Perfection: Ohio State football tops Michigan, finishes 12-0 OSU

http://tinyurl.com/Watch-nfl-live-here/?Ohio-State-football-tops-Michigan

Ohio State football realized perfection for the sixth time in its 123-year history.

The 109th meeting between OSU and Michigan, ranked No. 4 and No. 20, respectively, by the Associated Press for the teams’ 2012 meeting, saw the Buckeyes polish off a 12-0 season under the direction of first-year coach Urban Meyer. OSU defeated UM, 26-21, Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

As some expected, the dual-threat quarterbacking combo of Michigan senior Denard Robinson and junior Devin Gardner caused problems for the Buckeyes. Gardner threw for 171 yards, one touchdown and one costly interception on 11-of-20 attempts. Robinson did not attempt a pass in the game, but did lineup under center. He rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown.

OSU’s defensive performance, particularly in the second half, was more than the Wolverines could overcome. UM failed to drive into the red zone in the second half and an interception by junior safety C.J. Barnett with less than five minutes to play nearly clinched the win.

The Buckeyes defense stifled the UM attack despite missing senior defensive end John Simon, who missed out on Senior Day festivities and the competition with a right knee injury sustained a week ago in a game against Wisconsin.

After the interception, OSU junior running back Carlos Hyde, who ran for 146 yards and a touchdown, took the game over, helping the Buckeyes to two first downs to bleed the fourth-quarter clock out and win The Game.

Fans stormed the field. Players rejoiced. Meyer pumped his fists wildly. However unrealistic the expectations of an undefeated season might have seemed when Meyer was hired in late November 2011, he had made good on them. With the win, OSU remains in play for the AP's national title crown.

The victory is OSU’s 44th in the history of The Game, though UM, eliminated from Big Ten title contention after Nebraska won on Friday, still owns the all-time series advantage with a 58-44-6 record. The largest Ohio Stadium crowd in the history of the OSU-UM rivalry (105,899) assembled in a bitter chill and light but steady snowfall throughout most of the first half.

OSU sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller was 14-of-18 for 189 yards and one touchdown.

Buckeyes junior receiver Corey Brown muffed a punt that led to points for UM, but did his best to make up for the uncharacteristic error as he caught eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.

OSU junior kicker Drew Basil was the high scorer in the contest. Basil, who only attempted six kicks coming into the team’s 12th game, tallied 14 points while connecting four-of-five of his field goal tries from 41, 52, 28 and 25 yards.

In addition to help close out the win for OSU, Hyde also helped the Buckeyes jump to an early lead.

Hyde blew through the Michigan line 2:19 into the game, scurrying into the end zone on a 3-yard run to put OSU up, 7-0, on the very first possession of the game. The early score was keyed by 52-yard pass reception by sophomore receiver Devin Smith, who broke loose, gathered the deep ball from Miller and joined many of the OSU faithful in attendance in a celebratory bounce.

The game’s back-and-forth tenor would be established by Gardner on the next drive when he found senior receiver Roy Roundtree on a 75-yard reception to level the score.

Roundtree broke down the east sideline in front of the Wolverines bench and, after slowing his run for a blocker, traipsed into the end zone.

The weather seemed to mimic the intensity of the rivalry in that moment as the snow began to fall heavier.

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