OSU ran into a machine

Before Saturday's big game at the Big House, it was generally agreed that Ohio State's best chance at winning was to keep it low-scoring.
Strike one.
To do so, the Buckeyes had to control the Michigan running game; specifically, they had to keep senior tailback Chris Perry bottled up.
Strike two.
By accomplishing that, Ohio State could force Wolverines quarterback John Navarre to win the game. Considering his two-touchdown, five-interception history (not to mention his personal 0-2 record as a starter) against the Buckeyes ...
Strike three.
Michigan's high-powered and well-balanced offense hardly skipped a beat in the Big Ten showdown. The Wolverines burped in the third quarter -- Navarre couldn't escape without at least one bad decision -- but the Michigan defense stepped up with the score 28-21 and re-established the Maize and Blue's dominance in the most important stretch of the contest following Chris Gamble's interception.
Three critical scores
Not only did the Wolverines score more touchdowns, it can be argued they scored the three most-important ones:
UThe first one. In any game, especially a rivalry, getting the early lead, especially for the home team, is very important to establish momentum.
UThe one at the outset of the second half. The Buckeyes' touchdown just seconds before halftime cut their deficit to 21-7 and gave them the momentum going into the locker room. But Michigan took the second half kickoff and impressively drove the field in just five plays, scoring with less than two minutes elapsed in the third quarter and re-establishing its three-touchdown lead.
UThe final one. Ohio State had trimmed the score to 28-21, had the momentum and Gamble's interception had the Wolverines reeling. But the defense forced a three-and-out and Michigan's coaches, who for some inexplicable reason almost abandoned the running game earlier in the quarter, went back to Perry. He responded with the bulk of the yardage on an 88-yard drive that sealed the deal.
Ohio State's season-long poor running game was exposed in the first half, when the Buckeyes couldn't convert at least three third-and-short yardage situations. Had they made those first downs, thereby extending drives, they could have conceivably kept the score more manageable. Even if Ohio State didn't score on those drives they could have at least controlled the clock.
But, that's been the shortcoming of this Buckeye team all season long, with a few exceptions. The offensive line hasn't blocked well and the backs have run tentatively.
Defense wilted
The defense has been forced to not only control games, but on a few occasions win them.
Saturday, when asked to do so again, the defense, for the first time in the last two seasons, couldn't step up to the challenge.
Michigan's offensive line controlled the game. It opened the holes for Perry and did not allow Navarre to be sacked all day.
The big uglies were this effective: the Buckeyes' three leading tacklers were defensive backs Will Allen, with 14; Nate Salley, with 11, and Dustin Fox, with eight.
That statistic means the Wolverines' O line not only bottled up Tim Anderson and Will Smith, Ohio State's All-American candidates on the defensive front, but it also effectively neutralized big-time linebackers A.J. Hawk, Robert Reynolds and Bobby Carpenter. Those three combined for just 18 tackles.
Finally, the decision to put quarterback Craig Krenzel back in the game in the fourth quarter was a curious one. Coach Jim Tressel, understandably, felt some loyalty to the senior, who was sent to the locker room in the third quarter with a left shoulder injury.
Backup Scott McMullen, as he did against Penn State, played extremely well off the bench.
But against the Michigan team that showed up Saturday, it probably didn't make a difference.
XRob Todor is sports editor of The Vindicator. Write to him at todor@vindy.com.