BY: TODD PORTER (CantonRep.com) —
PLAYER OF THE GAME

Chris “Beanie” Wells

Before “Beanie” Wells ever took a handoff Saturday, he wasn’t 100 percent. Wells has battled a foot injury all season. Earlier this week, he tweaked a tender hamstring, and then he pulled it again Saturday in the bitter cold. That didn’t stop him from beating up Michigan’s defense … again. Wells ran the ball 15 times for 134 yards, including a TD run of 59 yards for Ohio State’s first score and another run of 42 yards that flipped poor field position and led to a second score. Wells passed Keith Byars on the TD run and is fourth on OSU’s all-time rushing list with 3,276 career yards. Wells has passed Byars, Pepe Pearson, Carlos Snow, Michael Wiley, Antonio Pittman, Raymont Harris and Calvin Murray this season on the all-time rushing list. He could declare for the NFL Draft as a junior.

PLAY OF THE GAME

OSU’s one-two punch

As if Wells’ 42-yard run on OSU’s first offensive play of the second half wasn’t enough, Daniel “Boom” Herron hammered away on the next play. Herron broke a 49-yard run — and the game open — to give the Buckeyes a commanding 21-7 lead. Michigan’s confidence was shaken. The Wolverines played fairly well, other than giving up about five big plays. However, there were two others QB Terrelle Pryor missed on.

PRYOR-ITIES

Freshman’s ups and downs

Terrelle Pryor’s debut against Michigan didn’t get off to a great start. OSU won the coin toss and elected to receive the kick. Pryor gave the ball away with a pick deep inside his own territory. He completed just 5-of-13 passes for 120 yards, two TDs and that one interception. He did manage the game well, and OSU did a good job protecting Pryor’s confidence and putting the game in its running backs’ hands.

MILESTONES

Five straight for Bucks

• OSU has won five straight games against Michigan for the first time in school history.

• Brian Hartline’s 53-yard TD catch was his longest this season. He has caught a pass in 28 straight games.

• The Buckeyes’ 91-yard TD drive was their longest of the season.

• OSU’s senior class won for the 43rd time, tying the record set by the senior classes between 1995-98 and 2002-05.

WHY OSU WON

Sticking to the run The Buckeyes never gave up on the running game. OSU’s ground attack got a slow start, but Michigan’s defensive front isn’t bad. Still, Head Coach Jim Tressel knew the Wolverines give up big running plays, and Ohio State lit them up for three of them. Wells’ TD run was his third career TD run of 50 yards or more against Michigan. UM’s offense is a wreck without a spread offense QB and had no chance going against a defense as good as Ohio State’s.

THIS WENT WELL Ohio State ran the same counter toss running play to Chris “Beanie” Wells three times, and all three times it gashed the Wolverines. Jim Cordle pulled around the left end and, with Alex Boone, opened huge holes for Wells to run through. “I kept asking for that play,” Wells said.

THIS DIDN’T Between Nick Sheridan and Justin Feagin, Michigan didn’t have a chance of throwing the football with success using inexperienced QBs. Steve Threet didn’t make the trip to Columbus because of a shoulder injury. Sheridan was sacked twice, and drilled a number of times by LB James Laurinaitis. Aside from the pressure on the QBs, the Wolverines struggled to get open against Malcolm Jenkins and Chimdi Chekwa.

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