Michigan has ONE second-half punt in the last three Ohio games
Pretty remarkable stat that I realized today after my second rewatch of Saturday's game. The only time Michigan punted in the second half of The Game was the second drive of last year's matchup. Conversely, Ohio State has punted six times in the second half of the same games.
There are lots of fancy stats we can look into about why we've won, but scoring on nearly every drive in the most critical half of each of the last three games is a MAJOR reason.
November 27th, 2023 at 3:35 PM ^
We were resting our punter for the Iowa match up....where we have to face their MVP, Tory Taylor
November 27th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
Honestly, in limited action he quietly had a really good game. The first punt was whatever, but his other two punts were a 71 yarder and a punt that was downed at the two yard line.
November 27th, 2023 at 3:36 PM ^
Not the first time it's been said, but Michigan's second-half dominance is also a point against the idea that in-person scouting was the difference.
November 27th, 2023 at 3:41 PM ^
Oh contraire...clearly Michigan scouts OSU in person in the first half, and the second half results speak for themselves!
November 27th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^
We are so good at sign stealing we keep our powder dry the first half and DON’T use the information and then BAM! We use it in the second half AND we wait to call each play until we’ve stolen and decoded their DEFENSIVE signs because that’s how nefarious we are!!!!!!
(really it is such a moronic line of thinking but…..that’s who some of them are)
November 27th, 2023 at 6:45 PM ^
Diabolical...
November 27th, 2023 at 9:03 PM ^
It should be said more often. We should repeat it until it sinks in. I have noticed that those insisting that there was cheating and it was big are getting less and less specific. I think because up further review, their statements look sillier and sillier. The specifics just aren't there.
November 27th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
That's an awesome stat! Thank you for pointing it out.
November 27th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
Excellent point.
November 27th, 2023 at 3:41 PM ^
Great stat - they raised this on B1G Live today as well. Just incredible.
Go Blue!
November 27th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
What up Steve Breaston?
November 27th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
No wonder Brad Robbins is a tad rusty this year for the Bengals...not enough work! (But now with Burrow out, dude better watch himself or his leg might fall off!)
November 27th, 2023 at 3:52 PM ^
Don't you know? It's because we had the signs!
November 27th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
We haven't failed on a 4th down conversion attempt against them either the past 3 years.
2023 Michigan 3/3, OSU 0/0
2022 Michigan 1/1, OSU 0/1
2021 Michigan 1/1, OSU 3/4
November 27th, 2023 at 10:54 PM ^
That's a great stat.
November 27th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^
In Michigan's case, this is incredible. However without context, it may not be. They could have fumbled 3 times and threw 7 interceptions, and had 2 failed fourth downs lol.
But we know the above is not the case.
November 27th, 2023 at 4:03 PM ^
Are there signs for punt coverage? Asking for a hairless nut
November 27th, 2023 at 4:31 PM ^
The Buckeyes have a sign for “fake punt” that is so secret that their own players don’t know it - as evidenced last season.
There’s also a sign for “don’t tackle”, which Michigan seems to know as well.
November 27th, 2023 at 4:05 PM ^
Keep injecting these incidents of domination directly into my veins. Because, as we know, OSU and others were sharing Michigan's signs and play calls for the last 3 seasons. OSU knew the plays that were coming, and they STILL couldn't stop Michigan.
November 27th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
Punting is... winning?
November 27th, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
If you’re Iowa, it is…
November 27th, 2023 at 10:55 PM ^
We can so out-Iowa Iowa when we want to.
November 27th, 2023 at 4:39 PM ^
That is a beautiful statistic.
November 27th, 2023 at 4:50 PM ^
That's amazing. Love these stats. Keep em coming.
November 27th, 2023 at 5:11 PM ^
Clearly this proves we got their signs
November 27th, 2023 at 5:49 PM ^
Also very glad OSU decided to punt several times on Saturday
November 27th, 2023 at 9:11 PM ^
It is a pretty amazing stat. Shows how good our halftime adjustments are and how much we have won in the trenches grinding out first down after first down. It also shows how well of a game plan we have come up with for The Game the last 3 years and how aggressive we have been on some fourth down calls in going for it.
November 27th, 2023 at 10:14 PM ^
Iowa is disgusted by this statistic. Don't we know that punting is winning?!
November 27th, 2023 at 10:52 PM ^
I posted this in my "Today's Schedule of Games" preview for Michigan vs Ohio State on Saturday:
Michigan better be prepared to keep up on the scoreboard on offense. We won the last two years against Ohio State because we never got down by more than one score, and we punted only once in the 2nd half in 2022, and we did not punt at all in the 2nd half in 2021. A "body blows" running game that punts 3 times in a row like at PSU and UMD will get you beat by OSU. We have to pay off drives with scores.
WE DID IT!
I am very pleased to update this statement:
We won the last three years against Ohio State because we never got down by more than one score (we never were behind at all in 2023), and we punted only once in the 2nd half in 2022, and we did not punt at all in the 2nd half in 2021 and 2023.
Our play calling the last three years has been suspect at times, but for The Game it has been outstanding. We really did work on Ohio State all year, and we really did save some things for The Game.
November 28th, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
It's also 75 points across 14 drives, for an average of 5.36 points per drive. Even if you count the 3 game ending drives it's 4.41 points per. And it's a scoring percentage of 85.7%, or 70.6%, if you game enders.