Blog Ten Gameday: Ohio State Is Rose Bowl Bound

Despite 5 straight conference titles, this will be Ohio State's first trip to the Rose Bowl under Tressel

Ohio State 27  Iowa 24 Final-OT

Now that is how you settle a conference title right there.

It seems that it doesn’t matter who Iowa puts at quarterback, there is no fourth quarter deficit that the Hawkeyes cannot over come.  Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes the comeback effort was not enough as the Ohio State Buckeyes prevailed in overtime to win their fifth straight Big Ten title on Saturday evening in Columbus.

After a first three quarters that didn’t see much offensive production, both squads exploded for 28 points in the fourth quarter behind the legs of Terrelle Pryor, Brandon Saine and Boom Herron to go along with the arm of James Vandenberg and the super glue hands of Marvin McNutt.

Ohio State took a 24-17 lead following a 50-yard touchdown run by Saine, but Iowa did not falter or give up.  Shortly after Vandenberg was intercepted by Ross Homan, who took it to the house for a touchdown that seemingly iced the game, but an offsides call brought the play back and gave Iowa a first down.  A few plays later Vandenberg lofted up a dying duck and when two Buckeyes collided while trying to pick it off, Tony Moeaki came down with the ball on a deflection.

A few plays later Vandenberg was finding McNutt for their second scoring connection of the day thanks to a beautiful grab by the Iowa receiver to tie the game.  After that, Jim Tressel went conservative and Ohio State was forced to punt, while Kirk Ferentz took the same route and ran the clock down to go to overtime.

Then, in overtime, the freshman finally appeared.  After an incomplete pass and a six-yard loss by Adam Robinson, Vandenberg took a devastating sack to lose ten yards and set up 4th and 26 at the OSU 41.  Instead of attempting an impossible field goal the Hawkeyes threw a pseudo-Hail Mary that was picked off in the end zone.

Then the Buckeyes stuck with their NO RISKS AT ANYTIME ANYWHERE IN ANY SITUATION offense and ran up the gut three straight times to set up a 39-yard field goal attempt by Devin Barclay, who missed a field goal earlier in the second half.

He wouldn’t miss this one though.

No, instead Barclay drilled one right down the middle of the uprights to give the Buckeyes the win.  Now they will finish up with Michigan next week while waiting to find out who their opponent will be.  We know it won’t be USC who lost to Stanford on Saturday, so there will be no rematch this season.