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Game Thread THE GAME: #1 Ohio State 42, #2 Michigan 39 (11/18/06)

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Dispatch

OSU NOTEBOOK
Dye, 91, watches Smith equal his trifecta over UM

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Ken Gordon , Tim May and Shawn Mitchell
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




As Troy Smith was posting his third straight victory over Michigan yesterday, the last Ohio State quarterback to do that was watching from the press box.
Tippy Dye, who played in wins over the Wolverines from 1934 to 1936, returned to Ohio Stadium for the first time since 1970.
Dye, 91, went to senior tackle Friday.
"They wanted me out there for some reason," Dye said. "I met the coach (Jim Tressel) and he introduced me to the whole team, and I got to talk to him a little bit.
"And then he had Troy come over and I talked to him by myself. He seemed like a nice young man, had a smile. He didn?t say much, neither did I, but I wished him luck."
Dye said he split time with Stan Pincura in 1934 and 1935 and did not start against Michigan until his senior season.
Smith became the first Buckeyes quarterback to start in three Michigan wins.
Dye lives near Sacramento, Calif., with his daughter and son-in-law. He said he had a good time flying into Columbus.
"The whole plane was full of people coming to this game," Dye said, "and a lot of people knew who I was. So we got to singing songs."
Classic feeling

An instant classic, people were calling it moments after the game. Of course, it was the same people who had labeled it "the game of the century" before it was played.
The Buckeyes, who completed a 12-0 regular season and won an outright Big Ten title for the first time since 1984, knew they had been part of something special.
"It?s the reason you come here," Kirk Barton said. "You want to be the best team ever to play at Ohio State. We?ve got one more game (the national championship Jan. 8) to decide that. ? So this is a special feeling, a special moment for us."
The Buckeyes knew from the moment they awoke in The Blackwell hotel yesterday that the day had that potential, receiver Anthony Gonzalez said.
"How many people are fortunate to wake up in a morning and know that that day is one of the most important days of their life? " Gonzalez said. "We, fortunately, and Michigan as well, were in that position where we knew that this day was going to be something special for somebody, and you want to be on the right side of it."
Win is what counts

No doubt the pessimists of Buckeye Nation will grumble over the 39 points and 397 yards Ohio State allowed, but defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said there was no need to console his sometimes shaky defense afterward.
"We went out to win," he said. "I hope this group never feels like (they let their teammates down). Never."
The game?s pace was frantic, a far cry from the grind-it-out Ohio State-Michigan games of decades past. Still, few would have predicted that the record crowd would be treated to such an elaborate offensive display in a game pitting two esteemed defenses. "We never see the same team on the field that we see on film," Tressel said.
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Dispatch

Tailbacks play a little one-upmanship

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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JEFF HINCKLEY DISPATCH Ohio State?s Antonio Pittman followed up Chris Wells? long scoring run in the second quarter with an impressive one of his own in the third quarter.


Take it from Chris "Beanie" Wells and Antonio Pittman: There is no greater feeling for an Ohio State running back than taking a handoff in the Michigan game and seeing nothing but wideopen spaces ahead.
Each scored on a long run yesterday in a 42-39 victory over the Wolverines.
Wells, the fumbling freshman who has gained a fresh grip the past two weeks, did it first.
"It?s what you dream about. It was that kind of play," Wells said.
Wells went 52 yards in the second quarter, spinning away from crashing defender Shawn Crable in the backfield, slashing through arms at the line and staying off the ground until he reached the end zone.
That came against a defense that was No. 1 in the country against the run, allowing fewer than 30 rushing yards per game. Wells was excited, he said, and junior teammate Pittman was inspired.
Pittman followed suit with 8:04 left in the third quarter on a 56-yard run that was eerily reminiscent of Jonathan Wells? big run in the upset win at Michigan in 2001. Maybe it?s because it was the same play, in which the left guard pulls and helps clear a hole on the right side.
Steve Rehring was the left guard yesterday, and after he saw the opening already made by T.J. Downing and Kirk Barton, "four of me could have fit through that hole," said Rehring, 6 feet 7 and 320 pounds. "So I knew Pitt would."
"Once I broke through there and split the defenders, it was one of the best feelings ever," Pittman said. "That play will probably be remembered forever, probably one of the biggest games ever. To leave a legacy like that, that?s great."
Pittman, who gained 139 yards on 18 carries, said he, Wells and the offensive line didn?t need the coaches to point out the challenge this week.
"We challenged ourselves," Pittman said. "As a team we take pride in running the ball. Those guys (on the line) take pride in getting me yardage. I take a lot of pride in them blocking for me.
"Then for Beanie to come out here and break that long one, that was a challenge to me. A young guy, you can?t outdo me, not in a big game like this. I took that personally, because that?s my boy right there. He told me to go out there and get me one, and I got me one."
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Dispatch

