By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - At its essence, football is about force. And so a muscular matchup in the trenches may decide the Ohio State-Michigan game.

Can the Bucks' stingy defense contain Michigan running back Chris Perry? (AP photo) | ZOOM |

The Buckeyes boast the nation's top rushing defense, allowing just 50.5 yards per game. The Wolverines run-block well enough for Chris Perry to rank third nationally in rushing, at 130.5 yards per game.

"Defensively, we know it's going to come down to stopping the run," OSU senior defensive end Will Smith said.

OSU prides itself on shutting down the run to make teams one-dimensional, and that could put pressure on passer John Navarre.

Michigan's fifth-year senior holds several school passing records and ranks second in the Big Ten in passing (252.9 yards per game), but he is 0-2 against OSU and has fared poorly in those games. Two years ago, he threw four interceptions and fumbled, and last year he was 23-of-46 for 247 yards with an interception and fumble.

But the Wolverines insist they can win through the air.

"We're going to take what they give us," Perry said. "If they put eight or nine in the box (to stop the run), they're leaving Braylon Edwards (81.9 receiving yards per game) and Jason Avant (70.6) man-on-man."

Perry will be the first option, though. He has rushed for 1,439 yards and 15 TDs, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, and had a school-record 51 carries for 219 yards against Michigan State.

OSU likes a challenge. It held Iowa's Fred Russell, the league's second-leading rusher, to 42 yards on 22 carries.

"Everyone lives for a test like this," OSU linebacker Fred Pagac Jr. said of Perry.

---

E-mail nschmidt@enquirer.com