the #80 pass defense in the nation in giving up 237 yards/game through the air, but they're #32 in passer efficiency rating allowed (118.17). Blake Countess grabbed his fifth interception of the year last week, and Raymon Taylor pulled in his fourth; those two have combined for the most interceptions by a cornerback duo since Charles Woodson (8) and Andre Weathers (2) combined for 10 picks in 1997. Overall, Michigan is #13 nationally in that category with 16 picks. The Wolverines are 69th with 21 quarterback takedowns, led by Clark and Cameron Gordon with 5 and 4, respectively. Ohio State throws for 216 yards/game, which is 77th in the nation. Miller and fifth year senior backup Kenny Guiton (6'3", 208 lbs.) have combined for a 164.92 passer rating, though, which is #8. They don't need to throw the ball as much when they run it so well. Miller has 19 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, while Guiton has 12 and 2. I mention both because Guiton is a very capable passer who started some games while Miller was hurt and still plays in certain packages because of his abilities; Guiton could probably start for most other Big Ten teams. The Buckeyes spread out the ball well, although defenses have adjusted to junior Devin Smith (6'1", 198 lbs.; 40 catches, 591 yards, 7 touchdowns) as a big play threat. Senior Corey Brown (6'0", 190 lbs.) leads the team with 49 receptions for 596 yards and 9 scores. Junior tight end Jeff Heuerman (6'6", 252 lbs.), the son of a former Michigan basketball player, has 22 catches for 314 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Buckeyes have allowed just 13 sacks this year, good enough for #11 in the country. The Wolverines have improved their passing defense in recent weeks and might be able to prevent big plays, but Miller's scrambling ability and the lack of a pass rush should allow the Buckeyes to march the ball down the field.
Advantage: Ohio State

Roster Notes

• Players who held Michigan offers include CB Eli Apple, OT Darryl Baldwin, TE Marcus Baugh, DE Michael Bennett, S Devan Bogard, DE Joey Bosa, S Corey Brown, CB Cameron Burrows, CB Gareon Conley, OT Taylor Decker, OT Kyle Dodson, RB Bri'onte Dunn, LB Curtis Grant, CB Doran Grant, DT Joel Hale, RB Jordan Hall, OG Marcus Hall, TE Jeff Heuerman, DT Michael Hill, QB Cardale Jones, OT Evan Lisle, QB Braxton Miller, DE Steve Miller, OG Billy Price, CB Armani Reeves, DE Chris Rock, DT Tommy Schutt, WR Devin Smith, DE Noah Spence, S Ron Tanner, S Jayme Thompson, TE Nick Vannett, DE Adolphus Washington, and LB Camren Williams
• DE Chris Rock signed with Michigan in 2011 and redshirted that year before quitting the team and walking on at Ohio State prior to the 2013 season.
• CB Gareon Conley was once committed to Michigan.
• Graduate assistant Bryant Haines was a Butkus Award finalist under Brady Hoke when Hoke was head coach at Ball State.
• The only Michigan native on Ohio State's roster is freshman walk-on OG Ben Moffitt from Shelby Township (MI) Eisenhower.

Visitors
Here's a link to the lengthy visitors list for this weekend.

Predictions

• We see Shane Morris at QB for an extended time, which will not go well.
• Carlos Hyde runs over Michigan's defense for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Michigan's quarterbacks get sacked 6 times and throw 2 picks.
• Devin Funchess has a big game.
• Ohio State 31, Michigan 17

Last Time They Played . . . 

• Devin Gardner went 11/20 for 171 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception
• Roy Roundtree had a 75-yard touchdown catch
• Denard Robinson ran 10 times for 122 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown
• Ohio State 26, Michigan 21

Visitors: Michigan vs. Ohio State

Joshua Alabi - DT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Alabi is a 6'5", 270 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Tennessee, and others. The Volunteers appear to be the early favorite. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #29 OT, and #270 overall. UPDATE: Alabi will be headed to MSU instead.

