Ezekiel Elliott ran through, around and past Michigan’s defense a week after running his mouth.
Elliott had 214 yards rushing and two touchdowns, helping No. 8 Ohio State rout the 10th-ranked Wolverines 42-13 on Saturday.
The Buckeyes (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 8 CFP) have won 12 of the last 14 games in what has become a lopsided series.
Even with their latest win, the defending national champion Buckeyes need Penn State to beat No. 6 Michigan State later in the day to reach the Big Ten championship game against Iowa.
”Our season kind of rests on their shoulders right now,” Elliott said.
Ohio State fans at the Big House knew it as well, and in the second half began chanting: ”Go Penn State! Go Penn State!”
Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett had 19 carries for a season-high 139 yards, helping his team run for 369 yards.
The Wolverines (9-3, 6-2, No. 10 CFP) simply could not stop their rivals from running at will.
”The biggest thing is they were getting tired and they weren’t getting lined up,” Elliott said.
Elliott, who has 3,812 yards rushing in his career, passed Eddie George for No. 2 on the school’s all-time rushing list and trails only two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Elliott should at least be at the ceremony honoring college football’s most outstanding player.
”I think he should be in New York,” Meyer said. ”I think he is one of the best players in America. I don’t know if he should win. I don’t know the other players, but I am fortunate to be around him. He’s one of best players that I’ve ever been around.”
Elliott had a 5-yard run that put Ohio State up 14-3 in the second quarter and a 10-yard run put the Buckeyes ahead 35-13 early in the fourth.
”We couldn’t make tackles, especially on No. 15,” Michigan defensive tackle Chris Wormley said. ”A guy like that takes more than one person to tackle him.”
Barrett started the scoring barrage with a 7-yard run late in the first quarter. His 13-yard run late in the third quarter gave the Buckeyes an 18-point cushion and his 17-yard run midway through the fourth ended the scoring for Ohio State.
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