Buckeyes are still the ones

COLUMBUS, OHIO —  Ohio State defeated Michigan on Saturday, 42-39, and if you thought that first game was something ...

Isn’t that the question now?

Meeting for the 103rd time -- a classic rivalry played in classic fall conditions -- Ohio State and Michigan ditched their defenses and took the breakneck route to what could be a 104th meeting in 51 days, not next November.

And how strange might that be?

“It would be exciting,” Ohio State defensive tackle Joel Penton said, “but it wouldn’t be the same.”

Ohio State locked up one spot in the Jan. 8 Bowl Championship Series title game, that much was established, although not officially.

The Fiesta Bowl, which is hosting both its game and this year’s national championship, did not formally extend the bid because the No. 1 Buckeyes won’t become official until the final BCS standings are revealed Dec. 3.

“We’re sure Ohio State will be there, no doubt,” Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker said. “But there’s a formal process and we’ll be deferential to that.”

Ohio State’s dance partner?

Well, that might take two more weeks to sort out.

Michigan, even in defeat, made a strong case that it deserves a second chance.

“Of course,” Wolverine tailback Mike Hart said. “I guarantee if we play them again it would be a whole different game. We should have got them the first time around. We didn’t. So if it doesn’t happen, that’s our fault.”

If Michigan does not earn the No. 2 spot in the BCS, it would “fall” to the Rose Bowl -- not a bad consolation prize.

Several one-loss schools are vying for the second spot in the BCS title game, and it will be left to BCS voters and the computer component to determine the outcome.

Rutgers, which rose to No. 6 in the BCS standings, was eliminated with a dream-season-is-over loss at Cincinnati.

Notre Dame, No. 5 in the BCS, stayed alive but may not be able to overcome that 47-21 home loss to Michigan. Florida and Arkansas, ranked No. 4 and No. 7 in the BCS and both from the Southeastern Conference, may also end up as one-loss teams in contention.

USC, if it wins out, may have the best chance of beating out Michigan. The Trojans, who began play Saturday night one spot behind Michigan, took a first step with a 23-9 win over California.

“I think it will be very interesting to see what transpires in the polls as we go forward here,” Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said. “But I don’t care to speculate. I think, you know, it will be what it will be. And I know it will be probably very controversial either way.”

Michigan’s national title fate may be tied to USC’s closing games against Notre Dame and UCLA.

A lopsided loss probably would have eliminated Michigan from the rematch discussion, with the Wolverines dropping too far in the polls, perhaps, to make up the difference.

That didn’t happen, so now the race is on for No. 2.

As hard as it tried, Ohio State couldn’t score a decisive decision, even though the Buckeyes controlled the game, leading, 28-14, at the half and 35-24 at the end of three quarters.

“They weren’t going to give up because that’s the way they’re built,” Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel said of Michigan.

Michigan coaches and players were playing one day after former Coach Bo Schembechler, who gave the team a pregame talk Thursday, died at age 77.

Carr once served as an assistant coach under Schembechler, but did not use his mentor’s death as an excuse.

“I mean, it was part of the weekend,” Carr said. “But we lost to a better team today.”

Michigan could have mentally packed it in at halftime, but the Wolverines scored on their first drive of the second half to make the score 28-21, then took advantage of Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith’s interception to cut the deficit to four with a field goal.

Ohio State answered with a 56-yard scoring run by Antonio Pittman, but the Buckeyes just couldn’t shake the Wolverines.

The game came down to an onside kick, Ohio State recovering with 2:13 left after Michigan cut the lead to three with a late touchdown and two-point conversion.

The Buckeyes finished the regular season 12-0, and won their first outright Big Ten title since 1984 by defeating Michigan in a game that would not have been familiar to Schembechler or the late Woody Hayes, Ohio State’s legendary coach of the same era.

It was the most points scored in the series since 1902. Michigan entered the game with the nation’s No. 3-ranked defense, but gave up 503 yards.

The fans who poured out of the stands at Ohio Stadium tore large chunks out of the field not long after Ohio State players tore large chunks of yardage.

The teams combined for 81 points and 900 yards.

What was this, a Big East Conference game?

The playmakers came out to play. The tailbacks for both teams rushed for more than 100 yards -- Michigan’s Hart for 142 and Ohio State’s Pittman for 139.

