COLUMBUS, Ohio -- You missed your window, Big Ten teams.
You wanted to end Ohio State's five-year reign of conference dominance? This was your chance. With a small senior class, a work-in-progress offense and a quarterback struggling to live up to gargantuan expectations, the Buckeyes appeared to have their most vulnerable team in years. A midseason meltdown at Purdue left the door open for other challengers.
But you couldn't do it, Penn State. Nor could you, Wisconsin. Michigan -- what do we even say about that?
Give Iowa credit for coming the closest. Despite a redshirt freshman quarterback, James Vandenberg, making his first career start in front of 105,000 hostile spectators, despite a set of clumsy receivers who made his job even harder and despite falling behind 24-10 in the fourth quarter, the No. 15 Hawkeyes managed to take 10th-ranked Ohio State to overtime here on Saturday.
But with the game -- and a likely Rose Bowl berth -- on the line, the Buckeyes' defense made a triumphant stand, then turned to the unlikeliest of heroes -- 26-year-old former MLS journeyman-turned walk-on kicker Devin Barclay -- who, in just his third game as Ohio State's primary kicker, nailed the game-winning 39-yarder to send the Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) to Pasadena.