Faithful reacts across state

One Ohio State fan rejoiced the team's victory while at his rehearsal dinner.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Ohio State fans at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe leaped into each other's arms, embraced, and some shed a few tears when Miami's final pass fell incomplete, giving the Buckeyes their first national title since the 1969 Rose Bowl.
The Buckeyes upset the top-ranked Hurricanes 31-24 in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., in double overtime.
"I feel wonderful," said Tom York, 40, of Columbus. "It was perfect."
Ohio State student Katie Grimm, 20, said the ending was appropriate considering Ohio State had so many close finishes this seasons.
"This is awesome," she said. "Only Ohio State would make it a double overtime play."
Elsewhere in the city, people could be heard opening their front doors and yelling "Go Buckeyes!"
Precaution
Meanwhile, Columbus police were counting on extra officers, winter break and bitter cold to prevent the rioting that broke out after Ohio State's 14-9 win over Michigan Nov. 23.
More than 60 people, including 16 students, were arrested.
A few hundred people ran outside north and east of campus after the win, but officers were ordering them to stay out of the streets, police spokesman Sgt. Brent Mull said.
"Right now the crowds are pretty much responding to our order to vacate," he said. "If they want to stay up on the sidewalk in their yards, and whoop and holler a little bit, that's fine."
About 2,000 fans packed the Buckeye Hall of Fame, which has Ohio State memorabilia packed into every nook and cranny -- including a bronze bust of legendary coach Woody Hayes. Fans in scarlet and gray chanted "O-H-I-O" and cheered every play.
About 10 Columbus police officers came to the restaurant near the end of regulation play; one patron was removed for fighting during the first overtime.
Matt Lambert waved scarlet-and-gray pompons and danced around a banquet room -- not the way he expected to behave at his wedding rehearsal dinner when he reserved the spot months ago.
"Oh, baby; it doesn't get better than this," said Lambert, 23, who is marrying 29-year-old Tracy Bridinger today.
"The wedding, we've got years to go on that," he said. "This is the most important night of my life now."
Changes
The game overshadowed events statewide: High schools played basketball games a few hours early or picked another date; Columbus television stations didn't air the Blue Jackets hockey game; and a few central Ohio factories closed for the second shift.
Columbus imposed a parking ban Friday on 11 streets east of campus where crowds overturned cars and set them on fire in November.
Police in riot gear were in position as the end of the game neared, Mull said.
"If you see a cop, you think twice about doing something," said Gavin McCord, 22, a senior from Granville. "I'm not worried about the riots. It's winter break; there are not many students around here."
Classes resume Monday. Most residence halls don't open until Sunday.
The university had already removed the goalposts from Ohio Stadium at the end of the regular season. Fans unsuccessfully tried to tear them down after the Michigan game.
The Arena Grand movie theater downtown showed the game on its two largest screens, with the lights dimmed partway. As well as popcorn and nachos, fans could buy pizza, sandwiches and beer from the concession stand. Almost everyone wore scarlet and gray.
Cory and Mary Hupp, both 23, came from their home in Delaware instead of heading to campus.
"It's not as smoky, not as many drunk people," said Mary Hupp, who graduated from Ohio State last year.
"There's nowhere left to go on campus," her husband said. "You can go to house parties, but you'll probably get maced."
Cleveland
The Cleveland Force indoor soccer team moved up its Friday night game two hours so fans could get home for the game, which made hot dog vendor Sandra Hunt happy.
In Cleveland, parties were more low-key, said Hunt, 50, a former Columbus resident who now lives in Bedford.
"In Columbus, the whole city shuts down," she said. "If Ohio State is playing, there's scarlet and gray everywhere. In Cleveland, not as much."
In Cambridge in eastern Ohio, about 150 people packed The Point restaurant and bar, which developed a Fiesta-themed menu and served the "Brutus Boot," a mix of black raspberry schnapps and cranberry juice served in a boot-shaped glass with an Ohio State flag.
At the Damon's restaurant in Marietta, a recliner was the prize for an Ohio State trivia test.
"People started coming in about 6 p.m.," manager Jeff Els said. The restaurant normally closes at 11 p.m., but with the game just starting the fourth quarter then, Els wasn't about to close.