Ohio State vs. Michigan past games
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Lineman Barton soaks in huge win
Sunday, November 19, 2006
COLUMBUS — Among the pack of media members in the Ohio State post-game interview room, there suddenly was a familiar scent.
Cigar smoke? In here?
Extras
And then, Kirk Barton emerged. The Buckeyes' right tackle sat in a chair to address the press while puffing on three-quarters of a ... well, what was it?
"This is a fine Cuban cigar," said the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Barton, and no one cared to ask him to explain.
"Sometimes you have to be confident in what's going to happen," Barton said. "I bought a bottle of Dom Perignon. It was like three hundred and 50 bucks, a big chunk out of my scholarship check. You have to put your money where your mouth is sometimes. Michigan's a great team, but we're a great team. We felt like winning today."
He was speaking for the entire top-ranked Ohio State football team, which beat No. 2 Michigan, 42-39, Saturday in the most explosive offensive game the series has known in its modern history. But he might as well have been speaking for just the offensive line, the group that had helped the Buckeyes pound out 187 rushing yards against a Wolverines defense that had allowed opponents an average of 29.9 per game in its first 11 games.
Put simply, the Buckeyes on Saturday gained more than half of the total Michigan had allowed all season (329).
So, Kirk, did the game live up to the hype?
"Oh yeah, I mean, did you watch it?" he said. "That's gonna be an instant classic tomorrow at about noon when I'm going into film."
What he and the offensive line will see is one sack allowed and two rushing touchdowns of at least 52 yards (a 52-yarder from freshman Chris Wells in the second quarter and a 56-yarder from junior Antonio Pittman in the third quarter).
"Compared to the film we watched, we knew they hadn't gone against a great offensive line yet," Barton said. "We knew if we got after 'em, it would be a little bit of a change for 'em. They haven't gone against a bunch of guys that can really block the way we do."
And don't even get him started on Pittman, who upped his season totals to 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns with 139 yards and a score. Barton became Pittman's campaign manager for All-Big Ten consideration.
"I said last year when he scored that winning touchdown (against Michigan), and then they gave it to Albert Young and Tony Hunt and a bunch of no-names," said Barton. "Pitt's the best back in the Big Ten, without question.... So, I hope he gets his due, finally, because he's been carrying us for a while."
Barton even threw a compliment toward the boys up north. Sort of.
"I wouldn't say domination, because hell, they were within three points of beatin' us," Barton said. "We played hard, and they played very hard today. I take my hat off to them. They were classy. They played as hard as a team possibly could — and not win."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.
