Ohio State exorcises Michigan demons with blowout road win

Ohio State's long nightmare is finally over.

After four consecutive losses to arch-nemesis Michigan, the Buckeyes snapped their longest losing streak in the rivalry since 1988-91 with a dominant 27-9 road victory on Saturday.

Ohio State cruises to first win versus Michigan since 2019

College Football Playoff No. 1 Ohio State (12-0, 9-0 in Big Ten) had plenty to play for on Saturday, needing a win to clinch a spot in next Saturday's conference title game against No. 2 Indiana (12-0, 9-0 in Big Ten). After falling into an early 6-0 deficit, the Buckeyes outscored the Wolverines 27-3. After the first quarter, Ohio State out-gained No. 15 Michigan (9-3, 7-2 in Big Ten), 325-73.

With no more questions about its ability to beat Michigan, Ohio State can turn its attention to winning the program's first Big Ten championship since 2020 and becoming the second back-to-back national champion in five years, joining Georgia (2021-22).

While plenty of talented teams will compete for an NCAA title in the playoffs, the Buckeyes appear to be a cut above the rest. They have the best defense in the country, holding all 12 of their regular season opponents under 17 points, including seven under 10 points.

They also have arguably the best set of skill position players in FBS, led by wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. True freshman running back Bo Jackson had a monster game against Michigan, rushing 22 times for a season-high 117 yards.

The Buckeyes are a well-oiled machine entering the postseason. Nothing appears capable of getting in their way, not even the demons they exorcised on Saturday.