Buckeyes rally to cage Wolverines

Trailing 21-12 with 7:49 left, the Buckeyes scored two TDs to win, 25-21.
By ROB TODOR
VINDICATOR SPORTS EDITOR
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- While all around him pandemonium reigned, Doug Datish kept his wits.
"I gotta go sing," Datish, Ohio State's junior offensive lineman from Howland High, said, cutting off an impromptu on-field interview following the ninth-ranked Buckeyes' pulsating, 25-21 victory over Michigan.
And off to the southwest corner of The Big House ran Datish, joining his teammates, the band and a few thousand delirious OSU fans for "Carmen Ohio."
Singing the alma mater after games was one of Jim Tressel's ideas and it always sounds a little more crisp after a victory.
And after beating their arch-rival for the fourth time in five seasons -- Antonio Pittman scored from 3 yards out with 24 seconds remaining in the game -- and clinching a tie for the Big Ten championship ...
"It feels almost improbable," Datish said.
OSU trailed by nine
The Buckeyes (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) trailed 21-12 with 7 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the game after Garrett Rivas kicked a 19-yard field for No. 17 Michigan (7-4, 5-3).
Until then, Ohio State had been outplayed for more than two quarters, thanks to mostly inept special teams play:
UJosh Huston missed an extra point and a field goal.
UTed Ginn fumbled two punts. Although Ohio State recovered both, the miscues gave away huge field position advantages.
UA.J. Trapasso's 18-yard punt which set up a 37-yard Michigan touchdown drive that made it 18-12.
Add those miscues two lost fumbles that led to the Wolverines' first 10 points.
"Our guys broke one of my truisms," said Tressel, "which is that we can't win this game if we turn the ball over."
The Buckeyes won because of, as Datish noted, a sense of urgency after Rivas' field goal.
Needed just five plays
Following a pooch kickoff, Ohio State started from its 33 and needed only five plays to reach the end zone for the first time since the game's opening drive.
Quarterback Troy Smith completed 3-of-4 passes on the possession, and ran once for 14 yards.
On first down from the Michigan 26, Smith found Santonio Holmes perfectly in the seam between the 10 and 15. Holmes then outraced the UM secondary to the end zone with 6:40 to go.
Michigan got great field position (its 48) following the kickoff, thanks mostly to a questionable unsportsmanlike conduct call on Holmes for diving into the end zone. But the Wolverines only picked up one first down before Rivas pooch punted to the OSU 12.
Starting with 4:17 remaining, Smith completed a pass to Ginn for 9 yards, then Pittman ran for 2. After an incompletion, Smith found Ginn twice more for 17 yards, the Holmes for 8 and 10 yards. That put the ball at the Michigan 42.
Smith ran for 5 yards, then found Holmes for 7, setting up a first down at the UM 30 with 47 seconds remaining and the play of the game.
Smith to Gonzalez to the 4
Taking the shotgun snap, Smith felt almost immediate pressure off the edge. He made a quick move toward the boundary to avoid a sack and threw the ball high for Anthony Gonzalez, who outjumped Michigan's Grant Mason for the ball and came down at the 4.
Smith ran over right tackle for 1 yard, then handed off to Pittman, who bounced out of the middle of the line and raced untouched into the end zone.
"We just kept plugging away," said Smith, who completed 7-of-8 passes for 77 yards on the final drive. "Understanding that not everything is going to go your way, [but] as long as you keep believe ... good things are going to happen."
Smith finished 27-of-37 for a career-high 300 yards overall, and rushed for 37 yards and a score. Pittman added 85 yards on the ground, and Ginn and Holmes combined for 15 catches for 161 yards.
Asked what one play he would remember from the game, Tressel said there were many.
"Of course, the one where we were trying to center the ball and [Pittman] ran it in. I'll remember that one."
Along with the Buckeye Nation.
todor@vindy.com
Ohio St.66013--25
Michigan07113--21
First Quarter
OSU--T.Smith 4 run (kick failed), 8:44.
Second Quarter
OSU--FG Huston 47, 12:49.
Mich--Avant 2 pass from Henne (Rivas kick), 5:18.
OSU--FG Huston 25, :23.
Third Quarter
Mich--FG Rivas 27, 10:01.
Mich--Grady 2 run (Henne run), 1:20.
Fourth Quarter
Mich--FG Rivas 19, 7:49.
OSU--Holmes 26 pass from T.Smith (Huston kick), 6:40.
OSU--Pittman 3 run (pass failed), :24.
A--111,591.
OSUMich
First downs2517
Rushes-yards35-11824-32
Passing300223
Comp-Att-Int27-37-025-37-0
Return Yards-320
Punts-Avg.2-31.04-37.5
Fumbles-Lost4-22-0
Penalties-Yards5-503-20
Time of Possession31:3928:21