The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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DECEMBER 2022 THE WOLVERINE 19 or keep Northwestern from running it … Northwestern didn't score 28 points, but they had some success running the ball, doubling their average rushing to- tal, when you knew they weren't going to throw," Karsch said. "You bring in a Michigan rushing attack, and … "It's going to be a different deal, play- ing down in Columbus. It always is. I've come to learn in the years of being on the sidelines at games — and this ap- plies to Ohio State as well — if you go on the road and get the win, to hell with style points. It doesn't really matter. Put it in your bag and come home." The Wolverines would gladly do so, in the finale at Columbus. There's no question that after last year in Michigan Stadium, the Buckeyes will have doubled down on readiness. In fact, OSU head coach Ryan Day reit- erated the fact that there isn't a day that goes by without his team doing some- thing to prepare for the regular-season finale. "We live it every day," Day said regard- ing the Michigan series. "[It's] what we say around here … the way we approach it is we're working on that game every day of the year." Stroud actually ran for more yards (6 carries for 79) than he accounted for with his arm in what Day referred to as "ex- treme" conditions in Evanston. That's a wrinkle the OSU head coach likes to see. "I think C.J. embraced it, and you can see what he can do, and it can be a weapon for him moving forward," Day said. "We found a little something there. But at the end of the day, our running backs have got to run, and our line's got to block." Day acknowledged he's thought plenty about bad-weather football late in a Big Ten season. He indicated the Buckeyes could go under center much more often than normal, as opposed to playing out of the shotgun. "That's playing in the Big Ten in No- vember," he said. Meanwhile, Harbaugh embraces every- thing about playing in the Big Ten after the air grows crisp. He features a national top-five rushing offense, a 1,000-yard back in junior Blake Corum, and an of- fensive line which junior guard Zak Zinter recently compared favorably to last year's Joe Moore Award-winning group up front. "We were a good line last year, and I think we're a great line this year," Zinter said. "Coach [Sherrone] Moore does a great job developing us and helping us dominate on Saturdays." Harbaugh said on the Michigan football radio show that he and his team are ready for what's to come. "We're still going to take it day by day," Harbaugh stressed. "One day at a time, like [his mother] Jackie Harbaugh likes to say. We'll continue that approach, but fully knowing that there's been a lot of good work made already. "There's been a lot of groundwork that's already been laid, and our time's now. Our time's not last year. It's not next year. Our time is now. And we're on a ride. It's a happy ride. It could be even a magi- cal ride. "So let's focus on the task at hand, which is today. Let's have the best meet- ings possible, let's have the best practice possible. Actually, let's make it the best one of the year — the best meeting of the year, the best lifting session of the year, best practice of the year. And then do that today, and come back and do the same thing tomorrow." ❏