Trevor Keegan committed to Michigan to beat Ohio State. He called it the selling point in Jim Harbaugh's recruitment of him. An Illinois native, he has said he grew up in the rivalry, with family in both states. Keegan forgoed the NFL Draft last season and chose to return to Michigan. Part of a group of players who cited unfinished business. With so much on the line against Ohio State, facing adversity, Trevor Keegan played the game of his life.
Earlier this week, Keegan said, "If we don't win this game, the season doesn't matter."
Keegan accepted pressure as soon as he arrived in Ann Arbor, wearing the #77 jersey. The equivalent of the #1 for receivers, #77 has been worn by the likes of Jake Long, Taylor Lewan, and Grant Newsome. Keegan took over as a starter in his junior year 2021, and has been a staple of Michigan's Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line ever since. His partner throughout that time, has been Zak Zinter.
When Zinter went down with the terrible leg injury yesterday, the entire team lined up to support him. At one point, the camera caught an emotional Keegan looking on as Zinter was being helped. He was seen with the Zinter family at point as well. But once Zinter was carted off the field, with a fist raised to a cheering Michigan crowd. The offense came back out. Sherrone Moore told his group on the sideline everything they did from now on was for Zak. The very next play, touchdown.
Keegan set a massive block that cleared the lane for Corum. Once Corum scored, he went to the camera and threw up a '6-5' to show his support for Zinter. The first player to meet Corum in the end zone was Trevor Keegan.
For the rest of the game, Keegan was an absolute monster, including on Michigan's last drive. 13 plays that took seven minutes off the clock. Keegan had played well all day but seemed to find another level in the 4th quarter after his brother Zinter had gone down.
Keegan finished the day allowing 0 pressures in the pass game, he was the highest-graded pass blocker for Michigan on the day, according to Pro Football Focus. In the run game, Michigan found success behind Keegan all day, getting 5.7 yards per carry in his gaps, and that Corum touchdown. He finished the day as Michigan's highest-graded run blocker as well.
Michigan has achieved so much in the last three seasons, largely behind its impressive offensive line led by Sherrone Moore and thanks to players like Keegan and Zinter, who have been here from the start. With so many talking heads trying to diminish what Michigan has done to invalidate its success, this game meant everything. It was vindication.
Keegan said if they didn't win this game, the season didn't matter. He played that way, too. Already a Michigan legend, in arguably the biggest game in this rivalry's history, Trevor Keegan played the game of his life. No one will ever be able to take that away.
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