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Ohio State defense, running game too much for Michigan
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sportswriter
POSTED: 08:57 p.m. EST, Nov 17, 2007
ANN ARBOR, MICH.: Officials used a commemorative coin featuring the likenesses of Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes to decide who would control the ball first in the annual grudge match between Ohio State and Michigan.
The coin landed on the Hayes side, and OSU took the ball. Fans have to wonder if that was a foreshadowing of what was to come as OSU, behind the running of Chris Wells, ground out a gritty, 14-3 victory on a wet, chilly afternoon in front of a crowd of 111,941 in Michigan Stadium.
It was a low-scoring game that evolved into a war of attrition in the Buckeyes' favor ` one that Hayes himself would have loved to have seen.
After the teams exchanged punts to open the game, Michigan scored on its second possession on a field goal with 1:37 left in the first quarter. The Wolverines came close to scoring only one other time, as the Buckeyes' defense and resolve stiffened. The Wolverines succumbed, despite the best efforts of its injured seniors, quarterback Chad Henne and running back Mike Hart.
The OSU defense proved to be relentless against Hart, who had told anyone who would listen that one of the reasons he returned for his senior year rather than jump to the NFL was to beat OSU. That wasn't in the offing, as the Buckeyes held him to 44 yards on 18 carries. Michigan netted just 15 yards rushing.
‘‘Our defense wasn't going to allow them to control the ball with the run,’’ OSU coach Jim Tressel said.
After Illinois shredded the Buckeyes last week for 260 yards rushing, this was a return to the way the defense played for much of the season. Linebacker Marcus Freeman led the team with nine tackles, and defensive end Vernon Gholston, a native of Detroit, added three sacks, including one monster play in which he hammered backup quarterback Ryan Mallett.
‘‘We came in and said let's just get back to the basics and execute our assignments, and we do very well when we execute,’’ said linebacker James Laurinaitis, who had six tackles.
The Buckeyes controlled the game on the ground, led by Wells, who ran for a career-high 222 yards and both touchdowns on 39 carries.
Wells scored on a 1-yard run with 10:08 left in the second quarter to put OSU ahead 7-3.
His 62-yard jaunt in the third quarter showcased an electrifying combination of speed and power and put his team ahead 14-3 a little more than a minute into the second half.
From that point on, Tressel was content to pound the ball and take time off the clock.
‘‘That run was legendary,’’ Buckeyes right tackle Kirk Barton said of Wells' second touchdown. ‘‘When it was tough, and they knew it was coming, we still ground it out.’’
Wells gave much of the credit to his offensive line. ‘‘It's great. It's always a momentum shifter,’’ he said of the long runs. ‘‘Certainly that was. I'm just so proud of our football team.’’
Tressel lauded Wells' willingness to act as OSU's beast of burden in weather conditions that were far from ideal and hampered the passing game.
On one first-quarter drive, quarterback Todd Boeckman lost yardage on successive plays. On the first play, the ball fell from his hand; in the second, he slipped. Boeckman completed just 7-of-13 passes for 50 yards and an interception.
The only thing that worked consistently was the running game.
Enter Wells.
‘‘Beanie Wells is a difference-maker ` he's physical, he's a fiery guy, you could tell in the locker room before the game that he wanted to put this team on his shoulders and go with it,’’ Tressel said. ‘‘He's the best back in the Big Ten, in my opinion.’’
The importance of the victory ` this is just the third time in the series that OSU has won four in a row ` wasn't lost on Wells. ‘‘I just told everybody that nothing that they do in this life can compare to this moment,’’ he said. ‘‘It was going against Michigan for all the marbles, which is great.’’
The win, at a minimum, guarantees the Buckeyes a trip to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1. However, if the losses of other teams fall OSU's way, a shot in the BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans remains a possibility.
Players, however, preferred not to think about the future.
‘‘I think we just enjoy this win and enjoy being Big Ten champions, and wherever the cards fall, they do,’’ Laurinaitis said. ‘‘The only thing we can be worried about is today. Now that the day is over, we can relax, take some time off and watch the rest of the season play out.’’
BUCKEYE NOTES
Unlike last year, when he left Ohio Stadium unimpressed with the OSU defense, the Wolverines' Hart gave them some props. ''Give credit to the defense,’’ he said. ‘‘They came up with a great game and had a good scheme against us. The defense did a great job.’’ ...The win earned the Buckeyes another set of gold pants, the charm that honors a victory over the Wolverines. For Barton, a fifth-year senior from Massillon, it means that his mother and sister both have two. ...Wells has 1,463 yards rushing this season, ranking him just behind OSU legend Archie Griffin in yards gained by a sophomore. ... Tressel is 6-1 against Michigan and its coach, Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines lead the series 57-41-6. ... ESPN reported Saturday night that Carr is expected to retire Monday.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.
