MICHIGAN 13, OHIO STATE 9 Andrew Bagnato, Football Writer DAYTON DAILY NEWS Nov.24.1996
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Michigan's Tyrece Baker heard the hecklers the moment he stepped on the field for pregame warmups Saturday. A two-way star from Huber Heights, Ohio, Baker had blown off the home-state Buckeyes to wear the much-loathed Maize and Blue.
The fans wondered, in rather colorful terms, why a good Ohio lad would do something so absurd.
As he walked out of Ohio Stadium at dusk, Baker only had to point to the scoreboard: Michigan 13, Ohio State 9.
"It was a great victory, to be able to look those people in the eye and say, `This is why I didn't go to Ohio State. I wanted to win at Michigan,' " Baker said.
Michigan defensive back Marcus Ray would say the same thing. He went to Columbus' Eastmoor High School, which produced Buckeyes legend Archie Griffin. He also grabbed the interception that doomed Ohio State as time expired.
The second-ranked Buckeyes are still the Big Ten champs, although they have to share the distinction with Northwestern, which has backed into back-to-back conference titles. And Ohio State is still going to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1984.
But the Buckeyes couldn't feel worse if they had been told they were headed for the Poulan Weed Eater Independence Bowl. For the second November in a row, Ohio State watched a perfect season turn into a perfect mess against Michigan.
It's the eighth time in nine games since 1976 that Ohio State has entered this bitter rivalry ranked in the Top 10 and lost. And it's the seventh time in nine games that the Wolverines have bumped off Ohio State coach John Cooper.
Ohio State's nine points were its lowest total since 1993--when it lost 28-zip to Michigan, of course.
So where's the news? The 94,676 spectators in Ohio Stadium seemed too stunned to boo as the 21st-ranked Wolverines mobbed each other at midfield. A few fans insulted Cooper as he left the field, but most people merely melted into the exits.
Buckeyes linebacker Greg Bellisari expressed what they must have felt: "Right now, honestly, I'm in denial. I can't believe this is happening."
It happened because Ohio State's offense stalled when it mattered--the Buckeyes gained 84 yards in the second half after piling up 220 in the first--and Michigan had the better backup quarterback.Cooper gave Joe Germaine his first start at quarterback, but neither he nor Stanley Jackson did much. For Michigan, Brian Griese was terrific as a replacement for Scott Dreisbach, who hurt his elbow in the first half.
Griese, a junior, completed 8 of 14 passes for 120 yards and a TD. His season totals coming in: 6 for 10 for 106 yards.
Griese threw the game's biggest strike, a 68-yard scoring pass to Tai Streets one minute into the second half. The slant pattern was designed as a short possession pass, but it went all the way because cornerback Shawn Springs slipped the moment Streets gathered in the football.
Streets, a sophomore from Matteson, was the Tribune's 1995 High School Athlete of the Year as a track and football star at Thornton. The touchdown, only his second of the season, atoned for his costly fumble in the loss to Northwestern.
Ohio State still led 9-7 after the play, but as Streets raced toward the end zone, it was plain that Michigan owned the momentum. "He was just gone," Springs said.
So, too, was OSU's season. Don't talk to the Buckeyes about winning 21 games in the last two regular seasons. They've lost the only two that truly matter in this town.
Cooper thanked his seniors, who are 40-8-1 here but only 1-3 against Michigan. "They've had a great career, but guys, you've got to beat Michigan," Cooper said. "We had a chance to win this game and be one of the great teams in Ohio State history."
Michigan amended that statement. Thanks to the Wolverines, Ohio State is history.
"They can party all they want in the Rose Bowl," Michigan nose tackle Will Carr said. "But tonight, we'll be the ones that are celebrating."
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