MICHIGAN NOTEBOOK
Illegal hit call leaves Carr scratching his head

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Michigan coach Lloyd Carr didn?t have a problem with the official?s call, only the rule that was enforced.
The Wolverines, trailing 35-31 with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, appeared to have Ohio State stopped at the Michigan 40-yard line, when OSU quarterback Troy Smith threw incomplete across the middle on third-and-15.
But Michigan linebacker Shawn Crable was called for an illegal hit to the head of Smith as he scrambled out of the pocket, a 15-yard penalty that gave Ohio State a first down.
Three plays later, the Buckeyes scored to go up 42-31. Ohio State won 42-39.
"I feel like when a quarterback?s in the pocket and he?s getting hit, the rule has to protect him," Carr said. "But when a quarterback is scrambling, when?s running around, I?m not sure I?m exactly clear why that rule is.
"And that was a big play in the game."
Crable spent his childhood in Columbus before moving to Massillon, where he attended Washington High School. He was not made available to the media.
" D " ? for disaster

Michigan had allowed only 329 yards rushing all season entering the game, but Ohio State ran for 187 yards on 29 carries.
Antonio Pittman had a 56-yard touchdown run and 139 yards total. Chris Wells had a 52-yard TD run in the second quarter to give Ohio State the lead for good.
"Whenever a big play occurred, somebody was out of the gap," defensive end LaMarr Woodley said. "Somebody?s not doing what they?re supposed to do, and that gap opened wider than it was supposed to."
Woodley couldn?t believe Ohio State gained 503 yards offense.
"I never expected that to happen," Woodley said. "Never."
Quick - hitters

Michigan called 39 pass plays and 26 rushing plays, despite averaging 6.3 yards per carry, minus quarterback sacks. ? The Wolverines opened the game with a seven-play, 80-yard drive, becoming the first team to score on its opening drive against Ohio State this season.
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Dispatch

UM would welcome rematch

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH Michigan?s Mike Hart, running afoul of Ohio State?s Brandon Mitchell, sees an entirely different outcome if the teams meet again.


There?s a decent chance Ohio State and Michigan could meet again this season, in the national title game Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.
If so, Wolverines running back Mike Hart said, the Buckeyes will end up heartbroken in the desert, much like Michigan was heartbroken yesterday after its 42-39 loss in Ohio Stadium.
"I guarantee if we play them again, it would be a whole different game," Hart said. "We should have got them the first time around, but we didn?t, so if a (rematch) doesn?t happen, that?s our fault.
"But if we played them again, it would be a whole different game. Guarantee that."
Ohio State, which won its first outright Big Ten title since 1984, now gets to play for a second national title in five seasons.
Will the Wolverines be there, too?
Well, this is college football, so the waiting game begins, with lots of games to be played and much to be decided before the bowls are figured out.
"Whatever the polls say, we?ll go with it," Michigan quarterback Chad Henne said. "But if we get that rematch, we?ll definitely be up for it."
Michigan was stunned that it allowed 42 points and 503 yards offense to Ohio State. In their first 11 games, the Wolverines had allowed 12.1 points and 231.5 yards per game.
Ohio State had two long touchdown runs ? 52 yards by Chris "Beanie" Wells and 56 yards by Antonio Pittman ? and a 39-yard touchdown catch by Ted Ginn Jr.
"We made a lot of mistakes, just simple stuff that you can?t let happen," linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "(If we play again), we?ll correct those mistakes that allowed them big plays, and it won?t be a score like that."
The most outspoken on the matter, though, was Hart.
"I think this was a great game," Hart said. "I think it was a close game. I think anyone could have won that game.
"Do I think there should be a rematch? Probably. I think we?re both the top two teams in the country, regardless of what anybody says."
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Dispatch

