Buckeyes claim Big Ten title over Badgers, seek playoff spot

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — J.T. Barrett felt and played like his old self Saturday.

The only thing that would make the Ohio State quarterback feel better would be making the playoffs.

Six days after undergoing surgery on his right knee, Barrett started the game, threw two touchdown passes, ran for another and led No. 8 Ohio State to a 27-21 victory over previously unbeaten No. 3 Wisconsin for the Buckeyes' first Big Ten title since their 2014 national championship run.

"We have two wins over two top-four team and another one over a team ranked 12th or 13th," said coach Urban Meyer, who included a win over Penn State in his rundown. "We're a conference champion and we deserve a shot."

All the Buckeyes (11-2, No. 8 CFP) can do now is wait to see if college football's selection committee agrees.

With one final chance to make an impression, Ohio State ended the Badgers' perfect season and the nation's longest active winning streak at 13 by winning their fourth in a row.

And they did it behind a quarterback many expected to be watching.

But unlike most athletes, who need at least two or three weeks to recover from minor knee surgery, Barrett told doctors and coaches he would be OK.

After watching Barrett in pregame warmups with a protective brace around the injured knee, Meyer gave his three-time captain the starting nod. Barrett didn't disappoint.

He wound up 12 of 26 for 211 yards and two interceptions and ran 19 times for 60 yards including a crucial fourth-down conversion that set up the last field goal of the game.

"We expected to see the best and he was," Badgers coach Paul Chryst said of Barrett. "He's a heck of a quarterback."

It didn't take Barrett long to get going, either.

Following a 9-yard run on third down on the Buckeyes' second possession he hooked up with a wide open Terry McLaurin for an 84-yard TD pass to make it 7-0.

Two possessions later, Barrett threw a short pass to Parris Campbell, who turned a missed tackle into a 57-yard mistake for another score. Then after a 77-yard run by J.K. Dobbins, Barrett powered in from the 1-yard line to give the Buckeyes a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.

"It never does (surprise me)," Meyer said. "That's just because I've had (Tim) Tebow — this kid is a lot like him. How you keep him out of the game I just don't know how it happens."

No, Barrett wasn't perfect.

The only time he really paid for it, though, came on an ill-advised pass from near his goal line in the first quarter. Barrett was picked off by Andrew Van Ginkel, who returned it 9 yards for a Wisconsin score.

Otherwise, the Buckeyes stayed pretty much in control and kept Barrett out of trouble.

"I didn't have any pain in my knee," Barrett said before answering whether the Buckeyes deserve a playoff spot. "I feel like we're one of the best teams in the country."

Wisconsin got within 21-10 at halftime and 21-13 early in the third quarter before the offense got into the end zone on Chris James' 1-yard run early in the fourth. A conversion pass from Alex Hornibrook to Troy Fumagalli cut the deficit to 24-21.

But Barrett's extra effort on the fourth down play set up the field goal and the Buckeyes defense stopped Wisconsin twice to close it out.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: Since getting blown out at Iowa last month, the Buckeyes have been trying to play their way back into the playoff picture. The win over Wisconsin just might do it. Three of the four playoff spots were likely sewn up Saturday, going to Big 12 champ Oklahoma, SEC champ Georgia and ACC champ Clemson. Will the committee take another conference champion over Auburn or Alabama? Stay tuned till Sunday.

Wisconsin: Critics contended the Badgers were never as good as their undefeated record because of a weak schedule. On Saturday, they fought to the end but still came up short. The usually stout defense missed too many tackles and gave up too many big plays.

RECORD BREAKER

The last time Dobbins played a game in Indiana, he rushed for freshman game record of 181 yards in a rout over the Hoosiers. This time, Dobbins broke Maurice Clarett's season freshman record at Ohio State. And all he needed was one run. Dobbins finished with 17 carries for 174 yards and surpassed Clarett's total of 1,237 yards on the 77-yard run. He finished the day with 1,364 yards. Dobbins was named the game's MVP.

STREAK BUSTERS

Wisconsin started the game as the only team in the nation that hadn't trailed in the fourth quarter. That streak ended when the Badgers opened the fourth down 24-13. Jonathan Taylor's streak of four straight 100-yard games also ended Saturday. The Big Ten rushing champ was held to 41 yards on 15 carries and failed to score for the fourth time this season.

