Instant Analysis: What Went Wrong For Ohio State Buckeyes In Third Straight Loss to Michigan Wolverines

BuckeyesNow.com analyzes what exactly went wrong for the Ohio State Buckeyes in their loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

The Ohio State Buckeyes dropped a heartbreaker to the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, making it their third-straight loss to their arch-rivals.

So what went wrong for the Buckeyes? BuckeyesNow.com publisher Brendan Gulick gives his instant analysis of the loss below:

Ohio State fell to Michigan for the third-straight year, and the second time during that stint at Michigan Stadium. Last season, the Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium, 45-23.

Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord looked rattled against the Wolverines on Saturday, throwing two interceptions in the loss. This was the second multiple-interception performance of the season and his career for McCord, including Ohio State's 24-10 victory against the Wisconsin Badgers back on October 28.

Both the offensive and defensive lines had their share of struggles in the game. Michigan running back Blake Corum ran the ball at will for a majority of the contest, while the Wolverines rushed and sacked McCord several times.

Michigan battered the Ohio State defense all game long, especially in the second half. The Wolverines scored in each of their possessions in the final two quarters, outscoring the Buckeyes 16-14 over that time.

The loss to Michigan guarantees Ohio State will miss out on next weekend's Big Ten Championship, as well as (most likely) the College Football Playoff. If the Buckeyes are to have any chance at playing for the National Championship, they must put their faith in the No. 4 Washington Huskies and No. 5 Florida State Seminoles losing their respective games on Saturday and next weekend's conference titles.