Jason Alessi - S - Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice: Alessi is a 6'0", 170 lb. prospect for 2014 with offers from Air Force, Akron, Harvard, and Yale. He's committed to Michigan as a lacrosse player but was recently offered a preferred walk-on spot with the Wolverines. (Highlights.)

Trevon Avery - CB - Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc: Avery is a 6'1", 165 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. He's a 3-star quarterback to Scout. He's also the younger brother of Michigan senior defensive back Courtney Avery.

Jerome Baker - LB - Cleveland (OH) St. Benedictine: Baker is a 6'1", 205 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others. He recently declared Ohio State his clear #1, and it would be a huge surprise if he went anywhere else. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #6 ATH, and #66 overall. (Highlights.)

Kei Beckham - CB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Beckham is a 6'0", 155 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Kentucky, among others. He's a former teammate of Michigan freshman defensive back Reon Dawson and linebacker Mike McCray. (Highlights.)

Ian Bunting - TE - Hinsdale (IL) Central: Bunting committed to Michigan in April.

George Campbell - WR - Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Campbell committed to Michigan in August.

Freddy Canteen - WR - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Canteen committed to Michigan in June.

Stefan Claiborne - WR - Clinton Township (MI) Chippewa Valley: Claiborne is a 6'1", 168 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He also visited Ann Arbor a couple weeks ago for the Nebraska game. (Highlights.)

Brian Cole - WR - Saginaw (MI) Heritage: Cole is a 6'2", 190 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others. Rumors keep swirling about him going back and forth between favoring Michigan and MSU, so it's anybody's guess right now. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #5 ATH, and #58 overall. (Highlights.)

Mason Cole - OG - Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Cole committed to Michigan back in February.

C.J. Conrad - TE - La Grange (OH) Keystone: Conrad is a 6'5", 225 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Duke, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #8 TE, and #228 overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 59 receptions for 924 yards and 14 touchdowns. (Highlights.)

Jashon Cornell - DE - St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham Hall: Cornell is a 6'4", 245 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from just about everywhere. He's a 247 Composite 5-star, #1 WDE, and #15 overall. So far he's the only weakside end Michigan has offered in the class of 2015, and that appears to be purposeful as Michigan pursues him as their #1 guy. Cretin Derham is known for sending guys to Notre Dame, but they've had a number of elite recruits in recent years (Michael Floyd, James Onwualu, Seantrel Henderson) so it's worth keeping up a good relationship. (Highlights.)

Shaun Crawford - CB - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: Crawford committed to Michigan in August. UPDATE: Crawford can no longer attend the game.

Andrew David - K - Massillon (OH) Washington: David committed to Michigan in June.

Messiah DeWeaver - QB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: DeWeaver is a 6'2", 180 lb. prospect for 2016 with an offer from Louisville. He has visited Michigan several times and camped in Ann Arbor this past June. He attends the alma mater of current Michigan linebacker Michael McCray. (Highlights.)

David Edwards - QB - Downers Grove (IL) North: Edwards is a 6'6", 225 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois, Indiana, Syracuse, and Vanderbilt. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #42 ATH, and #348 overall. Michigan is looking at him partially as a quarterback, but he also might be a tight end, and I think that's the position where Edwards would be more likely to find a slot from Michigan, in my opinion. (Highlights.)

Brendan Ferns - LB - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Ferns is a 6'3", 208 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of 2014 Michigan linebacker commit Michael Ferns.

Michael Ferns III - LB - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Ferns committed to Michigan in August of last year.

Jimmy Fitzgerald - QB - Champaign (IL) Centennial: Fitzgerald is a 6'3", 205 lb. prospect for 2015 with a lone FBS offer from Illinois. As a sophomore in 2012, he completed 96/195 passes for 1,300 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, #26 pro-style QB, and #529 overall. Fitzgerald is one of the handful of quarterbacks that have been in touch with Michigan's coaching staff.

