Michigan will not go away. The quest, 3 years in the making, to erase all doubts by winning a national title for the first time since 1997 goes on.

In out-toughing and outlasting Ohio State, the Wolverines put themselves into the College Football Playoff for the 3rd year in a row.

Rising to the occasion again and again on a cold late November day in Ann Arbor, Michigan held off the Buckeyes 30-24, beating their arch rival for a third consecutive year to finish a 12-0 regular season.

There was no cheating on this day, just 1 team being a slight bit better, mentally and physically, than the other.

With Jim Harbaugh serving the final installment of his 2nd 3-game suspension this season, acting head coach Sherrone Moore delivered a master class in stepping in and stepping up. The Wolverines followed his lead, making huge plays on both sides of the ball.

Now, No. 3 Michigan (12-0, 9-0 B1G) heads to Indianapolis next Saturday for the Big Ten championship game, where it will face West champ Iowa (10-2, 7-2). The Wolverines will be a prohibitive favorite against the offensively challenged Hawkeyes, and will advance to college football’s final 4-team Playoff with a win.

No. 2 Ohio State (11-1, 8-1) probably does not have a back door into the Playoff, unlike last year. Too many undefeated and other 1-loss teams remain in the mix.

Michigan hasn’t lost over its past 31 non-Playoff outings, including 25 straight victories over B1G competition.

Three takeaways from how it happened:

Tough, but not tough enough

Ohio State bounced back from Kyle McCord’s early interception to rally from 11 down to a 17-17 tie. The Buckeyes scored that tying touchdown with 8 straight runs for 46 yards to complete a 12-play, 75-yard drive.

It seemed like a statement at the time, and a needed one considering the team with more rushing yards had won this matchup 21 straight times. (It’s 22 now.)

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day defended his team’s toughness after a gritty, last-second victory over Notre Dame early in the year. He knew his team would need all the toughness it could muster to knock off Michigan in the Big House.

McCord showed some mental toughness driving his team to a quick fourth-quarter TD to close the gap to 27-24. The first-year starter threw for 271 yards and 2 TDs.

But Michigan’s toughness is at another level, as it showed in burning 7 minutes off the clock to all but ice the game late in the fourth quarter. The 13-play field goal drive left Ohio State just 1:05 to try to avoid its 3rd straight loss to the Wolverines.

Sherrone Moore delivers for Jim Harbaugh

Michigan went 3-for-3 on fourth down in the first half, with Blake Corum converting 2 of them, 1 for the game’s first touchdown.

The Wolverines surprised the Buckeyes by bringing in backup Alex Orji for consecutive QB runs in the third quarter, the first going for a 20-yard gain. Later, the acting head coach/OC dialed up a halfback pass, with Donovan Edwards hitting tight end Colston Loveland for 34 yards to highlight a field goal drive that put Michigan up 27-17.

Certainly, Harbaugh had a hand in putting together the game plan during the week. But Moore’s decisions and play calls were impeccably timed. During his suspensions, Harbaugh has had his staff and players ready to perform in his absence.

I’m not sure Moore could have pushed the buttons any better.

Michigan’s role players make a difference

Michigan kicker James Turner hit 3 of 3 field goals, including a 50-yarder to open the second-half scoring. That came after OSU’s Jayden Fielding missed from 52 to close the first half.

Reserve tight end/fullback Max Bredeson was on the field for a few key short-yardage plays in the first half, helping Blake Corum convert a couple of 4th-and-short plays.

Veteran OL Trente Jones replaced injured Zak Zinter and helped Michigan’s line finish off the Buckeyes. The first play after Minter was carted off, Corum ran 22 yards for his 22nd touchdown of the season, breaking a 17-17 tie. Michigan never trailed again.