Wolverines offense a handful for OSU

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Shawn Mitchell
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




There was plenty of jubilation among Ohio State defenders yesterday after the Buckeyes? 42-39 win over Michigan. There was concern, too, after giving up 397 yards to the Wolverines, but the consensus among the Buckeyes seemed to be that a sometimes porous defense was to be fretted over on another day.
"We can look back on this game and say, ?Hey, we have a lot of stuff to get better at,? " linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "But we just know that we?re going to enjoy this one."
No defender denied that an uncharacteristically vulnerable defense was a factor in a nailbiting game. None was ashamed, either.
Ohio State?s offense fumbled twice and quarterback Troy Smith was intercepted once. Michigan scored 10 points off the turnovers, and all three put Ohio State defenders on the spot.
"They have a lot of talent," said Laurinaitis, who had nine tackles. "They have so many options and so much stuff they can do with the ball, and they did it today. They capitalized on their opportunities.
"It?s not very often you play Michigan, lose the turnover margin and still come up with a ?W.? "
In the biggest game of the season, both offenses seemed to reel off big plays with ease. The tempo tilted toward the offenses from the opening drive in which Michigan marched 80 yards in 2:28 for a 7-0 lead. The drive stunned the Ohio Stadium crowd and was the first punch of what turned into a skill-position slugfest.
Michigan running back Mike Hart finished with 142 yards and averaged 6.2 per carry. Quarterback Chad Henne completed passes to seven different receivers and finished with 267 yards and two touchdowns.
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock apologized for nothing.
"The thing about Michigan is that they can run the ball and throw the ball," he said. "They?re a good offense, and they?ve been good all year. They did a good job of mixing it up and they had a nice game plan.
"Any time you play a Michigan-Ohio State game, you just hope you have more points at the end."
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Dispatch

Hart carries biggest load for Michigan

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Shawn Mitchell
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




The Mario Manningham Show began just after kickoff yesterday, broadcast live and in vivid color from Ohio Stadium.
Its run, however, was shortlived. Eventually, its host was overshadowed by running back and teammate Mike Hart.
Manningham, a sophomore receiver, caught three passes from Chad Henne for 58 yards on an opening drive in which Michigan took a 7-0 lead. It was a strong debut, but Manningham?s performance eventually lost momentum. He finished with six catches for 86 yards in Michigan?s 42-39 loss to Ohio State.
Hart, meanwhile, scored the opening touchdown, the first of three. He carried only four times for 17 yards in the first quarter, but churned out 142 yards on 23 attempts.
"We knew Mike Hart was going to be the best back we faced," Ohio State senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said. "If you give him an opening, he?s going to take it. He was breaking tackles left and right."
Fortunately for Ohio State, its stable of offensive stars stayed one step of ahead of the Michigan counterparts. The Buckeyes averaged 7.2 yards per play and outgained the Wolverines 503-397.
Surprisingly, it was a 17-10 snoozer against Illinois two weeks ago that helped Ohio State?s defenders keep their wits about them.
"We knew we were going to face a lot of adversity," senior cornerback Antonio Smith said. "We used (the close game against Illinois) to prepare us."
Smith made one of the defense?s strongest statements with a sack of Henne that cost the Wolverines 18 yards. He also led the secondary with eight tackles.
"We?ve been doing a good job of keeping teams out of the end zone," Smith said. "Unfortunately, they were able to score points. They came in and they were well prepared and you have to give all the credit to them.
"(Giving up 39 points) takes away from it a little bit, but if it happens, it happens."
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Dispatch

Buckeyes watching, waiting for opponent

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Tim May and Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