Desmond Fitzpatrick - WR - Farmington (MI) Farmington: Fitzpatrick is a 6'0", 170 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Indiana, Ohio, and Toledo. He has visited Michigan a couple times this season and also camped in Ann Arbor last June. (Highlights.)

Zach Gentry - QB - Albuquerque (NM) Eldorado: Gentry is a 6'6", 215 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Louisville, New Mexico, New Mexico State, and San Diego State.

Lawrence Gordon - DE - Saginaw (MI) Arthur Hill: Gordon is a 6'5", 230 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He has visited Michigan a couple times and appears to be one of the top few in-state prospects for his class.

Dele Harding - LB - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Harding is a 6'1", 218 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from UMass, Tennessee, and USC. He's a teammate of 2014 Michigan commits Freddy Canteen and Brandon Watson. He visited Ann Arbor with his teammates back in July and genuinely seemed interested in Michigan at the time those two committed, partly because Michigan's coaches intimated to him that he would be offered down the road but felt it was too early to offer many 2016 guys.

Damien Harris - RB - Berea (KY) Madison Southern: Harris committed to Michigan in August. He is having an outstanding junior season and was recently ranked the #17 overall prospect in his class by ESPN.

Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan in April. He did not play during his senior season due to a serious hamstring injury suffered in the preseason.

Daelin Hayes - LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Hayes is a 6'2", 210 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. The younger brother of Michigan redshirt sophomore running back Justice Hayes, Daelin has visited Penn State and Notre Dame in recent weeks and appears enamored with those squads. The fact that his brother is mostly buried on the depth chart probably does not help.

Lavert Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Hill is a 5'11", 165 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan freshman safety Delano Hill. He has visited Michigan for most home games this year.

Justin Hilliard - LB - Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: Hilliard is a 6'2", 225 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. His brother C.J. Hilliard is a 2014 commit to the Hawkeyes. I did a scouting report on Hilliard a couple weeks ago.

Elijah Holyfield - RB - Atlanta (GA) Woodward Academy: Holyfield is a 5'11", 190 lb. prospect for 2016 with a lone offer from Boston College. As a freshman in 2012, he had 66 carries for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns. He's the son of famed boxer Evander Holyfield. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Holyfield no longer plans to attend.

Joshua Jackson - WR - Saline (MI) Saline: Jackson is a 6'1", 180 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan senior wideout Jeremy Jackson and the son of running backs coach Fred Jackson.

Sterling Jenkins - OT - Pittsburgh (PA) Baldwin: Jenkins is a 6'8", 305 lb. prospect for 2015. I did a scouting report on him a few weeks ago.

Nick Johns - QB - Washington (DC) Gonzaga: Johns is a 6'3", 215 lb. prospect for 2015 with an offer from Virginia. He's another on the short list of quarterbacks Michigan has been in contact with for the upcoming recruiting cycle. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, #30 pro-style QB, and #575 overall. (Highlights.)

Tyree Kinnel - S - Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: Kinnel committed to Michigan in August.

Darrin Kirkland, Jr. - LB - Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central: Kirkland is a 6'2", 215 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Northwestern, and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #9 ILB, and #245 overall. He also visited for the Nebraska game. (Highlights.)

Thiyo Lukusa - OT - Traverse City (MI) West: Lukusa is a 6'5", 300 lb. prospect for 2016 with an offer from Michigan State. He has visited Michigan a couple times this season and also camped in Ann Arbor in June. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Lukusa is no longer planning to attend.

Kendric Mallory - WR - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Mallory is a 6'2", 175 lb. prospect for 2014 with an offer from Illinois. He's also the former teammate of Reon Dawson and Mike McCray.

Corey Malone-Hatcher - DE - St. Joseph (MI) St. Joseph: Malone-Hatcher is a 6'3", 205 lb. prospect for 2017 with no offers at this time.

Alex Malzone - QB - Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone is a 6'2", 185 lb. prospect for 2015 with an offer from Bowling Green. He's perhaps Michigan's top in-state quarterback target for the class, but likely a second-level option if other national targets don't pan out. (Highlights.)

Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Marshall committed to Michigan in May. Earlier in the spring, he had been committed to Ohio State.

Jalen Martin - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park Academy: Martin is a 6'2", 180 lb. prospect for 2016 with a lone offer from Eastern Michigan. He attends the alma mater of Michigan freshman wide receiver Csont'e York.

Ostell Martin - OT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Martin is a 6'5", 315 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He visited Michigan's campus a couple times back in the spring.

Malik McDowell - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: McDowell is a 6'7", 290 lb. prospect for 2014 with offers from all over the country. He has alternately been rumored to be a Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and USC lean, but the current vibe is that Michigan would be the choice if he picked today.

Tanner Muse - LB - Belmont (NC) South Point: Muse is a 6'3", 207 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Clemson, Michigan, North Carolina, and North Carolina State, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #17 safety, and #297 overall, although I believe he'll be a linebacker in college. UPDATE: Muse no longer plans to attend.

Michael Onwenu - DT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Onwenu is a 6'2", 310 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time.

Brady Pallante - DT - Naples (FL) Barron Collier: Pallante committed to Michigan in April as a greyshirt and became a full scholarship member of the 2014 class earlier this week.

Jacques Patrick - RB - Orlando (FL) Timber Creek: Patrick is a 6'1", 210 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC, Wisconsin, and numerous others. He claims a 4.51 forty and is a 247 Composite 4-star, #7 RB, and #82 overall. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 231 carries for 2,032 yards and 29 touchdowns. It will likely be an in-state battle for his services, but he was excited about his Michigan offer and has a cousin coaching at Detroit King. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Patrick can no longer attend the game.

Donovan Peoples-Jones - WR - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Peoples-Jones is a 6'1", 170 lb. prospect for 2017 with no offers at this time.

Jabrill Peppers - CB - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Peppers committed to Michigan in May. He's in the midst of an outstanding senior season and was named 247 Sports' #3 overall player. UPDATE: Peppers' playoff practice schedule will prevent him from visiting this weekend.

Martell Pettaway - RB - St. Clair Shores (MI) South Lake: Pettaway is a 5'9", 185 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He has visited Michigan several times early in the process. (Highlights.)

Giovanni Rescigno - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Rescigno is a 6'4", 210 lb. prospect for 2014. He has no scholarship offers but was recently offered a preferred walk-on spot with the Wolverines. He has visited several times and is the teammate of 2014 Michigan commit Jared Wangler and best friends with freshman QB Shane Morris.

Darian Roseboro - DE - Lincolnton (NC) Lincolnton: Roseboro is a 6'4", 265 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Auburn, Clemson, Michigan, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #7 SDE, and #97 overall. UPDATE: Roseboro can no longer attend the game.

Joshua Ross - LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Ross is a 6'2", 190 lb. prospect for 2017 with offers from Oklahoma and Michigan State. He's the younger brother of Michigan sophomore linebacker James Ross.

Tommy Roush - OG - Traverse City (MI) West: Roush is a 6'3", 270 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He camped at Michigan back in June and also visited for a game earlier this season.

Prince Sammons - DE - Cincinnati (OH) Hills Christian Academy: Sammons is a 6'8", 260 lb. prospect for 2016 with an offer from Cincinnati.

Wilton Speight - QB - Richmond (VA) Collegiate: Speight committed to Michigan in February. He recently completed a solid season.

Erik Swenson - OT - Downers Grove (IL) South: Swenson is a 6'7", 285 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Illinois, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. He has long declared Michigan his leader. (Highlights.)

Demetric Vance - WR - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Vance is a 6'1", 170 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He has garnered some hype for being perhaps the best wide receiver prospect out of Cass Tech in a while, but he still has a couple years to develop.

Jared Wangler - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Wangler committed to Michigan in August.

Brandon Watson - CB - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Watson committed to Michigan in June.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan in April. Here's a look at how his senior season went.

