As if merely defeating the hated Michigan Wolverines wasn't motivation enough in and of itself, the Ohio State Buckeyes entered Saturday's game against their arch rivals with a chance to finish the season 12-0 and complete only the sixth perfect season in Ohio State's long, storied, football rich history. Fast forward three and a half hours later, and the Buckeyes had accomplished just that.
Defeat Michigan? Check. The Buckeyes outlasted the Wolverines and put on a second half defensive clinic for the ages to the tune of a 26-21 final score. Finish 2012 unbeaten? Yup. The Buckeyes are unscathed and no lack of a bowl or any high horse third party degradation is going to do anything to take that away from them. But what about following through with tradition and singing the school's alma matter, "Carmen Ohio", which was actually written in 1902 by an Ohio State football player on the train back to Columbus following an 86-0 drubbing at the hand of the Wolverines?
Don't worry; the Ohio Stadium crowd's got this for you.