With tickets to the national championship game in hand, Ohio State can sit back and watch as the scramble ensues among the one-loss teams hoping to be its partner.
The way things were going last night, it could be Michigan again. The Wolverines (11-1) were No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, and setting aside a 42-39 loss to the Buckeyes, they could be No. 2 again when the dust settles Dec. 2.
Not that it would sit well with all of the Buckeyes (12-0).
"If you are coming off a loss, I don?t really think you deserve to go to the national championship game," right tackle Kirk Barton said. "It might play out that way, but the game I?m looking at is probably Southern Cal and Notre Dame. It?s probably who we?re going to go against."
Notre Dame (10-1) took care of its part, blasting Army 41-9 yesterday, and USC (9-1) subdued California 23-9.
Meanwhile, previously undefeated Rutgers (9-1) took itself out of the mix by falling 30-11 at unranked Cincinnati.
So who will be the opponent? Stay tuned. It might be the winner of Florida (10-1) and Arkansas (10-1) on Dec. 2 in the Southeastern Conference championship game, if neither team loses before then. And maybe West Virginia (9-1) is back in it now.
"Quite honestly, the only thing on my mind is the joy of winning the Ohio State-Michigan game, and the joy of being the Big Ten champions, and the joy of having the chance to go back out to Phoenix," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
Other than that, he said, "There?s football to be played, and we don?t usually worry about things until all the football is played."
What if the opponent turns out to be Michigan again? "I think Michigan is a very deserving football team ... but I?m not going to get into it," Tressel said.

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DDN

40 fires, 20 arrests at OSU, but cops call it mild


By the Associated Press

Sunday, November 19, 2006


COLUMBUS ? Ecstatic Ohio State fans turned several campus blocks into a giant street party Saturday after the top-ranked Buckeyes' 42-39 victory over No. 2 Michigan.
Thousands of red-clad Ohio State supporters poured out of Ohio Stadium to celebrate the win on the streets, in bars and at hundreds of daylong tailgate parties still going strong after dark.
"That's why it's a rivalry," said John Ketron, 46, a Cincinnati salesman.
Dan Paullin quickly predicted a national championship for the Buckeyes as he walked away from the stadium.
"Great, super, I'm ready to watch them win the big one," said Paullin, 36, of Lima.
Even Michigan fans took consolation from the close game.
"The game lived up to the hype ? the crowd, the atmosphere, everything was amazing out there," said Kevin Ward, 35, a Florida car salesman who grew up in Kalamazoo, Mich. "Loss, win, it was great."
After the game, police said there had been scattered arrests but fans were behaving relatively well. Columbus police had arrested about 20 people, including four for arson, said Sgt. Kevin Corcoran.
In student neighborhoods, about 40 fires were set, mostly on cars and furniture, along with a few in trash bins, said Lt. Dan Ranney of the Columbus fire department. Some were set even before the game started, he said.
"Believe it or not, this was pretty mild so far, for as big as this game was," he said.
Troy Smith and the Buckeyes overwhelmed the Wolverines with offense, winning the Big Ten title and earning a spot in the national title game.
The final score of 42-39 ended up being lucky numbers for more than just the Buckeyes. The Ohio Lottery will pay out a total of about $2.2 million to lottery players after 4-2-3-9 were chosen as the Pick 4 numbers in a drawing shortly after the game ended.
"Why would you miss it, the greatest game of the century," Gloria Farmer, 54, of Louisville, Ky., a 1973 Ohio State graduate, said before the game.
Ohio State student Aaron Slupski said he never regretted going to the game instead of selling his student ticket.
"The way I thought about it, I'll never remember what I spent that money on, but I'll always remember getting to go see this game," said Slupski, 22, a sophomore from Columbus.
Phil Brown got up at 2:30 a.m. and was on campus securing his parking place by 4:15 a.m. Brown, from Circleville south of Columbus, and his family munched on chips, brats and hamburgers before the game.
Brown, 69, a highway construction supervisor, never considered selling his tickets.
"I don't have these tickets to make a profit," he said. "It wouldn't be right."
Vendors on streets near campus sold everything from necklaces made of buckeyes to obscene Michigan shirts, doing brisk sales on both. Overhead, eight planes pulled business advertisements. Lines several people deep formed outside portable toilets.
Many fans came without tickets and planned to watch the game on the numerous big screen TVs outside the stadium.
"If you don't get tickets, it's still a great game," said Rick Krohn, 48, of Wauseon in northwest Ohio, a furniture maker.
He and his wife, Carol, and their friends walked around on campus Friday night until 1 a.m. and then came back early to soak up the scene.
After the game, dozens of city police officers stood watch on streets lined with private apartments where large parties spilled outside and onto the sidewalk. Students stood on porches clapping, singing and waving Ohio State flags.
The city banned parking, emptied trash bins and removed couches from porches in some neighborhoods near campus hoping to avoid a repeat of 2002 when fans rioted after Ohio State beat Michigan en route to the national championship.
A few Michigan fans scattered through the crowd before the game said they had been treated relatively well. Some Ohio State fans approached Michigan fans and wished them good luck while others taunted them with obscenities.
Ohio State and the city spent several days encouraging people to watch their behavior. Texas fans complained last year about being heckled and sworn at when the Longhorns beat the Buckeyes.
Will Heininger, a high school senior from Ann Arbor, said he and a buddy had been heckled a few times, but nothing serious.
"We let a lot of it go because we feel we're better than them," the 17-year-old said. "It just makes them look like fools."
The anticipation of the game has dominated the city and the state for weeks. Earlier this month, county elections officials decided to wait until after the game to begin counting thousands of provisional ballots that have left the outcome of a tight congressional race up in the air.
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DDN