Mike Weber - RB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Weber is a 5'10", 195 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Tennessee. Michigan was the early favorite, but he seems to be leaning toward MSU after fellow 2015 running back Damien Harris committed to Michigan a few months ago. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Weber is no longer able to attend the game.

Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. - TE - Manlius (NY) Canisius: Wheatley is a 6'6", 235 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Penn State, and others. He's the son of Tyrone Wheatley, a former Michigan and NFL running back who is the current running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. The presumed favorite is the Wolverines.

Jhonny Williams - DE - Berrien Springs (MI) Berrien Springs: Williams is a 6'6", 237 lb. prospect for 2014 who is committed to Missouri. He has also received a Notre Dame offer, and while Michigan's offer is intriguing, it seems that his choice will come down to Mizzou or the Fighting Irish. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Williams will not be in attendance, and he changed his commitment to the Fighting Irish.

Mykelti Williams - S - Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central: Williams is a 6'0", 195 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Akron, Indiana, and Ole Miss. He claims a 4.5 forty and is a 247 Composite 3-star, #35 safety, and #565 overall. (Highlights.)

Reagan Williams - LB - Jackson (OH) Jackson: Williams is a 6'3", 232 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Kent State and Ohio. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 94 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks. (Highlights.)

Khari Willis - RB - Jackson (MI) Lumen Christi: Willis is a 6'0", 187 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. (Highlights.)

Chase Winovich - LB - Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: Winovich committed to Michigan in June. He just completed an impressive senior season of playing quarterback and linebacker.

USA Today college football countdown: #3 Ohio State

Paul Myerberg looks at the hated Ohio State Buckeyes, his third-best team for the upcoming season.

Hit the jump for some Ohio State girls.

2012 AP All-America Team

Taylor Lewan went from Under Armour All-American to AP All-American

The AP All-America Team was released last week, so this isn't exactly a timely post, but I figured I would gather together the names of players that are pertinent to Michigan fans.

FIRST TEAM
Montee Ball - RB - Wisconsin
Ka'Deem Carey - RB - Arizona
Taylor Lewan - OT - Michigan
Chance Warmack - OG - Alabama
Barrett Jones - C - Alabama
Jadeveon Clowney - DE - South Carolina
Manti Te'o - LB - Notre Dame
C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama
Dee Milliner - CB - Alabama

SECOND TEAM
D.J. Fluker - OT - Alabama
Spencer Long - OG - Nebraska
Tyler Eifert - TE - Notre Dame
Stephon Tuitt - DE - Notre Dame
Johnathan Hankins - DT - Ohio State
Kawann Short - DT - Purdue
Bradley Roby - CB - Ohio State

THIRD TEAM
A.J. McCarron - QB - Alabama
Braxston Cave - C - Notre Dame
John Simon - DE - Ohio State

Of the 75 total players listed on the first, second, and third teams, Michigan played (or will play) against 17 of them, or 23%.  This just reinforces how difficult Michigan's schedule was, as the Wolverines lost a close game to the #1 team (4 players), lost in a blowout to the #2 team (6 players), lost a close game to a 12-0 team in Ohio State (3 players), and then lost by two scores to Nebraska (1 player).

I threw in Arizona RB Ka'Deem Carey simply because he plays for former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and leads the country with 1,929 rushing yards (and will end the bowl season that way unless someone else busts out with a couple hundred yards in a bowl game, which is possible).

