The Ohio State Buckeyes entered the fourth quarter of "The Game" against the Michigan Wolverines trailing 30-24, but they were set up with excellent field position after a fumbled snap on fourth down cost the Wolverines big time. Ohio State had received the ball in Michigan territory, and took it all the way to the five yard line with a Braxton Miller rush. Unfortunately, they weren't able to capitalize as they wanted to at the beginning of the fourth, as three straight rushing attempts ultimately resulted in a gain of just one yard, but the Drew Basil field goal was ultimately good, shortening the gap to 30-27.
Michigan wouldn't roll over though, and a Denard Robinson completion to Junior Hemingway for 19 yards would spark another scoring drive for the Wolverines. Robinson would go on to hit Kevin Koger for four yards and a touchdown, giving Michigan a 37-27 lead with half of the fourth quarter gone. If you blinked, you missed the Buckeyes take a short amount of time to go from their own 20 yard line to a touchdown. Miller completed passes of 36 yards, 16 yards and 20 yards. A late hit penalty put Ohio State at the four yard line, and Dan Herron was able to run it in, bringing the Buckeyes back within three at 37-34.
Again, the Wolverines wouldn't give up, and launched a drive from their own 20 yard line that took them across the field. Fitzgerald Toussaint had a rush over 20 yards, and Robinson had rushes of 11 and 14 yards. Set up at 2nd and goal at the Ohio State five, Robinson rushed and appeared to score a five yard touchdown, but further review showed that his knee came down less than a second before the ball crossed the plane, so they set up at third down. Robinson faked a handoff and rolled out to the right side, and made it into the endzone for a touchdown, but there was a flag on the field and it's called back. Michigan gets called for holding and another penalty when a Michigan player grabbed a facemask - the penalties stacked and the Wolverines had a 3rd and goal back at the 25 yard line.
The third down pass sailed high, and Michigan came out to try the field goal, and they were successful, so they took a 40-34 lead with the Buckeyes needing a touchdown to win it, with 1:59 left on the clock. The Buckeyes took over, and after an incomplete pass and a short yardage run, Miller took a snap from the I-formation on 3rd and six. Miller dropped back and threw deep - he had a man wide open, a guaranteed touchdown, and overthrew him by five yards. It cost Ohio State the game, even though they managed a first down on the next play. Miller's pass on the following fourth down was intercepted, and Michigan killed the clock to win 40-34.
This marks the first time since 2003 that the Buckeyes lost "The Game" against the Wolverines. Ohio State passed for more yardage, at 235 against Michigan's 167, but the Wolverines managed almost 300 yards on the ground to Ohio State's 137. Both teams turned the ball over, but Robinson didn't have any big play interceptions, and that gives Michigan a 10-2 record on the season.