Four big plays led to Buckeye victory


By Brian Kollars
Staff Writer

Sunday, November 19, 2006


1st quarter: UM's big miss

Michigan quarterback Chad Henne misses a sure touchdown on first-and-15 when he overthrows a wide-open Mario Manningham near midfield, right in front of the Wolverines bench. Henne has time after Michigan picks up a blitz, but instead of a 74-yard TD play and a 14-7 lead, UM is forced to punt.

2nd quarter: quick points

After Michigan scores to pull within 21-14 late in the half, Ohio State looks good on a crisp 80-yard drive. Troy Smith finds Anthony Gonzalez on a slant pattern for a momentum-building 8-yard TD pass with 20 seconds on the clock. The reliable Gonzalez catches four passes for 50 yards on the drive.

3rd quarter: OSU answers

After Michigan forces a rare Troy Smith interception and kicks a field goal to pull within 28-24, Antonio Pittman sprints straight up the middle and scores on a 56-yard run. Ohio State pulling guard Steve Rehring blocks UM's leading tackler, David Harris, and two defensive backs can't close on Pittman.

4th quarter: the penalty

On third-and-15 from the UM 38, Troy Smith scrambles to his right. He releases the ball near the sideline and is hit high by Shawn Crable. Flag. Roughing the passer and a first down. Three plays later, Smith connects with Brian Robiskie on a 13-yard TD pass to give OSU a commanding 42-31 lead.
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DDN

Buckeyes overpower UM in second quarter

OSU scores touchdowns on all three of its possessions to build a 28-14 halftime lead.


By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer

Sunday, November 19, 2006


COLUMBUS ? When the second quarter began, the University of Michigan football team had the ball deep in its own territory. The score was tied at 7, and the Wolverines were forced to punt.
By halftime, the top-ranked Buckeyes had scored three touchdowns in three second-quarter possessions to give them the necessary boost to hold off No. 2 Michigan, 42-39, Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
It arguably was the Buckeyes' best 15-minute showing of the season, considering the game, the situation and the stakes. Plus, as was obvious from the game's early minutes ? when Michigan scored a touchdown on its opening drive, and Ohio State followed on the ensuing possession with a score ? points were precious.
"It was a fast-break game the whole time," OSU coach Jim Tressel said.
When Ohio State received the Michigan punt, it was first-and-10 at the OSU 42-yard line. One play later, freshman running back Chris Wells broke a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and raced 52 yards for a touchdown with 12:29 left in the quarter.
After another Michigan punt, the Buckeyes drove 91 yards in four plays, capped by a Troy Smith 39-yard pass to Ted Ginn Jr. that gave Ohio State a 21-7 lead with 6:11 left in the half.
Another OSU score ? which followed Michigan's 37-yard touchdown from Chad Henne to Adrian Arrington ? came with 20 seconds left before halftime (an 8-yard Smith pass to Anthony Gonzalez).
In all, Ohio State added 21 points and 229 of its 503 yards of offense in that quarter, which all came against one of the nation's best all-around defenses.
"It was two minutes left in the half, and we were going down like it was two minutes in the game," Tressel said. "You knew you had to play that way."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or [email protected]
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ESPN Classic to Show The Game

