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RYAN WHITE White on Target |
COLUMBUS - Amidst the stunned silence and dumfounded looks, the two kids from Ohio found each other.
One, Charles Woodson, from Freemont, Ohio, had nine tackles on the day, and led the Michigan secondary in its biggest minute of the regular season, the final one.
The other, Marcus Ray, playing in his home town, had just picked off Ohio State quarterback Joe Germaine's final desperation heave. Ray finished with nine tackles as well.
Both had heard screams of traitor all day.
"This is my house," Ray shouted at seemingly everyone left in Ohio Stadium. "This is my house."
Woodson bounded toward Ray, laughing and bobbing his head.
The two embraced and headed toward the Michigan lockerroom.
Michigan had beaten Ohio State.
Again.
Like last year, the Buckeyes were undefeated. Like last year, they were the No. 2 team in the country.
Like last year, their season was ruined by Michigan. This time the final was 13-9, and the game was in Columbus.
And, quite frankly, this is getting a little ridiculous.
Ohio State fans were so ready for this game, they were foaming at the mouth, and spitting at anything in maize and blue.
There was no way Michigan was going to win again, the fans were saying. The Wolverines just wouldn't. They couldn't.
They did.
Again.
Of course, no one expected Michigan's offensive line to dominate the way it did in the second half. The Wolverines pushed and shoved and opened up holes like none Chris Howard and Clarence Williams had seen all year.
When Michigan took the ball over with just over six minutes left in the game, needing first downs to run the clock out, the offense got the job done.
Eleven straight rushing plays, right up the gut, and when the drive was over, Michigan's Remy Hamilton had hit his second field goal of the game. The kick forced Ohio State to go for a touchdown to win.
The Wolverines finished the game with 150 yards rushing on the day, and all but 27 of those came in the second half when they shoved the ball down Ohio State's throat.
And no one would have dreamed that quarterback Brian Griese, in the backup role all season, would come in for an injured Scott Dreisbach and play with the poise and confidence of a three-year starter.
Griese deftly and calmly stayed in the pocket and fired the ball to his receivers throughout the second half.
When he hit Tai Streets on the 69-yard touchdown pass only a minute into the third quarter, not only did he eclipse Michigan's total first-half offensive numbers, but you could hear the doubt creeping back into the Buckeyes' minds.
And while the offense was impressive, dominating what had been a dominating defense, it was the Michigan defenders who won the game.
Anyone who is still wondering how the Wolverines pulled it off for the straight year need only look at Jarrett Irons.
The senior, who only came back to school because he wanted to win a championship and go to the Rose Bowl, was everywhere Saturday.
He was knocking down passes and knocking down Ohio State star Pepe Pearson all day. Irons finished with 16 tackles, a monster performance by a guy who had battled injuries and the flu for the last month.
Everywhere the Buckeyes tried to go Saturday there was at least one, if not two or three winged helmets waiting.
Michigan held Ohio State to just five yards rushing in the second half.
That's five yards against an offensive line which boasted a Heisman Trophy hopeful, Orlando Pace.
When the game was over, Pace had no comment on the Heisman, or much of anything else for that matter. He hadn't been nearly the dominating force he had been in his previous ten games.
No one from Ohio State had much to say, actually. They spoke of moving on, and putting it behind them.
They said the right words, but didn't believe any of it. In their faces you could see the pain, the sorrow and the confusion.
"How could Michigan ruin our season," they thought. "Again."
Across the field in the visitors lockerroom there were shouts of joy and jubilation.
Every year Michigan wants to go to the Rose Bowl, and recently it has been a goal left unachieved. But if you can beat Ohio State, especially an undefeated Ohio State team, it takes away some of the hurt. It makes the season a bit more of a success.
Michigan salvaged another season on Saturday with an upset even more surprising than last year's.
The Wolverines showed they had pride, heart and character, all the things they said the game was about.
They stomped into Ohio Stadium, stomped on the O at midfield and then stomped on the Buckeyes.
In a speech to Ohio State Friday night, former Ohio State coach Earl Bruce said the Buckeyes wouldn't be a great team until they beat Michigan.
Everyone thought these Buckeyes were great.
Guess not. Michigan beat them.
Again.
- Ryan White can be reached over e-mail at target@umich.edu.