Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Buckeyes win eighth in row vs. Michigan
Dobbins, Fields key rout as Ohio State stays unbeaten
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Ohio State has turned The Game into its game. The Buckeyes’ once-great great football rivalry with Michigan has become a one-sided series with little suspense.
The Buckeyes have won 15 of the last 16 against the Wolverines, including five straight against Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
Chasing a national championship, not beating the Wolverines, is how the Buckeyes measure success.
And under first-year coach Ryan Day, they have put themselves in a position to potentially win it all for the second time since 2014 and a third time this century.
J.K. Dobbins ran for four touchdowns and Justin Fields threw four TD passes, providing plenty of firepower in No. 2 Ohio State’s 56-27 rout of No. 10 Michigan 56-27 on Saturday for a school-record eighth straight victory in the series.
“It feels great just to continue the legacy of this great Ohio State tradition,” defensive end Chase Young said.
The Buckeyes (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) will head to the Big Ten championship game to face No. 13 Wisconsin with a spot in the College Football Playoff in sight.
Nursing an already sore left knee, Fields went down in the third quarter and was evaluated on the Ohio State’s sideline. After a few plays he returned to throw a 30-yard TD pass to Garrett Wilson.
Day said. “I thought it was a Heisman moment,” Day said.
Fields has 37 TD passes with one interception and also has 10 TDs rushing. He finished 14-for-25 for 302 yards with his other TDs going for 6, 16 and 57 yards.
He never considered staying on the sideline. “I wanted to show the team I was tough,” he said.
Michigan (9-3, 6-3, No. 13 CFP) will settle for a second- or third-tier bowl after Harbaugh remained winless in the rivalry.
“It’s just kind of the same thing every year,” Michigan tight end Sean McKeon said. “It gets old.”
Harbaugh was asked if the difference was talent, preparation or coaching?
“I’ll answer your questions but not your insults,” he said.
Dobbins finished with 211 yards on 31 carries, including TD runs of 6, 5, 5 and 33 yards.
Fields suggest the rivalry means a little bit more to the Buckeyes.
“I know a few players on the team and I just know the things we do in terms of workouts and how serious we take it at Ohio State,” he said. “Talking to those guys and getting their perspective, I definitely see that we take it way more serious.”