ESPN Classic to Show The Game

OK - all who didn't get anough of this game (raises hand :biggrin:) ticker on ESPN says there will be a re-showing Wednesday on ESPN Classic.

(Plus, it would really surprise me if this was not the 9AM game of the week on ESPNC today).
 
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DDN

Wolverines took their shot, and missed



Sunday, November 19, 2006


COLUMBUS ? I'm betting you'll see FieldTurf at Ohio Stadium next year, if for no other reason than this: The grass field installed earlier this month was left with dozens of brown patches after Saturday's Buckeye bash. Thirty minutes after the game, fans were still picking away, pocketing cheap souvenirs. The surface looked like the coat of an old buffalo.
Heavyweight rematch: Talk of an Ohio State-Michigan rematch began faster than the OSU student body could empty onto the field. (Seriously, it took a good 10 minutes for some fans to get to the turf.) I'm with the group that saw this game as a national semifinal. When the Buckeyes think about it, they'll probably agree. Rematches always are tougher on the winner of an original classic.
I ran into OSU great Keith Byars near the press-box elevator and asked him if he wanted to see the Buckeyes and Wolverines go at it in the desert.
"Once every 365 days is plenty," Byars said. "Unless Ohio State would've lost. Then I'd have to change my tune."
Keeping it close: The final score ? 42-39 ? looks great to pollsters who might be tempted to keep Michigan in the top three, but consider this: The Buckeyes turned it over three times, Michigan none. So much for turnover margin being the key to victory.
Michigan's vaunted defense yielded 503 yards. That's no way to go into a championship game. Remember when Nebraska got shredded by Colorado and went to the Bowl Championship Series ball? The Huskers sure didn't turn out like Cinderella.
A little hate: Bo Schembechler's death probably cut down on the shouting matches between drunken Ohio State and Michigan fans, but everything wasn't milk and cookies. One confiscated sign read: "I challenge LaMarr Woodley to a game of Scrabble."
Buckeye bits: How would you like to feed an offensive lineman? Michigan's starting front five weighs an average of 306.2 pounds. The Buckeyes' big guys are a few ounces lighter, at 305.8. ... One of the many OSU alums who formed the "tunnel of pride" before the game was 91-year-old William "Tippy" Dye, a former Ohio State basketball coach who currently lives in Los Angeles.
Knucklehead of the Week
Chris Perry's take on Ohio State QB Troy Smith? "He shouldn't win the Heisman." Perry, the Bengals backup tailback from Michigan who is best known for being injured, talked some trash last week. Among his thoughts: "It's a blowout. Ain't no ifs, ands or buts about it." Maybe he was talking about the Bengals-Saints game.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2163 or
[email protected].
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DDN

