Bucks cap improbable season at 13-0, head to Fiesta Bowl

COLUMBUS -- With four minutes left in Saturday's game, freshman tailback Maurice Clarett sidled up to Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and said, "Man, why does the clock move so slow when we're winning?"

By now, Clarett should know the answer. He's been around long enough to know these nerve-wracking Buckeyes milk every ounce of drama out of every dwindling second.

They are the most exasperating, most exhilarating team around. And now they are unbeaten Big Ten co-champions, headed for the Jan. 3 Fiesta Bowl for a crack at the national championship after rallying to beat Michigan 14-9 before a raucous, record Ohio Stadium crowd of 105,539.

Maurice Hall scored the game-winning, 3-yard touchdown with 4:55 left on an option pitch the Buckeyes hadn't run all season. That left enough time for Michigan to mount two serious scoring threats, but both ended in turnovers as OSU won its second straight in this storied series for the first time since 1981-82.

It was Ohio State's seventh second half comeback and fourth rally in the fourth quarter. The second-ranked Buckeyes improved to 13-0 (8-0 in the Big Ten), winning for the third straight week -- and sixth time this season - by seven points or less.

"The option pitch is something that had always been part of our package and it became an active part this week," Tressel said after officially accepting an invitation to the Bowl Championship Series title game from Fiesta Bowl officials.

"(Michigan does) a great job on goal-line defense, and we felt we had to do something to block one more guy. That's what the option is. You don't have to block a guy. You pitch off of him."

Everyone in the Horseshoe wondered if Tressel had lost his mind when he took Clarett out and replaced him with Hall for that second-and-goal play. In his most significant action in five weeks, Clarett ignored the pain in his left shoulder and rushed for 119 yards on 20 carries.

He scored OSU's first touchdown on a 2-yard run in the first quarter and also caught a 26-yard throwback pass down the left sideline that put the ball on the Michigan 6 on the decisive drive.

That, like the subsequent option run, was a new wrinkle in the attack, the kind of play you save all season for your archrival.

On the previous play, Tressel eschewed a 50-yard field goal attempt by Mike Nugent with the wind at his back, and went for it on fourth-and-one from the Michigan 33. Quarterback Craig Krenzel picked up the necessary yard on a sneak to keep the winning drive alive.

"For one thing, we needed less than a yard," Tressel said, explaining his decision, "and, two, Craig Krenzel would have killed me. He's such a competitor that he would have gone haywire if we hadn't gone for it on fourth down."

Ohio State's amazing run of good fortune continued against the 12th-ranked Wolverines (9-3, 6-2).

Destiny's team didn't bat an eye when the official first signaled TD on a 19-yard catch by Braylon Edwards in the third quarter before throwing a flag and calling offensive pass interference on Edwards instead.

As a result, the Wolverines were forced to settle for a third Adam Finley field goal and 9-7 lead at halftime.

And, if OSU isn't charmed, how did almost forgotten fullback Brandon Schnittker step in front of a pass intended for Michael Jenkins and turn it into a 15-yard gain on the first play of the winning march?

"I just kind of instinctively reached up and grabbed it," Schnittker said of his catch over the middle. "I wasn't sure, but if it was for me and I didn't reach up, I'd feel worse, and if it was for me I grabbed it and ran for 15 yards. For whatever reason, it worked for us."

After allowing three field goals on drives of 12, 16 and 19 plays in the first half, the Buckeyes held Michigan to 157 yards and no points over the final two periods. It was the sixth time in the last seven weeks OSU hasn't allowed a TD after halftime, a stretch in which the opposition has scored just 13 second-half points.

Remarkably, the Buckeyes made their only third down conversion on eight attempts with 12:56 left in the game. Michigan had twice as many first downs (26-13) and held the ball nearly 10 minutes more than Ohio State, which came in second in the Big Ten in time of possession.

"From a statistical standpoint, we outplayed them," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said, "but Ohio State did what it had to do to win the game."

Will Smith recovered a fumble by Michigan quarterback John Navarre at the 36 after a sack by linemate Darrion Scott with 2:02 left and nickel back Will Allen intercepted a last-gasp 21-yard pass by Navarre at the OSU 3 as time expired.

"God has smiled down on us a few times," said Schnittker. "Some miraculous things have happened. It's great; I can't really describe the feeling right now."

Originally published Sunday, November 24, 2002