Michigan
Ohio State football instant opinions: Why didn’t Buckeyes use this offense vs Michigan?
Well, well, well. Look what happens when Ohio State does what it does best – gets the ball to its pass catchers.
Saturday’s 42-17 win against Tennessee in a first-round playoff game in an energized Horseshoe – thanks to a home crowd that drowned out the exceptionally large turnout of Vols fans – was in reverse of what happened against Michigan last month. Instead of running it up the gut over and over and over, Ohio State coach Ryan Day and play caller Chip Kelly went with what works.
The No. 8-seeded Buckeyes went in with a pass-first game plan, and guess what? It worked.
Duh.
Now it’s on to the Rose Bowl for a rematch against No. 1 seed Oregon. If Ohio State plays like it did Saturday, the Ducks, who defeated OSU 32-31 Oct. 12, will be in for a fight.
Where was this Ohio State offense against Michigan (or anyone else)?
Here’s a novel idea: Get the ball to your playmakers and get out of the way. Who woulda thought it?
Repeat after me, “Wide receivers are the strength of OSU’s offense.”
But for some reason, the offensive play calling against Michigan went against that strength. The neighbor’s dog could have, and probably did, scream at the TV, “Stop running the ball up the middle.” But the Buckeyes kept trying to pound the rock, and UM made them pay.
And let’s be honest, it wasn’t just Michigan. Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly hesitated to go all-in on the “pass to set up the run” philosophy all season, and an offense that was supposed to be out of this world did not leave orbit as often as it should have.
Then lift-off happened Saturday against Tennessee, when Day and Kelly finally went airborne. Result: a 21-0 lead after one quarter that gave OSU enough cushion that ultimately became a comfy sofa.
The Buckeyes showed their hand out of the gate, throwing on four of their first five plays and scoring on their opening series for the first time since the Oregon game.
No team can abandon the run completely, but when your offensive line is a patchwork product, it behooves you to play to your strengths. And Day finally did.
It took being shamed and embarrassed by Michigan to become the Ohio State offense everyone thought it would be.
Ohio State defense is the real deal
OK, enough about the offensive face lift.
The defense never needed plastic surgery in the first place. Talk all you want about Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and the sexier side of the ball, but for my money the defense deserves MVP for the season. It again was stellar against the Vols, recording four sacks and generally making life miserable for a UT offense that came in ranked eighth nationally in scoring offense (37.3-point average) and ninth in rushing offense (232 yards). The Buckeyes limited the Vols to 17 points and 152 yards on the ground.
Memo to Ohio State QB Will Howard: Don’t throw interceptions
I know, I know, easier said than done. But still it should not be that hard to avoid when you have wide receivers like OSU does. All Howard has to do is let Egbuka and Smith make plays. And preferably relatively easy plays. Howard did that on two perfect passes to Smith; a 37-yard strike in the first quarter and a 22-yarder in the third quarter that made it 28-10.
But he forced a pass to Smith in the first half that Tennessee defensive back Will Brooks picked off at the back of the end zone, ruining a scoring chance that could have made it 28-0, or 24-0 with a field goal. The risky pass simply was unnecessary, given the score.
The momentum shift led to Tennessee pulling to within 21-10 at halftime, with the Vols getting the ball to begin the second half. But Howard redeemed himself with the beautifully-thrown ball to Smith early in the third quarter.
Howard otherwise played a heck of a game, finishing 24 of 29 for 311 yards and two touchdowns. This was the QB who can take OSU all the way. That said, maybe it’s nitpicking to point out a potential game-changing interception, but when OSU’s receivers are this good, there is no reason to make easy plays more difficult.
Knoxville North as Tennessee fans invaded Ohio Stadium
Whether due to Ohio State season ticket holders reselling their seats to Tennessee fans or Vols Nation gaining access to a promo code that allowed UT fans to buy up more than their 3,500-seat allotment, there was a lot of orange in the Horseshoe. Estimates had the crowd breakdown as 65% OSU fans, 35% UT fans, but regardless of the exact numbers it almost certainly was the largest attendance for a visiting fan base in stadium history.
Many Ohio State fans watching at home were not happy with the large Tennessee turnout, but there was a bright side to Ticketgate. The smaller OSU crowd was louder than when the Shoe is clothed in 90% scarlet and gray.
What gives? My guess is those Ohio State fans who sold their tickets on the secondary market are the same ones who sit on their hands during games. Replacing them with loud and proud Buckeyes fans made a big difference.
My suggestion for OSU athletic director Ross Bjork is to configure future fan seating so that those who actually care about making noise get some type of preferential treatment. Challenging, I know, given that big-money donors want the prime real estate between the 50s. But if you really want to change the atmosphere, then do what it takes to change it.
Along those lines, the playoff opener felt more like a college football game than a minor-league baseball game, thanks in part to the College Football Playoff people taking over game-ops from Ohio State. There were fewer in-game announcements on the video boards and fewer on-field presentations. Refreshing.
roller@dispatch.com
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LANSING, Mich. — Convenience stores, smoke shops and even drug stores across Michigan often offer a wall of tobacco products behind the counter. Michigan is one of only eight states where retailers aren’t required to obtain a license to sell the items, and now lawmakers want to change that.
A package of House bills making its way through committee would strengthen regulations, seeking to protect minors.
