Ohio State Offensive Line Dominates Michigan in Pass Protection, Run Game

Great offensive line play can take an opposing team’s soul. Especially in the blistering cold of late November.

It’s the feeling of helplessness. Of losing the very foundations and nature of football, the line of scrimmage. There’s something innately devastating for a defensive line getting knocked back play after play by the front five opposed to them.

Ohio State’s offensive line, purported as the biggest weakness that Michigan might exploit in The Game, took the soul of the Wolverines on Saturday. They took it by winning the second-half rushing battle 110 yards to -8. They took it by winning the time of possession battle 40 minutes to 20 minutes. Since the Buckeyes started tracking time of possession in 1981, it’s the only time they’ve done that in The Game.

But more than anything else, OSU’s offensive line took Michigan’s soul with a 20-play, 81-yard field goal drive that took 11:56 off the clock to salt the game away in the second half.

“Those guys played really physical,” Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin said after the game. “I think, all season long, they’ve just had an edge to them and played nasty. Being able to run inside zone when we have RPOs out there, and we hand it off and we get 7 yards, and you see guys getting thrown to the ground, it looks like carnage out there. It’s just, it’s awesome to see.”

“Carnage” is an excellent word for Sayin to choose. That’s what it felt like. Sure, Ohio State only averaged four yards per carry, but it found consistent chunks and imposed its will on the nation’s No. 10 rush defense as the second half progressed.

Just look at the beauty of the blocks on this 6-yard CJ Donaldson run during that nearly 12-minute drive. Watch the GIF back five times and follow a different Buckeye slob on each one. Right tackle Phillip Daniels washes down 310-pound defensive tackle Trey Pierce. Left guard Luke Montgomery pulls and obliterates safety Brandyn Hillman. Left tackle Austin Siereveld picks up linebacker Jimmy Rolder, then races upfield to help pull Donaldson forward.

Carnage. The front five brutalized Michigan all drive that drive, all second half and truly, all game.

Freshman running back Bo Jackson proved the primary beneficiary of the OL’s efforts. He finished with 22 carries for 117 yards, 5.3 yards per carry. With 49 receiving yards, his 166 yards from scrimmage beat Michigan’s total yardage as a team for the game, 163.

“All year, they’ve been getting better week by week,” Jackson said of his offensive line. “They’ve been working. Working very hard. That’s the key to our run game.”

The thing is, it wasn’t just in the run game where Ohio State’s front five broke the will of Michigan. Julian Sayin could have opened a 401(k), found some stable investments, played out his football career and retired with the amount of time he had in the pocket. The Buckeyes allowed no sacks to the Wolverines.

Actually, forget zero sacks. They allowed zero pressures, per Pro Football Focus. It’s hard to pick a stat that stamps this offensive line performance the most, but it might be that one. Look at how long Sayin had to find Carnell Tate on his 50-yard touchdown pass,

HOME. RUN. HITTER.

Carnell Tate hauls it in for @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/eQbICogClp
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 29, 2025

Or on this third-down that turned into a first-down scramble.

This is a Michigan defensive front that ranked 27th in the nation for sacks entering Saturday. Defensive end Derrick Moore was second among all Big Ten pass rushers with 9.5 sacks. But Siereveld, Montgomery, right guard Tegra Tshabola, center Carson Hinzman and Daniels pitched a perfect game in pass protection. They didn’t just take the Wolverines’ soul in the pass game. They devoured it.

Ohio State’s offensive line produced easily its best performance of the year on its biggest stage yet. More big stages are to come in the Big Ten Championship game and the College Football Playoffs.

But with Michigan’s souls harvested, for now, they can kick back and enjoy a well-earned can of Dr. Pepper.

Finally got to the plane

TUN Dr. P might be a little bit sweeter!! #BeatTUN pic.twitter.com/rdEvMURWYK
— Carson Hinzman (@HinzmanCarson) November 29, 2025