Following Saturday’s 21-10 victory, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel dodged questions and comments from reporters about his 8-1 mark against Michigan, the best win percentage of any Buckeye coach against the Wolverines.

“I was looking for 1-0. That’s as far as I look,” he said.

When asked if his sparkling record in the rivalry amazed him, he modestly said, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Tressel has always cautiously erred on the side of humility, but OSU’s domination over Michigan in the past decade has completely shifted the landscape of the rivalry.

Neutral field?
The atmosphere Saturday at The Big House epitomized the notion that the programs have been headed in opposite directions the last few years.

A sea of scarlet was scattered throughout the Michigan Stadium crowd of 110,922, and by the fourth quarter, easily audible chants of “O-H-I-O” circled the stands.

The fans in blue and gold had drowned out the Buckeye cheers for three quarters, but as the Wolverines folded on the field, the Michigan fans appeared defeated, as well.

For a program rich with excellence and proud tradition, Michigan’s restless fans are finding it difficult to  adjust to a rebuilding project.

RichRod on the hot seat
After the loss to OSU, Michigan athletic director Bill Martin awarded coach Rich Rodriguez a vote of confidence, declaring that the second-year coach will return next season.

Lloyd Carr received heat at the end of his tenure for struggling to beat OSU. But Rodriguez and the Wolverines need to focus on fending off the likes of Toledo, Purdue and Illinois before worrying about the Buckeyes.

Michigan never expected to hit rock bottom with a 3-9 showing in 2008. But that should have given Ann Arbor a clear indication that the Wolverines were transitioning and in a rebuilding phase.

Rodriguez was trying to fit Carr’s leftovers into his spread offense, and the results were deplorable.

The Wolverines improved a bit this season, even though they relied heavily on freshmen and sophomores to run the spread attack.

It goes without saying that another bowl-less season doesn’t live up to Michigan standards, and for that, Rodriguez deserves to be under fire. But he should get one more year to develop the players he recruited and see how his system fares when featuring the necessary components.

Losing to a much more talented, in sync OSU squad shouldn’t be the final nail in Rodriguez’s coffin. But a proper burial must be planned in case Michigan falters for a third straight year in 2010.

Bucks need Ducks
The Civil War will determine Ohio State’s Rose Bowl opponent.

Oregon State will travel to Eugene to face its in-state rival, Oregon, with the winner earning a ticket to Pasadena, Calif.

The Ducks would give OSU a better punch (with or without running back LeGarrette Blount), and the Buckeyes need a defining victory in their bowl game. Beating Oregon could provide a stepping stone to next season.

With victories over USC, California, Arizona and Utah, Oregon is more highly regarded than Oregon State. The Ducks have been ranked in the Top 15 for much of the season.

The Beavers, on the other hand, wouldn’t offer as much of a marquee matchup. Although Oregon State kept it close in each game, the Beavers lost to Cincinnati, USC and Arizona in its three challenging contests.

A win over a talented Oregon squad would seal a successful season for OSU and boost the Buckeyes’ big-game confidence heading into 2010.