Follow live: Johnson (two TD catches), Michigan out front in fourth quarter

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3:09 PM ET

Nothing less than a berth in the Big Ten championship game and a shot at the College Football Playoff is on the line when the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines face the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes.

A quintessential part of Rivalry Week, The Game is as historic as it is high stakes. Michigan holds the all-time lead in wins over its rival.

They are meeting as undefeated teams for the first time since 2006, and this marks just the fourth time since 1900 that undefeated teams have met at 11-0 or better.

Here are the scenes, moments and top plays from Saturday at The Horseshoe:

Getting tricky and building a lead

Michigan put together a 15-play drive that ate up 7:51 in the game. The Wolverines got tricky when Kalel Mullings completed a jump pass to Luke Schoonmaker for a first down. Then, McCarthy and Donovan Edwards finished the drive.

Another big play for Michigan

Another drive and another long ball. This one was a 45-yard score from McCarthy to Colston Loveland.

Takeaways from the first half

Ohio State’s running back rotation has been a storyline all season because of injuries, and it took a new twist Saturday. Miyan Williams started while TreVeyon Henderson sat, but Chip Trayanum, a converted linebacker with one carry entering the Michigan game, emerged as the team’s next ball-carrying option.

Trayanum led all rushers with 64 yards on eight carries in the first half, including a 24-yard dash to set up an Ohio State field goal. The Akron, Ohio, product was an ESPN 300 recruit who played running back at Arizona State, logging 127 carries for 692 yards and 10 touchdowns. But he had been used primarily on defense for the Buckeyes, recording 12 tackles entering Saturday. At the start of pregame warm-ups, Trayanum conducted some drills right behind Williams.

Freshman Dallan Hayden, who had boosted Ohio State with 248 rushing yards and four touchdowns the previous two games, had only one first-half carry for 5 yards. Ohio State finished the half with Trayanum, not Williams or Hayden, as its featured rusher. The Buckeyes also lined up wide receiver Xavier Johnson in the backfield, and the senior had an 18-yard gain on an end-around.

Coaches often save something for big games, and Ohio State had waited for the right time to unleash the 230-pound Trayanum. He’s a surprise standout of a fascinating first half at Ohio Stadium. — Adam Rittenberg

With a little over five minutes remaining in the second quarter, Michigan had just 1 rushing yard and finished the first half with just 10 yards on the ground. The Wolverines were averaging 243.8 rush yards per game, but star running back Blake Corum was coming off of an injury against Illinois and has been limited in this game. Corum had two carries in the first drive of the game for Michigan, but he hasn’t seen a snap since. His primary backup, Donovan Edwards, is also dealing with an injury.

The Wolverines had five rushing touchdowns in the win against the Buckeyes last season, but it has been the passing game that has kept Michigan’s offense rolling. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy has thrown touchdown passes of 69 and 75 yards to Cornelius Johnson.

Both were the longest touchdown passes Ohio State has allowed since November 2021, when it faced Nebraska. Johnson became the first player with 150 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in a half against Ohio State since Alabama’s Devonta Smith did it in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The Wolverines’ offense in the first half has been counter to the run-heavy scheme we are used to seeing, but it has Michigan right in this rivalry game against the Buckeyes. — Tom VanHaaren

Buckeyes answer right back

Another big play for Michigan

After scoring Michigan’s first touchdown, McCarthy found Johnson deep for the touchdown, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the game. Johnson has TD catches of 69 and 75 yards so far in the game.

Entering today, Michigan had one TD of 50 or more yards this season and has now done it twice in this game. The Wolverines are also the first team with multiple 65-yard touchdowns against Ohio State in Columbus since Oregon State did it in the 2018 season opener.

Wolverines finally answer

After struggling to do much of anything on offense, the Wolverines got in the end zone after J.J. McCarthy found receiver Cornelius Johnson, who broke several tackles for the long TD.

Scary stat for Michigan

The Wolverines have struggled running the ball so far. They were held to 1 yard rushing in the first quarter. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Michigan hasn’t defeated a top-five team while running for that few yards in a quarter since at least 2004.

Big catches, big score

First Stroud connected with Harrison, who made a one-handed grab. Later in the drive, Stroud hit Emeka Egbuka for the score.

LeBron is ready

Corum, Edwards seem ready

Arrivals

The LeBron gear

The Buckeyes are again wearing cleats from LeBron James’ shoe line with Nike. It’s one of the best pieces of gear this week.

This article was originally published by Espn.com. Read the original article here.
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