“We know how potentially dangerous tobacco usage is, and that we need to prevent teens from starting in the first place, helping them to avoid a lifelong health challenges that are caused by smoking and vaping,” Rep. Bradley Slagh (R-Zeeland) said.
The package, a version of which already passed the state Senate, would require retailers to obtain a license to sell tobacco or nicotine products.
It would also penalize those who sell to minors, from the cashier to the store’s owner.
“We license people that might give me a bad haircut, but we’re not going to license people selling tobacco, and increasingly more to our youth,” Jeff Griffith, of The Youth Connection, said.
The bills would further remove penalties for minors that obtain or attempt to buy tobacco products.
“There is no evidence demonstrating that these laws are effective in reducing youth initiation, use of or addiction to tobacco products,” Rep. Helena Scott (D-Detroit) said. “Research shows that African American and Hispanic youth were more likely to receive these citations. We do not want to increase interactions between young people of color and law enforcement.”
The 2023 Michigan Youth Tobacco survey found 29% of minors got their products through retailers.
Only 9% of respondents reported that retailers refused to sell cigarettes to them because of age, and only 5% said the same for vapes.
According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data, within just the past five years, more than 3,100 enforcement actions have been taken against retailers for selling to minors.
Among them, five violations since 2022 at just one store, Deering’s Market in Traverse City. Last year, the FDA even sought a 30-day ban on tobacco sales at the store.
Under the bills, Deering’s would have been fined $10,000 and their license would have been revoked.
Two other stores, one in Ann Arbor and the other in Detroit, also received those orders.
“They continue to operate and profit in the State of Michigan, while, as it was pointed out, the kids pay the price for the laws that criminalize them,” Jodi Radke, regional director for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said. “Today, Michigan kids are counting on you to place accountability where it belongs.”
Critics note mistakes are made and welcome regulation, but call the effort as a cash grab, with its $500 license fee.
They also point out the bills fail to address the 64% of minors who got their tobacco elsewhere, citing the 2023 survey.
“Quite frankly, we have little faith that based on our past experience with regulation enforcement and all these investigations we’ve seen that this is going to solve the problem of mom and dad and aunt and uncle giving smokes to kids,” Mark Griffin, president of the Michigan Association of Convenience Stores, said.
Supporters acknowledge the bills won’t completely solve the issue, but believe it shows Michigan is serious on the matter.
Paula Wethington is a digital producer at CBS Detroit. She previously held digital content roles at NEWSnet, Gannett/USA Today network and The Monroe News in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
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Southeast Michigan will see an increasingly severe weather threat from Monday night into Tuesday, starting with warming temperatures in the 60s and 70s across the area.
Monday’s weather
A marginal risk (level 1/5) is in place for Monday night, meaning only isolated severe storms are expected, mainly after 7 p.m. through midnight. The primary threats will be hail around 1 inch and a few localized damaging wind gusts, with storms moving quickly west to east, with storm coverage remaining limited.
Tuesday’s weather
By contrast, Tuesday brings a Weather Alert Day with a slight risk (level 2/5), indicating a higher chance of more organized and scattered severe storms through the day as a cold front moves through.
On Tuesday, all severe weather hazards are possible, including damaging winds (potentially 60+ mph), large hail, heavy rainfall, and even a low risk of tornadoes, with damaging winds expected to be the main concern.
Watch vs. warning
The National Weather Service says a severe weather watch means “be prepared.” It is possible that the weather will reach severe levels during the time frame specified.
A severe weather warning means “take action,” that severe weather conditions have been reported by spotters or can be detected on radar. People are asked to take shelter indoors, away from windows.
It is possible for a tornado warning to be issued without a tornado watch already in effect. This is the scenario that happened in Southwest Michigan on March 6, 2026.
Jim Harding has landed his first commitment on the recruiting trail as offensive line coach in Ann Arbor, as 2027 four-star Sidney Rouleau announced on Sunday night that he will be playing college football for at Michigan.
Rouleau — a native of Canada but now playing high school football at The Brook Hill School in Bullard, Texas — is coming off an unofficial visit to Michigan this weekend. That was his third time in Ann Arbor, as he also visited for the Purdue game last fall and another time a couple summers ago.
Understandably so, Rouleau had great things to say after his most recent trip.
“My visit to Michigan was awesome,” Rouleau told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong ($). “The energy around the program is contagious, and I really connected with the coaches and players. What excites me most about playing for coach (Kyle) Whittingham and the Wolverines is the chance to be part of building something special. Their vision for the future, combined with the tradition and passion of the fanbase, makes it an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’m excited to contribute to their success and also being able to play for coach Harding!”
Rouleau is listed at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, per Rivals, but 247Sports has him listed at 6-foot-7 and 269 pounds, so he may be a bit bigger than Rivals’ last update on him. Regardless, the expectation is that he will eventually play one of the tackle positions at Michigan.
Other than the Wolverines, Rouleau also earned offers from Ohio State, Clemson, Penn State, Oregon, Georgia, USC, Wisconsin, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma Miami, Washington, Florida, Florida State and many others.
Michigan is now up to six total commitments in the 2027 recruiting class, and three of them are offensive linemen — Rouleau, and three-stars Louis Esposito and Tristan Dare. Rouleau also joins four-star edge rusher Recarder Kitchen, four-star safety Darrell Mattison and three-star safety Maxwell Miles in the class.
Rouleau is ranked No. 300 overall on the Rivals Industry Ranking. Check out some of his junior year highlights down below.
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