Drew Thurman (9:19 pm)

Going into halftime the Buckeyes had a slim 14-7 lead, but the second half brought a much different outcome. After a huge defensive stop and two big runs by Beanie and Boom, the Buckeyes took at 21-7 lead and never looked back. The victory was the fifth straight for the Buckeyes against the Wolverines, something they had never before. There are a lot of things I noticed in the game, but here are a few:

Wolverine Killer: Playing great against Michigan ensures that you will go down in Buckeye history forever, and Beanie played great against "the school up north" for a third straight season. His 59 yard touchdown run not only got the Buckeyes going, but showed yet again that Beanie is a "Wolverine killer." He seems to have a big run against them every year, and that has to put a smile on your face.

Pryor's Performance: Pryor came out and threw one of the worst interceptions you will ever see. I give him credit though because he never gave up on the play, and without his tackle this game could have had a much different feel. Outside of that play Pryor's game was very hit or miss. He had some ugly throws and took some bad sacks, but overall made some crucial plays. For his game to go to the next level he needs to develop a intermediate passing game, and not just throwing it long. With that said, Pryor came away with his first win against Michigan.

Coaches vs. Players: What in the world was going on between the Michigan players and coaches on the sideline. In the first quarter during a Wolverine timeout, ABC caught the players screaming and getting in their coaches faces. This to me showed a real issue with Rich Rodriguez's leadership, and why they went 3-8. I know there was a new system in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines didn't look like they respected the leadership!  

Here comes "The Boom": After a big touchdown run last week against the Illini, Boom Herron came up huge again this week. He had eight carries for 80 yards with two touchdowns, and had his coming out party in the biggest game of his young career. Everyone is talking about Jamaal Berry and Carlos Hyde coming in next year, but as Lee Corso would say, "not so fast my friend!" Herron is a serious talent who hits the hole as fast as anyone I have seen. The one criticism of him is that he could not break the long run, but that does not seem to be an issue any longer!

Hartline and Small: I along with many Buckeye fans have been very hard on these two young men this season. Hartline had been rumored to be a cancer in the locker room, and of course we all know the many troubles surrounding Ray Small. Both had great games on Saturday, and I was glad to see both guys were a big part of the team again. Especially for Ray Small, who I still feel can get his act together. It was great to see Chris Carter coaching and encouraging Small on the sideline, and I think that had a big part to play in Small's 110 punt return yards!

Boeckman and the seniors: Tressel and the coaches could not have scripted this game any better for the seniors. A ton of them got game action, but the story of the day had to be Todd Boeckman. He had 64 yards on three throws, the best being his pass to Brian Hartline for a touchdown. Boeckman has been a class act all the way this season, and I was glad to see he got his moment on senior day. He embodies what you want from a Buckeye player, and we all know he bleeds scarlet and gray!

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