By Jonathan Drew
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State fans near campus slumped into couches and stared mournfully into plastic cups of beer as the defending national champion's hopes waned in the final minutes of a 35-21 loss at Michigan on Saturday.

During the fourth quarter, the rustling of leaves could be heard on empty streets a block from campus. Inside many houses, fans huddled around television sets.

Meanwhile, police were ready - last year's home victory by the Buckeyes led to a riot that resulted in 60 arrests. Sgt. Brent Mull said officers made about five arrests shortly after the game for offenses including disorderly conduct and burning couches.

Mull said the campus area had calmed down just after nightfall.

"I'm already drunk, so I don't have to drink that much to get to my happy place. I'm drinking away my pain," said Adam Bakewell, 21, a fifth-year Ohio State senior. "We should have won this game more easily. I cry for what could have been."

After the game, Bakewell and several others smashed a wooden stool on the porch steps.

At Michigan Stadium, an NCAA single game record crowd of 112,118 was on edge as the Buckeyes opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown, but Ohio State couldn't complete a rally from a three-touchdown deficit opened in the first half. The victory gives the Wolverines the Big Ten title and costs Ohio State any chance of repeating as national champions.

Although this was the 100th meeting of the rivals, most fans tailgating in Ann Arbor said it didn't catch on until coaches Woody Hayes and Michigan's Bo Schembechler went head to head from 1969 to 1977.

"This is a great rivalry here. It was better back then, but it's good now," said 69-year-old Ralph Pringle of Benton Harbor.

Dozens of fans piled on Columbus couches and porches, sitting around half empty bowls of chips and dip and alternately screaming profanities and cheers at TV screens - hoping for another last-minute Ohio State stunner.

"We've been struggling all year, and we've only winning out by a little bit, and it was only a matter of time before the defense couldn't pull the load," said Mike Repka, a junior wearing a necklace of buckeye nuts with a red Ohio State sweat shirt. "It puts a bitter end to a pretty fun season."

Jake Miller, a fifth-year student, said he was angry and had wanted to see Ohio State defend its title in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Like many fans, he said he was disappointed in the defense.

"We should have protected the screen a lot better," Miller said.

Police cruisers made frequent patrols near campus as the game wound down. One officer paused at a house and asked for the score after cheering "O-H" on the cruiser's loudspeaker, to which fans on the porch responded "I-O."

After Ohio State beat Michigan 14-9 last November, rioters tore through the campus area, turning over or burning about 20 cars, breaking windows and setting more than 100 street fires - despite the presence of about 400 police officers. Officers used tear gas and wooden pellets known as "knee-knockers" to disperse a crowd of several hundred people east of campus. More than 60 people, including 16 students, were arrested - prompting reviews by university officials and campus and city police.

City police last year mistakenly took a restrained approach to allow revelers room to party, deputy chief Stephen Gammill said Friday. This year officers were told to intervene early, but officials declined to outline specific strategies.