TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tressel Makes Buckeye History

ADVERTISEMENT

By LARRY LAGE, The Associated Press

Published: November 18, 2007

Updated: 11/18/2007 12:44 am

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Jim Tressel and Lloyd Carr tried their best to take themselves out of the story.

In the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, which has been as much about Woody and Bo as blocking and tackling, the coaches are always center stage.

Tressel became the first Ohio State coach to beat Michigan six times in seven years, and the seventh-ranked Buckeyes' 14-3 victory Saturday against their archrival gave them consecutive outright Big Ten titles for the first time in a half-century.
Chris Wells ran for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns and the Vernon Gholston-led defense dominated Michigan's banged-up offense, helping Ohio State win its fourth straight in the series to match the school's longest winning streak.

The Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) are likely headed to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997. They have hopes of climbing back into the BCS title game, but several teams ahead of them would need to go down.

"Our defense was not going to let Michigan control the game on the ground," Tressel said. "I wish our offense could have scored more, and that we could have been a little more consistent, but today, 14 points was enough to win the Big Ten."

On the one-year anniversary of Michigan coach Bo Schembechler's death, a coin with his likeness was on one side and an image of Ohio State's late coach Woody Hayes was on the other.

No. 23 Michigan (8-4, 6-2) might be headed to a bowl game prior to New Year's Day.

The Game could be Carr's last regular-season game at Michigan, where the national championship he won in 1997 is a distant memory while his loss to Appalachian State this year and 1-6 record against Tressel are often mentioned.

"You don't examine a coach on how he does against one team," Tressel said. "Lloyd has been there for 13 years, and he has an excellent record."

Carr led many to believe he would retire after this season when he altered his contract last winter and made sure all of his assistants were given unprecedented, two-year deals in the spring. Speculation has run rampant about 62-year-old coach's future.

"There will be a day to discuss that, and this isn't it," he said.

Carr is set to have his usual Monday news conference.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT