INSIDE SLANT

Jim Tressel admitted again following Ohio State’s 21-10 win against Michigan that the offense’s biggest task is keeping the defense out of tough spots.

It isn’t pretty, and it certainly isn’t very exciting. Tresselball has, however, taken Ohio State to five consecutive Big Ten championships and now to Pasadena.

The Rose Bowl berth was secure long before the Buckeyes beat Michigan. They simply used their rivalry game to remind everyone how they do it year after year: Running the ball, winning the field position battle and playing good defense.

Ohio State ran for 251 yards, forced Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier into five turnovers and won an outright conference championship with Tressel’s eighth win in nine years against his biggest rival.

The Buckeyes were expected to fold at some point in November. Beating Iowa, Penn State and Michigan didn’t seem very likely, particularly after losing to Purdue in mid-October.

“We knew when we looked at the November schedule it wasn’t going to be an easy thing,” Tressel said. “But our guys don’t back down from anything.”

As a result, the Buckeyes have won the conference in seven of Tressel’s nine years. There are still the knocks on Tressel losing all the big games and Ohio State being unable to compete outside of the weak Big Ten. The Buckeyes will get another chance to atone for that in Pasadena.

Ohio State’s biggest strength is its ability to place itself in position to play in such big games. And sooner or later, they will win them again.

“We’ve been blessed with good players,” Tressel said. “Our guys never quit.”

The proof is in the standings.

NOTES, QUOTES

Scouting The Offense:   The season started with QB Terrelle Pryor trying to prove himself as a passer. When that failed miserably, the Bucks reverted back to what they’ve always done: Run the ball, either with Pryor or one of their stable of tailbacks. Jim Tressel has protected Pryor, preventing him from making the big mistake at critical times this season. Instead, Ohio State has entrusted the ball to tailbacks Dan Herron and Brandon Saine. Together, the duo has combined with Pryor to run for more than 1,950 yards and 18 touchdowns while limiting the offense to just three turnovers over the last five games.

Scouting The Defense:   The big day against Michigan means the defense leads the nation in interceptions (23) and takeaways (33). The defense prides itself on stopping the run and making big plays, two things it has done all year. A defensive line anchored by Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, coupled with a big-play secondary equals a defensive unit that allows 12.1 points per game—fifth best in the nation. Over the last five games, only one opponent (Iowa) scored more than one touchdown in a game against the Buckeyes.

Quote To Note:   “We knew when we looked at the November schedule it wasn’t going to be an easy thing. But our guys don’t back down from anything.”—coach Jim Tressel, on OSU’s perfect November that included wins against Iowa, Penn State and Michigan

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Next Game:   Rose Bowl, Jan. 1—When the Buckeyes ended the regular season before Thanksgiving, they knew where their next game would be played, but the opponent is still a mystery. The Buckeyes have known they were headed to Pasadena since beating Iowa on Nov. 14. It’s Ohio State’s seventh appearance in a BCS bowl in Jim Tressel’s nine years on the campus, but surprisingly, it’s the school’s first trip to the Rose Bowl since the 1996 season.

Players To Watch:  

• QB Terrelle Pryor—Finished the regular season with 1,828 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. But Pryor’s bigger impact came with his legs. He led the team in rushing yards with 707 and tied for the team lead with seven rushing scores.

• Dan Herron—Missed time this season due to an ankle injury, but serves as the between-the-tackles runner when healthy. Herron rushed for 558 yards and seven scores, but when Ohio State wants to wear down a defense, it’s typically Herron who gets the call.

• S Kurt Coleman—The leader of the secondary had a pair of interceptions against Michigan, giving him a team-high five for the season. With Pac-10 teams likely to throw the ball, Coleman could be in for a busy day during the Rose Bowl.

Roster Report:  

• Jim Cordle started again for Mike Adams at left tackle, despite Adams’ insistence he could play. Adams (knee) should be fine by the bowl game.

• DT Dexter Larimore continues to play an increasing amount of snaps after missing about a month with a knee injury. Larimore had one tackle on defense.

• LB Andrew Sweat (knee), RB Marcus Williams (knee) and S Aaron Gant (lower body) are doubtful for the bowl game. LB Tyler Moeller (head) is out.