Decision Buckeyes... again

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - It was competitive, but in the end, the tenth-ranked Buckeyes came out the victors over rival Michigan, yet again.

Ohio State defeated UM 21-10 in a game that was important obviously for rivalry purposes, but was vital for the Wolverines to play more football.

Michigan needed a win to be bowl eligible. Instead, they will go two straight years without playing postseason pigskin.

Perhaps even worse, this is the sixth straight year the Buckeyes have beaten Michigan. OSU head coach Jim Tressel improves his personal record against UM to 8-1. Meanwhile, his counterpart Rich Rodrguez is 0-for-2.

Despite the discrepancies on paper with the recent Buckeye success, this 106th meeting between the two schools was highly competitive.

Ohio State led 14-3 at the half, with one touchdown scored on a Cameron Heyward fumble recovery in the Wolverines end zone and a Brandon Saine 29-yard run.

In the second half, a Terrelle Pryor interception set up the Wolverines deep in Buckeye territory. Tate Forcier helped convert the turnover to points with an 18-yard TD pass to Vincent Smith to cut the score to 14-10.

Ohio State bounced back with a Pryor touchdown pass to Daniel "Boom" Herron on a play where Tressel actually ran out on the field to call timeout before the snap, but the referees did not see him.

It turns out that the Saine touchdown also was a matter a destiny. A Buckeye intern drew up the wrong play to show the players, but Saine ended up scoring anyway.

As for the Wolverines, they were unfazed, driving multiple times deep within Buckeyes territory only to turn the ball over each time. Forcier was picked off four times and against a ground game that was playing keepaway from Michigan to the tune of 251 rushing yards, those turnovers could not be overcome.

Ohio State finished up the regular year with its fifth straight Big Ten title, something they already clinched last week over Iowa. The Buckeyes will be headed to the Rose Bowl, while the Wolverines will be headed home with yet another loss to their hated rivals.