Big Plays Carry No. 3 Michigan Past No. 2 Ohio State 45–23

J.J. McCarthy (9) of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates his fourth quarter touchdown with his teammates during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 26, 2022. Ben Jackson/Getty Images

J.J. McCarthy threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns, added another score on the ground and No. 3 Michigan defeated Ohio State 45–23 at Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

Donovan Edwards added 216 yards rushing with two TDs as the Wolverines (12–0, 9–0 Big Ten) defeated the Buckeyes (11–1, 8–1) at Ohio Stadium for the first time since 2000.

McCarthy’s 45-yard TD pass to Colston Loveland early in the third quarter gave the Wolverines the lead for good at 24–20.

J.J. McCarthy (9) of the Michigan Wolverines throws the ball away from Zach Harrison (9) of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the fourth quarter of a game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on November 26, 2022. Ben Jackson/Getty Images

McCarthy followed that with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:51 off the clock by running in from the 3 with 13:10 remaining in the game. A defensive pass interference call on the Buckeyes’ Zach Harrison on a third–and–10 from the Ohio State 13 kept the drive alive and put the ball on the 2-yard line.

Noah Ruggles kicked a 27-yard field goal to pull Ohio State within 31-23 with 7:23 remaining.

Edwards followed with touchdown runs of 75 and 85 yards for the Wolverines to put the game away.

Ohio State held a 20-17 halftime lead even though McCarthy stunned the Buckeyes with 69- and 75-yard touchdown passes to Cornelius Johnson two minutes apart to give the Wolverines a 17–13 advantage with 5:36 left in the second quarter.

Johnson had four catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud responded with a 42-yard scoring strike to Marvin Harrison Jr. with 3:49 remaining in the first half to put the Buckeyes ahead at the break.

Stroud was 31 of 48 for 349 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Ohio State took a 7–0 lead on the first drive of the game, getting a 4-yard rushing TD from Emeka Egbuka.

The Buckeyes led 10-3 when McCarthy, on a third-and-nine from the Michigan 31, found Johnson along the left sideline. He spun from defensive back Cam Brown to score on the 69-yard play to tie it. After a Noah Ruggles 47-yard field goal put the Buckeyes up 13–10, Johnson was at it again for his 75-yard go-ahead score.

Michigan running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful Blake Corum was on the field for the first three snaps but did not play afterward because of a previous knee injury. He had two carries for 6 yards.