Michigan edges Ohio State 30-24, claims Big Ten East crown

With the Michigan offense entering the Ohio State red zone sporting a 24-17 lead and a fresh set of downs, J.J. McCarthy looks set to deliver the death blow on a spirited Buckeye effort in Ann Arbor. The Ohio State defense remarkably stonewalled McCarthy and co., however, holding them to just a field goal, and the Ohio State offense answered the bell as well with a 65-yard scoring drive that took just four minutes. 

Who else but Marvin Harrison Jr. to cap it off, finding separation on a crossing route and outpacing the Michigan defense to the pylon, narrowing the deficit to 27-24.

MASERATI MARV WITH THE TD@OhioStateFB marches it down the field and makes it a 3-point game 💪🌰 pic.twitter.com/flckzwtsnB

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 25, 2023

Interim coach Sherrone Moore assured the media that his team was going to be aggressive entering Saturday's blockbuster clash, and that audacious attitude was on full display late in the third quarter. Taking a toss near midfield, running back Donovan Edwards instead opted to look deep and fire a 34-yard strike to Roman Wilson into the Ohio State red zone. 

A subsequent field goal gave Moore's bunch a commanding 10-point lead entering the final quarter of play at Michigan Stadium

The tides of changes seemed to be decisively at the back of Kyle McCord and a suddenly incendiary Ohio State offense late in the first half. After falling behind 14-3 and amplifying an already defending Michigan Stadium crowd, McCord led a surgical seven-play, 73-yard drive, culminating in a 3-yard Emeka Egbuka touchdown snag. 

Emeka. Egbuka. 🔥@OhioStateFB responds 💪 pic.twitter.com/YNroFNMcAR

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 25, 2023

And despite starting their next drive 98 yards from the end zone, McCord saw his Buckeyes cross midfield in just two minutes thanks to a diving third-down snag from Julian Fleming and a 44-yard bomb that Marvin Harrison hauled in while drawing a pass interference penalty. However, OSU coach Ryan Day settled for a 52-yard field goal on 4th-and-2 and kicker Jayden Fielding veered his attempt wide, keeping the halftime score at 14-10.

Fourth down decisions have been the difference between these two elite teams after 20 minutes of action, proving crucial on another Michigan touchdown drive that extended the Wolverines lead. 

Blake Corum surged in on 4th-and-goal from the 1 to give Michigan an early 7-0 edge, and the Wolverines turned to their star tailback again facing a similar down and distance from midfield next drive — Ohio State went low, Corum went high to secure the first down. 

QB J.J. McCarthy took over as the opposing end zone beckoned, converting another 4th-and-short with a 7-yard completion to Colston Loveland before treading a beautiful pass between two Buckeye defenders and into the arms of Roman Wilson, a connection that survived a review and stood as a 22-yard touchdown. 14-3 Michigan with 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter.

9 ➡️ 1 pic.twitter.com/lG8GbgoLyM

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 25, 2023

The 119th meeting of "The Game" is officially underway, as Michigan elected to defer and fired its opening kick-off through the end zone. 

Stay tuned for live updates all afternoon as Ohio State and Michigan compete for Big Ten East glory!

For most in Columbus, the Michigan game constitutes an entirely different season, and the Buckeyes are entering this new year with a fittingly clean bill of health.

Star linebacker Tommy Eichenburg, defensive lineman Mike Hall Jr. are back healthy for the first time since sustaining injuries in the Rutgers and Michigan State games respectively — DB Cam Martinez also returns after prolonged injury concerns. Four players listed out, Kyion Grayes, Lathan Ransom, Will Smith Jr. and Jason Moore, were expected absences and missed last week, while reserve receiver Kojo Antwi is also listed out. 

Michigan fans, meanwhile, can exhale a bit as Roman Wilson is listed as healthy, but some anxiety will linger for the wave of maize and blue shuffling into The Big House this morning, as tackles LaDarius Henderson and Miles Hinton enter Saturday's game as questionable. 

Despite its slot within the most impactful weekend in college football, the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry has once again separated itself from the pack, earning a ninth College GameDay distinction as Rece Davis and crew head to Ann Arbor. 

Ohio State actually holds a 5-3 advantage in the schools' GameDay history despite trailing the overall rivalry series, and a record of each game can be found here: 

Earning a reputation as one of the most storied, fiercest rivalries in all of college football, it follows that this matchup also serves as one of the sport's oldest, beginning in 1897. Since then, even as the last survivors of the Toledo War passed on, the rivalry remained just as heated with Michigan compiling a narrow 60-51-6 edge entering 2023. Ohio State has spent much of the last decade whittling down UM's advantage, but the Wolverines have claimed the last two rivalry installments.

Here's a look at each of the last 10 rivalry installments: