ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As soon as Urban Meyer's Ohio State players saw him the morning of the 112th edition of The Game, they could tell there was something distinct about him. Something offbeat. Something different.
"You could see it in his eyes, honestly," quarterback J.T. Barrett said. "As the day started, we wake up at 7 a.m., I know when I looked at him there was just something different in his eyes."
"He's a fiery, passionate guy, you guys know that, but the fire burned a little hotter today. I think that's a really good way to put it," senior linebacker Joshua Perry said. "He was all about getting us juiced up, ready to go."
The Buckeyes entered Michigan Stadium Saturday for a showdown with their bitter rival, the first chance for new Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh to put the world on notice that the tide was turning in college football's most storied matchup.
When the clock struck zero, the scoreboard indicated anything but. Ohio State dominated Harbaugh's crew in the second half, imposing its will offensively in a 42-13 statement victory.
"I've been very fortunate to be around some big-time games. Very blessed," Meyer said. "From the bottom of my heart, I told our players, that might have been the best I've ever seen."
Meyer moved to 4-0 against Michigan as Ohio State's head coach, but this one was a bit more luscious. This one, after a stunning 17-14 home loss to Michigan State a week prior, needed to happen for not only Meyer, but his team.
The Buckeyes were vulnerable against Michigan — who finishes the regular season at 9-3, its best mark since 2011 — and the Wolverines had a chance to show their revitalization under Harbaugh was legit.
They left with plenty of more work to do.
"Honestly from last week, just the way we went about this week and (Meyer's) demeanor this week. Everyone on the team, everyone wanted to get out here and dominate," star running back Ezekiel Elliott said. "We wanted to get out here and make up for last weekend. We were just determined."
“What you just said, I wouldn't go as far as saying impose, but to do that against them makes it extra special.”– Urban Meyer
Elliott torched Michigan's top-5 ranked rushing defense for 214 yards and two touchdowns, the latter a 10-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter to make it 35-13 and firmly shut the door on a potential Wolverine comeback. Barrett added 139 yards on the ground, with three scores of his own.
"I think the biggest thing this meant to me was being able to bounce back and see what this program's about," left tackle Taylor Decker said. "If we couldn't bounce back and win a football game after a tough loss, we're phonies. Everything we talk about, everything we preach, our culture — is phony. I think we kind of showed what we're made of."
Decker is one of 18 Ohio State seniors who will end their careers without ever losing to Michigan, a stalwart on the offensive line that slowly wore down a depleted Michigan defensive front and imposed its will by the final horn.
The Buckeyes led 14-10 at halftime, but out-paced the Wolverines in the game's final 30 minutes. Ohio State held an advantage in total yards (482-364) and scored on four consecutive possessions in the second half.
"The fact that we were able to bounce back from last week and the way we played last week and come out and execute the way we did today and dominate, just means so much for this team," said Barrett, who went 9-of-15 passing for 113 yards and a touchdown toss to Jalin Marshall. "Shows how resilient we are."
Ohio State could have crumbled after such a poor performance against Michigan State, but did the exact opposite and came together to steamroll the Wolverines and keep its Big Ten East title dreams alive.
"I want to make clear, I think one of the reasons why they practiced and got refocused so quickly is because of the respect they have for their opponent. That is an excellent football team and very good personnel. Excellent personnel," Meyer said. "What you just said, I wouldn't go as far as saying impose, but to do that against them makes it extra special."
Elliott ran roughshod over Michigan Saturday.
Any win against Michigan is special, but this one gave Meyer an early edge in his personal head coaching matchup with Harbaugh. Ohio State's football boss was as loose as ever postgame, narrowly dodging a Gatorade bath attempt on the sideline from Decker and Michael Thomas and then dabbing in the locker room.
Yeah, you could say this one was "extra special."
"That's something I've never seen before," Perry said. "Coach Meyer was really feeling it after the game."
Meyer joked with reporters about Elliott passing Eddie George on the Ohio State all-time rushing list — "Who's that again? Eddie? Eddie George?" — and exhaled as he spoke about the hollow feeling he and his staff felt last week after losing to Michigan State.
The hollowness was filled with exuberance and satisfaction Saturday in the bowels of Michigan Stadium, a feeling boosted after a sheer domination of Harbaugh and their arch-rival.
"To come out and do that against them, just shows you this is one of the best group of kids I've ever been around," Meyer said. "Extremely grateful to be around them. I think Buckeye Nation should be very proud of those guys, to do that after last week."