Video: Michigan at Ohio State - Every Snap

Highlights: Ohio State 26, Michigan 21

Michigan vs. Ohio State Awards

Denard Robinson broke these tackles in his way to a 67-yard touchdown

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Denard Robinson.  Robinson carried the ball just 4 times in the second half.  If the coaches aren't going to trust him to throw the ball at all, then he needs to run it.  Michigan has no runners who are capable of being dynamic except Robinson.  I would like to see Robinson make a full-time switch to running back for the bowl game, because Fitzgerald Toussaint has a broken leg and the other guys just can't do the job.  Robinson won't play quarterback in the NFL, so it's not like he needs the stage of the bowl game to show off his skills.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Vincent Smith.  This goes hand in hand with the usage of Robinson, but Smith can't be an every-down back.  The Michigan coaches should have learned that by now.  Al Borges tried to slam him up the middle with a weak interior line, and Smith went nowhere.  Throw him some screens and run the inverted veer with him, but don't line him up in the "I" and expect to gain yards on the ground.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Frank Clark.  Clark was in the doghouse during the offseason, and he's not the most disciplined player on the field.  But Clark is superior to Brennen Beyer in almost every other way.  The kid bats down passes, puts pressure on the quarterback, and makes plays.  Unless the coaches are still working out the issues of Clark's off-season troubles, Clark needs to be the starting weakside end.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Joe Bolden.  I've said it before, but Bolden's just not ready for these big-time games.  He took a couple bad angles on Saturday and missed some tackles.  I do believe that he'll be a solid player in the future, but the game's just moving too fast for him right now.  He's a perfect example of why freshman linebackers should redshirt.

Play of the game . . . Denard Robinson's 67-yard touchdown run.  While the Wolverines trotted out Robinson at quarterback with a minute and some change left, it seemed as though Michigan was going to be happy with the status quo going into halftime.  He couldn't beat Ohio State with his arm and everyone knew it.  He took the snap, went left, and gained a chunk of yards.  On the next play, he took the snap, faked a handoff, and then gave three blockers time to get out in front of him to the right.  He burst past his blockers, withstood two Buckeye tacklers who tried to crunch him between themselves, stumbled, and then outran everyone for a 67-yard touchdown that put Michigan up by 7 points.  Of course, Ohio State drove down and kicked a field goal before the half, but that was still a four-point swing in the right direction for Michigan.

MVP of the game . . . Jake Ryan.  Ryan didn't score any touchdowns, but he filled up the stat sheet on the defensive side of the ball and did a good job of mostly hemming in OSU quarterback Braxton Miller.  Ryan finished the day with 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 2 forced fumbles.  Michigan still had a chance to win the game because the defense kept them in it, and Ryan was the best defensive player on the field.

Ohio State 26, Michigan 21

Here's some Kate Upton to make you feel better.

I told you so but I wish I didn't.  Last week I railed against the usage of Denard Robinson, saying that using Denard so much last week a) set him up to get injured, b) might limit his effectiveness against OSU, and c) took away the element of surprise of using him in the backfield and at receiver.  People responded by saying that they were glad Michigan used him because it would give Urban Meyer trouble preparing for this week's game.  How did that go for you?  Denard tweaked his elbow injury last week and didn't throw even once this game.  Michigan also ran very few plays with Robinson and Devin Gardner on the field, running a very vanilla and predictable offense.  I guess all that stuff last week was just for fun.

WTF.  There's really no excuse for the play calling in the second half, and that falls on both Brady Hoke and Al Borges.  People want to fire Al Borges, but the head coach has to step in and call shenanigans on the crappy play calling.  Now I'm not suggesting that either one get fired, but you can't separate the two entities. As the head guy, Hoke is responsible for the calls that are made by his coordinators.  Michigan tried running the ball up the middle with Vincent Smith - which has been a terrible idea for years - and generally went into a shell on offense.  There was no element of surprise, and all the plays and counter plays that were opened up last week by Robinson's utility were apparently erased from this week's playbook.

Derrick Green, come on down.  Outside of Fitzgerald Toussaint, Michigan's running backs are terrible.  Thomas Rawls has no vision, lacks speed, and isn't as powerful as a short yardage back should be.  Vincent Smith is gone anyway, and while I always liked him as a third down-type back, plugging him in for short-yardage plays against OSU was a poor decision.  You simply cannot expect him to gain yardage when Michigan's interior offensive line is this bad.  He did okay running outside on the inverted veer plays, but good grief, Borges has to put him in a position to be successful.  Even fullback Stephen Hopkins comes in for some criticism here, because he missed two key blocks and generally looked like he didn't understand his job.  Michigan needs running backs in a bad way, and I don't see game-breaking ability in either DeVeon Smith or Wyatt Shallman.  The coaches need to bring in a bunch of backs and let them improve through competition.