TURF TWIST

The game was delayed after the seams of two pieces of turf came apart during James' TD run. The refs immediately stopped play and summoned maintenance, which spread a black substance underneath the turf and rubber pellets on top of the turf. After about 10 minutes, the game resumed to the roar of the crowd.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: Will find out where it's heading this postseason on Sunday.

Wisconsin: Also awaits its postseason fate Sunday.

Tiger Tale: Clemson routs ohio State to set up 'Bama rematch

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Deshaun Watson ran for two touchdowns and threw another and No. 3 Clemson crushed No. 2 Ohio State 31-0 Saturday night in the Fiesta Bowl to set up a rematch with Alabama for the College Football Playoff national championship.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney had sold his team on making this a redemptive trip to the desert by winning at the site where they lost to Alabama in the national title game last season. With that taken care of, Clemson (13-1) now gets another crack at the top-ranked Crimson Tide in Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 9. The teams that started the season ranked Nos. 1 and 2 will most certainly ended it that way, too.

In what figures to be Watson's final college game, he will try to lead Clemson to its first national title since 1981. The junior and Heisman Trophy runner-up passed for 259 yards and ran for 57 against the Buckeyes (11-2), who could not keep Clemson's big and quick defensive line out of their backfield.

Freshman Clelin Ferrell had a sack among his three tackles for loss and Clemson allowed only 215 yards and nine first downs. The Buckeyes were shut out for the first time since 1993 against Michigan and Urban Meyer had one of his teams held scoreless for the first time in 194 games as a head coach.

Watson made it 24-0 with 2:06 left in the third quarter when he faked a pitch, cut through a hole and into the end zone from 7 yards out. He hopped through the back of the end zone and did a little dance in front of the Ohio State section.

The rest was a formality.

Much the way Alabama's defense suffocated Washington in the day's first semifinal, Clemson gave Ohio State no options. The Buckeyes came in averaging 258 yards rushing per game and finished with 88. J.T. Barrett threw for 127 yards and was intercepted twice.

The sellout crowd at University of Phoenix Stadium of 71,279 had far more Ohio State scarlet than Clemson orange at kickoff, but by the halfway point in the fourth quarter Tigers fans mostly had the place to themselves.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: In a rebuilding year with only six returning starters, the Buckeyes reached the playoff. Hard to call that a disappointment, but Ohio State's issues on the offensive line and limitations in the passing game were badly exposed by a Clemson defensive line that features a bunch of future NFL players. Expect some Penn State fans to again start asking why their team was picked for the playoff instead of the Big Ten champion Nittany Lions, who beat the Buckeyes in October.

Clemson: The Tigers seemed to spend much of the season trying to explain why they were not running roughshod over opponents. Expectations were so high after last season ended with stinging 45-40 loss in a classic national championship game against Alabama.

There were close calls for Clemson early in the season against Auburn and Troy and they needed some luck to beat North Carolina State in overtime. Watson was throwing more picks and an offense that welcomed back star receiver Mike Williams was not quite the unstoppable juggernaut so many expected.

But the best Clemson was the Clemson that showed up in the desert. And that Clemson has always been the team best equipped to beat Alabama.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: The immediate concern for the Buckeyes is figuring out which underclassmen will jump to the NFL. The most notable players who have decisions to make in the next two weeks are: Barrett, who will be a fifth-year senior next season; H-back Curtis Samuel; linebacker Raekwon McMillan and defensive backs Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley.

Clemson: Watson put on an all-time performance with 478 total yards against Alabama last season. This Tide defense is even better, but Clemson brings something new to the fight in Williams, who missed most of last season because of an injury. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior had six catches for 96 yards against Ohio State.

With playoff spots at stake, Ohio St. beats Michigan in 2OT

Editor's Note: This game was covered by Matthew Owens on RabbleTV yesterday. You can listen to the broadcast here.

By Ralph D. Russo
AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The play was 29 Lead, and it will go down in history as how Ohio State beat Michigan in one of the greatest games ever played by the Big Ten's most storied rivals.