ANN ARBOR, MICH.: Officials used a commemorative coin featuring the likenesses of Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes to decide who would control the ball first in the annual grudge match between Ohio State and Michigan.
The coin landed on the Hayes side, and OSU took the ball. Fans have to wonder if that was a foreshadowing of what was to come as OSU, behind the running of Chris Wells, ground out a gritty, 14-3 victory on a wet, chilly afternoon in front of a crowd of 111,941 in Michigan Stadium.
It was a low-scoring game that evolved into a war of attrition in the Buckeyes' favor ` one that Hayes himself would have loved to have seen.
After the teams exchanged punts to open the game, Michigan scored on its second possession on a field goal with 1:37 left in the first quarter. The Wolverines came close to scoring only one other time, as the Buckeyes' defense and resolve stiffened. The Wolverines succumbed, despite the best efforts of its injured seniors, quarterback Chad Henne and running back Mike Hart.
The OSU defense proved to be relentless against Hart, who had told anyone who would listen that one of the reasons he returned for his senior year rather than jump to the NFL was to beat OSU. That wasn't in the offing, as the Buckeyes held him to 44 yards on 18 carries. Michigan netted just 15 yards rushing.
‘‘Our defense wasn't going to allow them to control the ball with the run,’’ OSU coach Jim Tressel said.
After Illinois shredded the Buckeyes last week for 260 yards rushing, this was a return to the way the defense played for much of the season. Linebacker Marcus Freeman led the team with nine tackles, and defensive end Vernon Gholston, a native of Detroit, added three sacks, including one monster play in which he hammered backup quarterback Ryan Mallett.
‘‘We came in and said let's just get back to the basics and execute our assignments, and we do very well when we execute,’’ said linebacker James Laurinaitis, who had six tackles.
The Buckeyes controlled the game on the ground, led by Wells, who ran for a career-high 222 yards and both touchdowns on 39 carries.
Wells scored on a 1-yard run with 10:08 left in the second quarter to put OSU ahead 7-3.
His 62-yard jaunt in the third quarter showcased an electrifying combination of speed and power and put his team ahead 14-3 a little more than a minute into the second half.
From that point on, Tressel was content to pound the ball and take time off the clock.
‘‘That run was legendary,’’ Buckeyes right tackle Kirk Barton said of Wells' second touchdown. ‘‘When it was tough, and they knew it was coming, we still ground it out.’’
Wells gave much of the credit to his offensive line. ‘‘It's great. It's always a momentum shifter,’’ he said of the long runs. ‘‘Certainly that was. I'm just so proud of our football team.’’
Tressel lauded Wells' willingness to act as OSU's beast of burden in weather conditions that were far from ideal and hampered the passing game.
On one first-quarter drive, quarterback Todd Boeckman lost yardage on successive plays. On the first play, the ball fell from his hand; in the second, he slipped. Boeckman completed just 7-of-13 passes for 50 yards and an interception.
The only thing that worked consistently was the running game.
Enter Wells.
‘‘Beanie Wells is a difference-maker ` he's physical, he's a fiery guy, you could tell in the locker room before the game that he wanted to put this team on his shoulders and go with it,’’ Tressel said. ‘‘He's the best back in the Big Ten, in my opinion.’’
The importance of the victory ` this is just the third time in the series that OSU has won four in a row ` wasn't lost on Wells. ‘‘I just told everybody that nothing that they do in this life can compare to this moment,’’ he said. ‘‘It was going against Michigan for all the marbles, which is great.’’
The win, at a minimum, guarantees the Buckeyes a trip to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1. However, if the losses of other teams fall OSU's way, a shot in the BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans remains a possibility.
Players, however, preferred not to think about the future.
‘‘I think we just enjoy this win and enjoy being Big Ten champions, and wherever the cards fall, they do,’’ Laurinaitis said. ‘‘The only thing we can be worried about is today. Now that the day is over, we can relax, take some time off and watch the rest of the season play out.’’
BUCKEYE NOTES
Unlike last year, when he left Ohio Stadium unimpressed with the OSU defense, the Wolverines' Hart gave them some props. ''Give credit to the defense,’’ he said. ‘‘They came up with a great game and had a good scheme against us. The defense did a great job.’’ ...The win earned the Buckeyes another set of gold pants, the charm that honors a victory over the Wolverines. For Barton, a fifth-year senior from Massillon, it means that his mother and sister both have two. ...Wells has 1,463 yards rushing this season, ranking him just behind OSU legend Archie Griffin in yards gained by a sophomore. ... Tressel is 6-1 against Michigan and its coach, Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines lead the series 57-41-6. ... ESPN reported Saturday night that Carr is expected to retire Monday.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.
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