Michigan quarterback Chad Henne completed 21 of 35 passes for 267 yards while Smith probably secured the Heisman Trophy by throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns, three in the first half.

“I would think he clinched it,” Tressel said. “I don’t think there’s any question about that. I think he’s the best player in college football.”

So what happens now?

Will there be Ohio State-Michigan II?

“I don’t decide that,” Buckeye defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said. “It would be something if it did. I don’t know how you prepare for that. They are the best team we played this year, bar none.”

Safety Brandon Mitchell said he thought Michigan was “very deserving” of a rematch, but he said it would be a totally different affair.

“That game would have a different feel,” he said. “It would be on a neutral site. It would be for different things, but Ohio State-Michigan is what it is.”

Same teams, same drama, in less than two months?

Stay tuned.

chris.dufresne@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

1-2 punch

Most total points in No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups in the history of the Associated Press football poll:

*--* PTS. MATCHUP SITE/DATE 86 No. 1 Nebraska 62, No. 2 Florida 24 1996 Fiesta Bowl 81 No. 1 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Michigan 39 Nov. 18, 2006 79 No. 2 Texas 41, No. 1 USC 38 2006 Rose Bowl 79 No. 1 USC 42, No. 2 Wisconsin 37 1963 Rose Bowl 75 No. 1 Florida State 46, No. 2 Virginia Tech 29 2000 Sugar Bowl 74 No. 1 USC 55, No. 2 Oklahoma 19 2005 Orange Bowl

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Source: Associated Press

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ATLANTIC COAST

No. 19 Virginia Tech 27, No. 14 Wake Forest 6: Sean Glennon threw two touchdown passes and Xavier Adibi had a 35-yard fumble return for a score to lead the Hokies (9-2, 5-2) over the Demon Deacons (9-2, 5-2) in Winston-Salem, N.C. The win came despite losing tailback Branden Ore -- the ACC’s leading rusher -- in the first quarter to an ankle injury.

No. 18 Georgia Tech 49, Duke 21: Reggie Ball passed for three touchdowns -- all in the second quarter -- for the Yellow Jackets (9-2, 7-1) in a victory over the winless Blue Devils in Atlanta. Georgia Tech put the game away in the first half and rested its starters.

No. 20 Boston College 38, No. 21 Maryland 16: Jolonn Dunbar scored on two fumble recoveries before the offense took the field for the Eagles (9-2, 5-2). The Terrapins (8-3, 5-2) ended their five-game winning streak.

North Carolina 23, North Carolina State 9: Ronnie McGill rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown and the Tar Heels (2-9, 1-6) forced three turnovers in the fourth against the Wolfpack (3-8, 2-6), giving fired Coach John Bunting a win in his final home game.

Virginia 17, Miami 7: Jameel Sewell ran for two touchdowns and the Cavaliers (5-6, 4-3) kept their bowl hopes alive in Charlottesville, Va. The Hurricanes (5-6, 2-5) have lost four straight.

Florida State 28, Western Michigan 20: Backup quarterback Xavier Lee threw two touchdown passes to Greg Carr and Lawrence Timmons scored on a 22-yard interception return for the host Seminoles (6-5). The 7-4 Broncos’ last-minute effort to tie it ended on an incomplete pass into the end zone.

From the Associated Press

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BIG EAST

Cincinnati 30, No. 7 Rutgers 11 -- Reserve quarterback Nick Davila made his first career start and led the Bearcats (6-5, 3-3) to their biggest upset in school history, ending a perfect season and national title aspirations for the Scarlet Knights (9-1, 4-1) in Cincinnati.

No. 10 Louisville 31, South Florida 8 -- Brian Brohm threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns to wide receiver Harry Douglas for the host Cardinals (9-1, 4-1), who avenged a 31-point loss to the Bulls (7-4, 3-3) last year behind a stout defense that limited South Florida to 286 yards and sacked quarterback Matt Grothe six times.

Syracuse 20, Connecticut 14 -- Curtis Brinkley scored two touchdowns in Syracuse, N.Y., and the Orange (4-7, 1-5) defense shut down the running game for the Huskies (4-6, 1-4), ending a 12-game conference losing streak.

From the Associated Press

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BIG TEN

at No. 12 Wisconsin 35, Buffalo 3: The Badgers (11-1, 8-1) pulled away with two touchdowns just before halftime against the Bulls (2-9, 1-7 MAC) at Madison, securing the first 11-win regular season in school history.

at Minnesota 34, Iowa 24: Amir Pinnix carried 23 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns at Minneapolis, and the Gophers (6-6, 3-5) ended a five-game losing streak to the Hawkeyes (6-6, 2-6), who lost their final five conference games after being ranked as high as 15th in October.

at Penn State 17, Michigan State 13: Anthony Morelli threw for two touchdowns and the defense clamped down in the second half as the Nittany Lions (8-4, 5-3) overcame a sloppy first half to defeat the Spartans (4-8, 1-7) at State College. Joe Paterno, recovering from a leg injury, watched from the press box.

at Purdue 28, Indiana 19: Curtis Painter passed for 260 yards and a touchdown and overcame four interceptions at West Lafayette, Ind., to lead the Boilermakers (8-4, 5-3) over the Hoosiers (5-7, 3-5).

at Northwestern 27, Illinois 16: Tyrell Sutton ran for 110 yards at Evanston, Ill., for the Wildcats (4-8, 2-6), who avoided finishing last in the Big Ten. The Illini (2-10, 1-7) finished in a tie for last place with Michigan State.

From the Associated Press

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BIG 12

No. 16 Oklahoma 36, at Baylor 10: Reggie Smith returned one of his two interceptions 42 yards for a touchdown, and tailback Chris Brown ran 24 times for 169 yards and a touchdown. The Sooners (9-2, 6-1) overcame five turnovers, including fumbles by Smith and Brown that led to the only scores for the Bears (4-8, 3-5) at Waco, Texas. Oklahoma has won all 16 games in its series against Baylor, which dates to 1901.

at Texas Tech 30, Oklahoma State 24: The Red Raiders (7-5, 4-4) rallied from an early 17-0 deficit, scoring on five straight possessions to take a 27-17 lead late in the third quarter against the Cowboys (6-5, 3-4) at Lubbock.

at Iowa State 21, Missouri 16: Ryan Kock rushed for a career-high 179 yards and two touchdowns, and the Cyclones (4-8, 1-7) held on a fourth-and-goal play with 21 seconds left to beat the Tigers (7-4, 3-4) at Ames.

at Kansas 39, Kansas State 20: Jon Cornish rushed for 201 yards for the Jayhawks (6-5, 3-4) at Lawrence. Josh Freeman, the freshman quarterback for the Wildcats (7-5, 4-4) who accounted for four touchdowns in last week’s upset of Texas, lost three fumbles and was intercepted three times.

From the Associated Press

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SOUTHEASTERN

No. 3 Florida 62, Western Carolina 0: Brandon James broke the school record for punt return yardage, returning six punts for 155 and scoring on a 77-yarder for the host Gators (10-1), who scored touchdowns on nine of their first 10 possessions.

No. 5 Arkansas 28, Mississippi State 14: Darren McFadden returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in Starkville, Miss., and Chris Houston scored on an 87-yard interception for the Razorbacks (10-1, 7-0), who clinched the Western Division title.

No. 9 Louisiana State 23, Mississippi 20: Colt David’s 26-yard field goal in overtime won it for the host Tigers (9-2, 5-2), who could have won after Dwayne Bowe’s final-seconds touchdown but the Rebels (3-8, 1-6) blocked the extra point.

No. 15 Auburn 22, Alabama 15: Brandon Cox threw a 22-yard touchdown pass late in the third in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and the Tigers (10-2, 6-2) earned their fifth straight win in the rivalry.

No. 22 Tennessee 39, Vanderbilt 10: Erik Ainge threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns in Nashville and LaMarcus Coker ran for two more for the Volunteers (8-3, 4-3 SEC).

South Carolina 52, Middle Tennessee State 7: Blake Mitchell passed for a career-high 388 yards and four touchdowns and the host Gamecocks (6-5) are bowl-eligible for the second straight year under Steve Spurrier.

Kentucky 42, Louisiana-Monroe 40: Keenan Burton caught three touchdown passes and the host Wildcats (7-4, 4-3 SEC) clinched their first winning season since 2002.

From the Associated Press