The Rivalry: Ohio State 37 Michigan 7……..Michigan tried to stay with Ohio State early as they were only down 10-7 after Michael Shaw scored with 8:02 on the clock in the 2nd quarter. That was shortlived however as Ohio State’s Jordan Hall took the ensuing kick off 85 yds for a touch down to put Ohio State back up by ten at 17-7. Ohio State then scored again late in the second quarter to make it 24-7 at half time and the rout was on. Michigan never got anything going after the break as Ohio State’s defense totally dominated, holding Michigan’s high powered offense to 98 total yards the second half. Only Ohio State’s coach Jim Tressell calling off the dogs early in the second half kept the score from being worse than it was. Even then it was Michigan’s second worst loss to Ohio State in their long rivalry, the worst being two years ago when Ohio State beat Michigan 42-7 in Coach Rodriquez’s first year at Michigan. The win gives Ohio State a share of the Big Ten title and a probable spot in a BCS Bowl. The win was also Ohio State’s 7th in a row against Michigan and gave Ohio State it’s sixth straight Big Ten title. Jim Tressell is now 9-1 against Michigan overall.
Other Big Ten scores: Wisconsin rolls over Northwestern 70-23 to finish in a three way tie with Ohio State and Michigan State for the Big Ten Title……..Michigan State held off a late Penn State rally to win 28-22 and get a share of the Big Ten title……Minnesota hands Iowa it’s third straight loss 27-24….Indiana downs Purdue 34-31 on OT
Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin finish the year with identical 11-1 overall records and 7-1 conference records and a share of the Big Ten title. The highest ranked team in the final BCS rankings that will come out on Dec. 5th will get to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl, which is the main goal of every Big Ten team at the start of the season. That honor will likely go to Wisconsin as they were the highest ranked of the three coming into this weekend’s games. They should have solidified that ranking with their dominate performance against Northwestern. Ohio State will more than likely get an at large BCS invite to the Sugar Bowl. Of course that is still conjecture at this point, because if the right teams lose next weekend Wisconsin could slip into the national title game. A long shot for sure, but in college football anything could happen, as it often does. Either way, that would still leave Michigan State on the outside looking in at the BCS, as no more than two teams from any one conference may receive births in BCS games. The Spartans should get an invite to a top tier bowl game though. Other Big Ten teams that are bowl eligible are Iowa, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan, and Northwestern. All should recieve bowl invites which would put eight of the eleven Big Ten teams in bowl games for the year.
