By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plan Dealer) — Navy gave Ohio State a run before the Buckeyes won 31-27 at Ohio Stadium today, and OSU coach Jim Tressel took some of the blame for letting the Midshipmen back in the game. The Ohio State defense also admitted it relaxed with a 15-point lead.

It was Tressel’s decision to pass up a 32-yard field goal try in the fourth quarter with a 15-point lead that allowed Navy to get back in the game.

Right after Ohio State was stopped on fourth-and-1, Navy completed an 85-yard touchdown pass. Then after a Terrelle Pryor interception, Navy scored another touchdown to pull within two, but the Midshipmen threw an interception on the 2-point converstion that OSU linebacker Brian Rolle ran back for two points for the Buckeyes.

Tressel said his emotions took over with about six minutes to play.

“Probably let the emotion of wanting to score and wanting our offensive guys to knock a hole in it get the best of me,” Tressel said. “When we didn’t make it, what went through my mind? I was hoping the next voice on the phone wasn’t [athletic director] Gene Smith because, you know, it was a poor decision. It might not have looked as poor at the moment. The thing I said to our guys, I said, we didn’t put it to three scores and that was a poor decision on my part.”

Jim Tressel after the Navy game

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