Michigan Football: Wolverines are tired and beaten up, but ready for OSU

The Michigan football team didn’t win easily over Indiana, but it doesn’t matter, because finally, the Wolverines can focus on Ohio State.

Here we are, a week before the rivalry game with Ohio State, and Michigan football is exactly where it wants to be – in the driver’s seat.

Michigan Football is 10-1 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten. If the Wolverines win over the Buckeyes next Saturday, and they’re headed to Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship game.

Few of us Michigan football fans dared to hope for something that good.

Beyond winning, Michigan don’t need help from anyone. The Wolverines win, and they’re in. It’s that simple.

But where is Michigan football exactly?

These 2016 Wolverines look a little like a heavyweight boxer toward the end of a 15-round fight – the breathing is labored and the legs are tired. The spirit is willing, of course, but the punches are not landing with much of a thud.

I suppose that’s not surprising, given how many games the Wolverines have played and how far they have come with head coach Jim Harbaugh. Truthfully, not many of us expected these guys to make it this far. We expected a much bigger fight, for example, from Michigan State, which has seen its season go down in flames. (Their game yesterday – a tough 17-16 loss to Ohio State at home – was their final game of the season. With a 3-8 record there will be no bowl invitations for the Spartans.)

The good news is that Ohio State looks like it’s in pretty much the same shape as Michigan. The Buckeyes’ quarterback, T.J. Barrett, was only 10 of 22 yesterday with 86 yards of total passing, though the weather may have been a factor in East Lansing as it was in Michigan.

Barrett’s totals for the day make John O’Korn’s 7 of 16 for 59 yards seem almost respectable, especially considering that O’Korn was making his first start of the season, in place of the injured Wilton Speight, who dressed for the game but did not play.

On the other hand, O’Korn came into the game leading an offense that was averaging 45 points and 232 yards a game.

Michigan’s third quarter against Indiana was good, but other than that the offense struggled and sputtered. Kenny Allen found himself punting six times. Fortunately three of the six ended up inside Indiana’s 10 yard line.

So, special teams came up big Saturday. Allen had another consistent day. In addition to the punts, he kicked two field goals (28 and 33 yards) and helped to keep Michigan in the game. The punt receiving team stepped up too with not one, but two blocked punts.

And then there was the Michigan defense which did what it has done all season long – in other words, play tough, stingy football.

Indiana was able to convert only five of 15 third down opportunities. (Sorry to mention it, but honesty compels: the Michigan offense yesterday converted only three of 15.)

Ben Gedeon led the defense with nine tackles. Dyomonte Thomas was right behind with eight. Ryan Glasgow was credited with three tackles for loss, and Taco Charlton had 2.5. Rashan Gary, who started the season strong has all but disappeared at this point in the season. He was credited with assisting on one tackle yesterday.

Anything else? Yes, it was good to see De’Veon Smith finally get it going. His 158 yards of rushing offense was a season high for him, and his two third-quarter touchdowns (within three and a half minutes) provided the margin of victory. The 39 yard run with a dive toward the pylon at the end was a thing of beauty.

Next: Top 10 Michigan Running Backs of All Time

Is Michigan ready for Ohio State? You bet it is. This team is for real – tired and beaten up, but for real.

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