OSU, Wisconsin to Play for Big 10 Title
OSU, Wisconsin to Play for Big 10 Title
Ohio State University road a wild comeback to defeat the University of Michigan and book a place in the Big Ten Universities Conference championship game next week.
OSU fell behind 22-8 but started to haul in the Wolverines in the second half. Aaron Thomas scored to dust the deficit to nine points, and midway through the second half Jojo Eramo scored his second try of the day to inch the Buckeyes to within two points at 22-20. By then Ohio State had turned the momentum completely in their favor and Eramo's third try of the day finally put the Buckeyes ahead.
But with the score 27-22 it wasn't secure. If the scoreline had stayed there, Michigan would have earned two bonus points, one for four tries, and one for a close loss, and that would have been enough to keep the Wolverines in the championship game, and Ohio State out. So when Santiago Cua picked up at the base of the scrum and rambled over, the try did more than give Ohio State a cushion, it ensured the Buckeyes would play next week.
With the 34-22 victory Ohio State and Michigan sit at 4-2 with 22 points in the standings. Ohio State finishes higher thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin defeated Minnesota 46-10 in convincing fashion to finish 5-1 and book a spot in the final against OSU. Indiana, which finished 6-0 after a forfeit win this weekend, is ineligible for the championship match as part of a punishment for fielding ineligible players last year.
Below are the updated standings.
Below are the updated standings.
Big Ten (DIA, ACRC) | |||||||||
W | L | T | Pf | Pa | Pd | BT | BL | Pts | |
Indiana | 6 | 0 | 0 | 307 | 69 | 238 | 5 | 0 | 29 |
Wisconsin - y | 5 | 1 | 0 | 266 | 102 | 164 | 6 | 1 | 27 |
Ohio State - y | 4 | 2 | 0 | 214 | 172 | 42 | 6 | 0 | 22 |
Michigan | 4 | 2 | 0 | 224 | 102 | 122 | 5 | 1 | 22 |
Iowa | 4 | 2 | 0 | 214 | 177 | 37 | 5 | 0 | 21 |
Minnesota | 3 | 3 | 0 | 121 | 172 | -51 | 4 | 1 | 17 |
Michigan State | 2 | 4 | 0 | 142 | 185 | -43 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
Illinois | 1 | 5 | 0 | 117 | 235 | -118 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
Purdue | 1 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 311 | -266 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Nebraska | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 120 | -120 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
y= clinched championship game |