BY: TODD PORTER (The Repository) —
BOWL PICTURE Ohio State had a chance to go to the Rose Bowl by beating Michigan and winning a share of the Big Ten championship. However, Penn State nixed the idea. The Nittany Lions win the head-to-head tiebreaker by virtue of their 13-6 win over the Buckeyes and by beating Michigan State on Saturday. Penn State heads to Pasadena to represent the Big Ten. Ohio State will wait to see if it gets a BCS at-large bid. Oregon State is in the Pac-10 driver’s seat. The Buckeyes need Oregon State to lose and USC to get the Pac-10’s berth to the Rose Bowl because the Buckeyes are a more attractive BCS team than the Beavers. Essentially, because of BCS bowl tie-ins with various conferences, there are two at-large berths. Utah or Boise State will get one of those. Otherwise, the worst Ohio State can do is a New Year’s Day appearance in the Capital One Bowl.

BEANIE COMING BACK RB Chris “Beanie” Wells declined to give any indication on whether he plans to return for his senior season at Ohio State. Michigan Head Coach Rich Rodriguez said Wells is a first-round draft pick. “I don’t really have an opinion on (an NFL running back’s career length),” Wells said. “I wouldn’t say every running back is only going to play a certain amount of years in the NFL. Look at Eddie George.”

STUNNED AT SCOREBOARD Brian Hartline said he was surprised how lopsided Saturday’s score turned out. “That game doesn’t happen like that,” Hartline said. “I’d be very surprised if it happens in the next 10 years like this. I doubt it will happen for a while.”

DRIVE FOR FIVE OSU’s unprecedented fifth consecutive win against Michigan wasn’t lost on LB James Laurinaitis, who played in his final game at Ohio Stadium. “I don’t think we really realize it now, but I think as we get older, we’ll look back on our career and realize to be a part of the first team to beat Michigan five times in a row is something that is very special,” Laurinaitis said. “We got to hear from Ike Kelly today at breakfast. He talked about the one that stuck with him was the fifth one they tried to get and they lost here. To be able to say forever that you’re a part of this team is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

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