The audible commentary
Buckeyes offense, fans get job done in victory


By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer

Sunday, November 19, 2006


Five reasons Ohio State won on Saturday at Ohio Stadium:
Big scoring plays
The Buckeyes used touchdown runs of 52 yards from Chris Wells and 56 yards from Antonio Pittman to punch through the heralded Michigan defensive line. Another long score ? a 39-yard play-action beauty from quarterback Troy Smith to Ted Ginn Jr. ? was the third bold score.
Smith's arm
He completed 29-of-41 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns. His one interception ? a throw into heavy coverage that was batted ? taints the box score just a bit, but his day yet again defeated the Wolverines.
Did he win the Heisman Trophy with his performance Saturday? Let's put it this way. Coach Jim Tressel said he should, and Tressel speaks carefully.
Ginn's hands
The junior wide receiver recovered Michigan's onside kick with 2:10 left and Ohio State leading 42-39 to basically, with Michigan out of timeouts, seal the game.
Mario Manningham's role
Manningham was mostly absent. Or, as much as the Michigan sophomore wide receiver can be. He caught six passes for 86 yards, but none in the second and third quarters. The big play came from Adrian Arrington, who caught a 37-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.
The crowd
It was a stadium-record 105,708, and late in the fourth quarter it was still electric. How bad did the Buckeyes fans want it? There were huge holes in the stadium turf afterward from stolen mementos.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389


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DDN

OSU offense left no time to spare for stunned Wolverines


By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Sunday, November 19, 2006

COLUMBUS ? The Ohio State-Michigan football game took a hefty three hours and 28 minutes to complete. But that wasn't quite long enough to suit Wolverine defensive end LaMarr Woodley.
The Michigan pass-rush ace left the 42-39 defeat feeling as if he just needed a little more time on each of OSU's passing plays to do extensive damage.
"I think we were just a second off from getting back there a few times," Woodley said. "They're definitely a good offense. We knew that coming into the game. They had a lot of weapons on their team, and we definitely respected that."
Troy Smith was sacked one time for a five-yard loss and he blistered one of the nation's most feared defenses for a season-high 316 passing yards.
The 81 combined points were the most in the series since Michigan's 86-0 victory in 1902. And the 900 total yards were the most for the teams since amassing 1,068 in 1988.
"It definitely was a lot of points scored," Woodley said. "Nobody expected the game to be that high. ... It kind of shocked everybody."
The Buckeyes racked up 503 total yards, but they were gashed for 397. Mike Hart rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, and Chad Henne completed 21-of-35 passes for 267 yards and two TDs.
The Buckeyes had been first in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 7.8 points per game, while the Wolverines were giving up 12.1.
"It was a battle today, man," OSU defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said. "It's the toughest team we've played all year. They were unbelievable. They were not going to let down at all.
"Hart is the best back we've faced, and Henne, sitting in the pocket, just knew he'd have time to throw the perfect ball. They're a great team, and they'll represent the Big Ten well (in a bowl)."
OSU rules
The Buckeyes have won back-to-back Big Ten titles for the first time since ripping off six in a row from 1972-77. They've also won three in coach Jim Tressel's six seasons.
They've won three straight over Michigan for the first time since stringing four in a row from 1960-63. They'll find out in two weeks who they'll play in the national title game, but they planned to bask in their dominance of Michigan for a spell.
"This is the happiest moment in my life," defensive tackle David Patterson said. "We've been stressing all year: one agenda. It wasn't just a phrase ? we had just one agenda."
Asked about playing Michigan in a rematch for the national title, Tressel said: "The only thing on my mind is the joy of winning the Ohio State-Michigan game and the joy of being the Big Ten champions and the joy of having a chance to go back out to Phoenix."
But a sequel was on the minds of Michigan.
"I guarantee if we play them again, it would be a whole different game," Hart said. "We should have got them the first time around. We didn't. So if it doesn't happen, that's our fault.
"But if we played them again, it would be a whole different game. I guarantee that."
Hit draws flag
Trailing 35-31, the Wolverines appeared on the verge of getting the ball back after a Smith incompletion on third-and-15 with 6:49 to play. But Massillon product Shawn Crable was called for a 15-yard late-hit penalty, giving the Buckeyes a first down on the Michigan 23.
Three plays later, Smith hit Brian Robiskie for a 13-yard, game-clinching touchdown.
"(It was) 3 or 4 yards out of bounds," Tressel said. "In fact, (receivers coach Darrell) Hazell got decked on that hit."
Smith dominates
Smith threw his fifth interception of the year. But in three games against Michigan, he has 857 yards passing, 194 rushing and has accounted for nine TDs.
The Buckeyes had three turnovers and the Wolverines none.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or [email protected].
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