That's pretty much all Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer wanted to talk about. Everything else about the second-ranked Buckeyes' 30-27 victory over the third-ranked Wolverines on Saturday was almost too overwhelming for Meyer to sort out so soon after what he called an instant classic.

Curtis Samuel swept in for a 15-yard touchdown on 29 Lead left after Ohio State barely converted a fourth-and-1 in the second overtime. The biggest crowd ever to watch a game in the Horseshoe then began spilling onto the field in a scarlet-covered celebration that included a stirring sing-a-long to "Sweet Caroline."

"I remember that Neil Diamond song," Meyer said about the crazy scene, but he couldn't recall much else. "Weird life, man."

Very much so because it was not quite clear what else Ohio State (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten, No. 2 CFP) has won.

It won't be the Big Ten. No. 8 Penn State beat Michigan State 45-12 in State College, Pennsylvania, to clinch the East Division and a spot in the conference title game next week against No. 5 Wisconsin. Still, the Buckeyes added to a resume that already impressed the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Of course, beating "That team up North," as Michigan is called around here, is enough reason to party — and can be hard to put into perspective.

"I didn't do a lot of thinking, honestly," Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett said after the Buckeyes beat Michigan for a fifth straight time. "I just looked around and, man, that just happened."

The 113th meeting of Ohio State and Michigan became the first to go to overtime. It was filled with drama, thrills and controversy. Michigan went away feeling dejected and cheated.

Facing fourth-and-1 from the 16 in the second overtime and trailing by three, Meyer decided not to try a potential game-tying field goal with Tyler Durbin, who had already missed two short ones in regulation.

Barrett kept it on fourth down and slammed into the back of his blocker, A.J. Alexander, right at the line to gain. The first-down call stood on video review.

"That was not a first down," said Michigan's Jim Harbaugh. And then, as if channeling his former coach, Bo Schembechler, Harbaugh added: "I'm bitterly disappointed with the officiating today."

On the next play, Samuel, who had made a swerving, change-of-direction run to set up the fourth-and-1, raced through a lane and skipped into the end zone for the win.

"Been a part of some crazy football games here," Barrett said. "That one was No. 1."

Harbaugh drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty earlier in the game after an offside on Michigan (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten, No. 3 CFP). He also was angry about a pass interference on Michigan during Ohio State's tying drive late and a non-call on a would-be pass interference against the Buckeyes in OT.

The loss likely eliminated Michigan from the playoff race. The Wolverines could end up in the Rose Bowl, but the biggest prizes are still eluding them in their second year under Harbaugh, who dropped to 0-2 against Meyer and the Buckeyes. Michigan has not won the Big Ten since 2004.

A crowd of 110,045 watched what might just be the second act of a new Ten Year War between Michigan and Ohio State, with Meyer and Harbaugh playing the roles of Woody Hayes and Schembechler . If that's the case, there is much to look forward to for college football fans.

THE TAKEAWAY

Michigan: Quarterback Wilton Speight returned after missing last week's game with a left shoulder injury. In many ways, he was Michigan's best offensive player, going 23 for 35 for 219 yards and two touchdown passes. He also made three critical turnovers, one interception Malik Hooker returned for a touchdown in the first half and another pick by Jerome Baker that set up Ohio State's second touchdown to make it 17-14 with 1:06 left in the third quarter.

"It's a bummer, you know, knowing I let the defense down," Speight said.

Ohio State: Barrett will not go down as Ohio State's greatest player, but no one will ever doubt his ability to come up big when the Buckeyes needed him most. He struggled throwing until the fourth quarter and finished 15 for 32 for 132 yards. He was sacked eight times. He also ran for 125 desperately needed yards against a Michigan defense that took almost everything else away.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Michigan: A slight drop for the Wolverines, but still a critical one in the playoff rankings.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes looked locked in to No. 2.

UP NEXT

Michigan: The Wolverines will likely go to a New Year's Six bowl. The question is whether it's Rose or Orange. Maybe Cotton?

Ohio State: Maybe a playoff game on New Year's Eve? Maybe in the Rose Bowl if the Buckeyes get squeezed out of the playoff? Stay tuned.