The Sports Xchange
Nov 26, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the first overtime game in the history of the storied rivalry, Curtis Samuel scored on a 15-yard run in the second overtime and No. 2 Ohio State escaped with a 30-27 victory over No. 3 Michigan on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State fans poured onto the field in celebration after Samuel reached the end zone to end the dramatic, tension-packed game.
Kenny Allen had kicked a 37-yard field goal after Michigan failed to pick up a first down in the second overtime to give the Wolverines (10-2, 7-2 in the Big Ten) a 27-24 lead.
Ohio State (11-1, 8-1) took possession and gambled on a fourth-and-1 from the 16-yard line. Barrett barely picked up the first down and on the next play Samuel raced into the end zone to end one of the classic games in the annual rivalry.
The Buckeyes clinched at least a share of the Big Ten East Division championship and improved to 5-0 in overtime games with Urban Meyer as coach.
Whether or not they reach the Big Ten championship game depends on the outcome of Penn State and Michigan State win later Saturday. A Penn State loss sends Ohio State to Indianapolis for the title game next week.
The victory probably secured a place for Ohio State in the College Football Playoff regardless of whether it advances to the Big Ten title game.
In the first overtime, Barrett scored on a 7-yard run and Michigan countered with a 5-yard touchdown pass on fourth down from quarterback Wilson Speight to wide receiver Amara Darboh to tie the score 24-24.
Ohio State forced overtime when by driving drove 77 yards in 13 plays to a 23-yard field goal by Tyler Durbin with one second remaining in the fourth quarter.
Durbin missed a 21-yard attempt with 7:01 left in regulation that would have tied the score.
For most of the day, Ohio State's only offense was its defense.
In the third quarter, Speight's pass was picked off by linebacker Jerome Baker at the Michigan 35-yard line -- Ohio State's second interception of the day -- and returned 22 yards to the 13.
Two penalties and two plays later, running back Mike Weber scored on a 1-yard dive to make it 17-14 with 1:30 to go in the third quarter.
Speight, a surprise starter after sitting out last week because of a shoulder injury, completed 23 of 36 passes for 219 yards with two touchdown and two interceptions.
Barrett was 15 of 32 for 124 yards and one interception but rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.
Michigan missed a golden opportunity to start the second half after defensive back Jabrill Peppers' interception on a pass that bounced off the hands of Samuel, and Peppers returned to the Ohio State 42.
The Wolverines moved to the 1-yard-line, but Speight fumbled the handoff and Ohio State defensive lineman Davon Hamilton recovered.
Ohio State got the ball right back on a failed fake punt.
Punter Cameron Johnston's run was stopped short of a first down at the Buckeyes' 22. From there, Michigan opened a 17-7 lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Khalid Hill, who was wide open in the left flat.
A majority of the first-half action took place in the final four minutes.
Michigan took a 10-7 lead into the locker room of a defensive battle after Hill capped an 11-play, 55-yard drive with a 1-yard run on third down.
The Wolverines fell behind when Speight, under pressure from Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan, threw an interception out of his end zone that was returned 16 yards for a touchdown by safety Malik Hooker, giving the Buckeyes a 7-3 lead with 4:03 left in second quarter.
The pick-6 was Hooker's third of the season and sixth interception this year.
Other than the interception, Speight played surprisingly well in the first half after missing last week's game against Indiana because of the shoulder injury, connecting on 15 of 20 passes for 141 of Michigan's 172 total yards.
Michigan's defense stymied Ohio State's offense in the first half, holding the Buckeyes to 81 yards. Barrett was out of sync, completing only 5 of 11 passes for 40 yards. He rushed for 17 yards on seven carries.
After a scoreless first quarter, Michigan put the first points on the board with a 28-yard field goal by Allen with 13:31 left before halftime.
The Wolverines had a first-and-goal at the 8-yard line but had to settle for the field goal when Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard tripped up Peppers for a loss on a run out of the wildcat formation on third down.
Ohio State moved the ball on its first drive of the game, but Durbin missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.
NOTES: Attendance was an Ohio Stadium record 110,045. ... Ohio State and Michigan met for the 11th time with each team ranked in the top five. ... The two teams played for the 113th time in the storied rivalry that began in 1897. ... Some Ohio State players were wearing special cleats from Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, an Ohio native and Buckeyes fan. The LeBron Soldier 10s were designed for The Game. ... James and his Cavaliers teammates attended the game and headed to Philadelphia afterward to play the 76ers on Sunday. James said the Ohio State-Michigan game was on his bucket list.
