ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Ohio State is heading to the Rose Bowl.
At worst.
Casting aside last week’s disappointment, the No. 7 Buckeyes rode tailback Chris Wells’ brilliant running day and a lockdown defense to an 14-3 victory over Michigan in front of 111,941 at Michigan Stadium Saturday afternoon.
OSU’s sixth win in the last seven years over the team up north gives the Buckeyes consecutive outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1957 and an automatic berth in a BCS bowl game.
“A very special day for us,” coach Jim Tressel said.
What’s more, as the Buckeyes pushed aside Michigan for the fourth straight time, they ensured seniors Michigan would go out without ever having defeated its archrival.
“I wish I felt bad, but I don’t,” cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. “It has to be horrible.”
Played in mythic Midwestern conditions of gray skies, steady rains, swirling winds and temperatures in low 30s, the Buckeyes timelessly relied on an unrelenting ground game. And more particularly, Wells.
Wells capped off OSU’s 44-yard drive in the second quarter with a one-yard scoring dash and then put the game away with a dazzling 62-yard touchdown run over the left side early in the third quarter. In all, the sophomore ran for 222 yards on 39 carries.
Meanwhile, the defense Michigan tailback Mike Hart called “not that special” after OSU’s victory in The Game last year held the Wolverines to an absurd 91 yards of total offense. Hart finished with only 44 yards on 18 carries.
