Buckeye Leaves: Bo Jackson, Julian Sayin, Sonny Styles Help Break Losing Streak With 27-9 Win Over Michigan

No. 1 Ohio State broke its streak of four-straight losses against Michigan, with a 27-9 win over the No. 15 Wolverines to remain a perfect 12-0. The Buckeyes held Michigan to just 163 yards of total offense, while Ohio State’s offense totaled 319 yards, rushing for 186, while passing for 233 and three touchdowns.

Here is who the BSB staff gave Buckeye Leaves.

Sam Cipriani: For a dominant all-around offensive performance in Ohio State’s win over Michigan, I’m giving my Buckeye Leaf to freshman running back Bo Jackson. The rookie back was a force both on the ground and through the air against the Wolverines. 

Jackson led the Buckeyes with 22 rushes for 117 yards for an average of 5.3 yards per carry and added four catches for 49 yards, which was second on the team. Jackson finished with three carries of more than 13 yards including a 36-yard tote in the first quarter. It marked Jackson’s third straight game crossing the century mark, and was the sixth time this season he surpassed 100 yards.

Bobby Gorbett: My Buckeye Leaf is going to team-captain and starting linebacker Sonny Styles. In Ohio State’s win over Michigan, Styles led the Buckeyes in total tackles with six and had one of just two of the team’s tackles for loss.
Styles’ tackle for loss came in the third quarter when Ohio State was leading 24-9. Styles wrapped up Michigan running back Jordan Marshall two yards behind the line of scrimmage to bring up a third-and-12. The Wolverines had an incomplete pass and had to punt on the next play.
It was the first win over Michigan in Styles’ career.

Greg Wilson: The losing streak started with C.J. Stroud at quarterback. Kyle McCord couldn’t end it. Will Howard couldn’t end it. But redshirt freshman Julian Sayin was the one who ultimately put Ohio State back on top in the rivalry.
It seemed early on that he might have been affected by the Michigan mental block when he threw an interception on the second offensive snap of the game in Ohio State territory, which led to the Wolverines taking a 6-0 lead. But after that, Sayin was 19 of 24 the rest of the way.
He finished the game 19-of-26 passing for 233 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.