It had been 2,191 days since Ohio State beat Michigan on a football field. That ended on Saturday in emphatic fashion.
The No. 1-ranked Buckeyes snapped their four-game losing streak to the No. 15-ranked Wolverines with a 27-9 win on the road, and head coach Ryan Day was emotional after the convincing victory.
“I’m just happy for our players,” Day told FOX Sports reporter Jenny Taft after the game. “They worked really hard. I’m happy for our coaches. They worked really, really hard. We had a good energy this week. We had confidence coming in. The guys played tough. They played physical. We won the line of scrimmage, and I’m just really happy for our guys.”
Then, Day got choked up.
“We’re going to win with humility. I’m just happy for a lot of people right now,” Day said about what the win means for him and the Buckeyes’ community. “I can’t name them all, but it means a lot.”
Ryan Day gets emotional after Ohio State’s victory over Michigan
This year’s win improved Day to 2-4 against Michigan since becoming Ohio State’s full-time head coach for the 2019 season. Last season, the Buckeyes lost at home to a then-6-5 Michigan team, with the Wolverines sparking a post-game brawl after trying to plant a Michigan flag at midfield.
As for Saturday’s triumph, Ohio State took the lead on a 35-yard touchdown from quarterback Julian Sayin to wide receiver Jeremiah Smith with 11:44 remaining in the first half and never looked back. After leading 17-9 at halftime, the Buckeyes shutout the Wolverines in the second half.
In total, Ohio State possessed the ball for 40:01, out-gained Michigan 419-163 in total yards and ran 31 more plays than its bitter Big Ten rival (Ohio State ran 73 plays, while Michigan ran 42 plays). Wolverines QB Bryce Underwood was held to 63 passing yards, while Sayin threw for 233 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, as snow poured down in the second half.
Ohio State will play the No. 2-ranked Indiana Hoosiers, who are also 12-0, in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6, which will air on FOX (8 p.m. ET).
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