Play action bulls***. Here's the part that perhaps irked me most about the play calling in the second half.  Borges kept calling play action passes when there was clearly no threat of running the ball.  That doesn't work against teams who aren't stupid, and the Buckeyes are a lot of things - cheaters, ugly, arrogant, etc. - but their defense is always well coached.  When Devin Gardner turns around to give play action fakes, he's diverting his attention from the coverage and sometimes he's limiting himself to throwing to half the field.  The linebackers and safeties weren't biting on play action fakes to Vincent Smith because Smith gets tackled by a stiff breeze, so there's no tactical advantage.  But again and again, Gardner wasted time by running around with his back to the defense and pretending like the Buckeyes gave a s*** about the 5'7", 175 lb. running back.  Just drop Gardner straight back or roll him out.

Carlos Hyde played well.  I actually thought Michigan's interior defense would hold Hyde down pretty well, but Michigan's defensive ends and play calls seemed so concerned with Braxton Miller that they unclogged the middle a little bit.  Hyde got downhill and broke a few tackles, but there were several occasions where he got to the second and third levels without being touched.  Greg Mattison seemed to call more 4-3 Over defensive fronts than normal.

Freshman frustration.  I do not like seeing guys like James Ross and Joe Bolden out there in games like this.  It was somewhat inevitable, I guess, because of a lack of depth, but today is an example of why you need depth at linebacker.  Bolden in particular got out of position a couple times and allowed some key gains, and Ross got caught inside on a Braxton Miller run.  Both of those guys have high upsides, but freshmen are freshmen.  Next year the Wolverines should be able to go two-deep with experienced guys at every linebacker position, so we should see even more improvement in the linebacker group.

Mike Jones and Brandin Hawthorne exist in bad ways.  I was not a fan when Rich Rodriguez recruited Jones and Hawthorne, and they have worked their ways down the depth chart.  Jones incurred a 15-yard penalty for a late hit in this game, and Hawthorne has made similarly poor plays this season on special teams.  It's not a coincidence that Ross and Bolden passed those guys for playing time.  Hawthorne will graduate after this season, and I would not be surprised to see redshirt junior Jones depart with a year of eligibility remaining.

This was Gardner's worst game.  Gardner was visibly frustrated at a couple points, and it showed in his play.  Especially in the second half, it looked like he was trying to throw pinpoint passes instead if letting it fly.  He's always had a slightly awkward throwing motion, but he just didn't seem to be following through with his normal verve.  That's somewhat understandable for a kid playing quarterback in such a big game for the first time, which is why it would have been helpful to have Robinson ready to throw the ball.  Robinson had his best quarterbacking performance against these Buckeyes last season, so limiting him to 10 touches seems like a bad idea.  Gardner finished 11/20 for 171 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, and he took 4 sacks despite the absence of John Simon, OSU's best defensive lineman.  There was nobody to take the pressure off of Gardner - Robinson out of the backfield, Toussaint, Borges - and thus it was left on his shoulders to try to make plays when there none to make.

The better team won.  I argued with people all week who said that Michigan was the better team but that the Wolverines played a tougher schedule.  The bottom line is that any of us would rather be 11-0 than 8-3 coming into the game, regardless of who was on the schedule.  The Buckeyes ran the ball well, threw the ball well, and played pretty solid defense except for a couple huge plays (Robinson's 67-yard touchdown, Roundtree's 75-yard TD reception).  The bottom line is that Michigan replaced David Molk, Mike Martin, and Ryan Van Bergen with Elliott Mealer, Quinton Washington, and Craig Roh, respectively, all of which are steps backward.  I fully believe that an influx of talent is coming with Hoke's recruiting classes, but right now Michigan has a deficit that will take some time to fix.