[Eric Upchurch]
Mike McCray and Chris Wormley
Chris, what was your view of the spot?
“Looked like he was short, but I guess the refs saw something different. We have to play through those types of calls, that type of adversity.”
Through the first three quarters you guys kind of bottled them up. What did they do differently in the fourth quarter?
CW:“We were just playing lights-out the first three and a half quarters. They got some plays and they have good players. They go to Ohio State, they’ve got good players. If we made a few plays at the end the outcome probably would have been different, but I thought we played pretty well for most of the game.”
Chris, do you guys still believe that you’re a playoff team?
“I think so. They’re saying Wisconsin can do that if they win next week and we beat that team. So, there’s probably some things that have to go our way, some people that have to be on our side on the committee or however that works, but we’ve played good football all year. We’re keeping our fingers crossed and we’re excited for whatever happens.”
With the regular season ending, how do you guys view these last 12 games and the final result today?
CW:“I think you look back and we had a great run. This is the most fun I’ve ever had playing football, with Mike, the rest of the defense, the offense. I think you look back and you can see what you did poorly, did well, and build off of the things that you did well and take that into the bowl game and prepare for that as best you can.”
MM: “Like Chris said, had a great season throughout the regular season. Didn’t get the outcome that we wanted--to go to the Big Ten championship--but like he said before, you’ve got to get ready for the bowl game and see what we did right throughout the season, see what we did wrong, and improve on it.”
[Hit THE JUMP for more]
Jim was beyond upset about the two penalties for six yards [on OSU]. Was it really that cleanly played a game, do you think?
CW:“Coach Harbaugh’s an [?] kind of guy when it comes to that. He leaves it all and doesn’t show anything—he’s just an enthusiastic guy. But there were a few calls that I thought could go either way, but it didn’t go our way.”
Both of you guys, especially being from Ohio, despite the outcome, is this the type of game that you guys come here to play?
CW:“Yeah, this is what you got to Michigan for, this is what you go to Ohio State for, to play that team the last regular season game. This is the type of exciting game you look back on and talk about with friends and family and things like that. But we wish we could have gotten this one.”
Harbaugh was pretty animated when he came in here talking about the officiating. He said that was the message he shared with you in the locker room. What was that like? How did he present it to you guys?
MM:“You know, we didn’t get the call that we wanted. Coach Harbaugh has his opinions and we back him up on what he has to say, just like he backs us up.”
[Wormley holds up the mic as another reporter starts a question]
Chris, did you have something--
CW:“No, no. That was perfect.”
For either of you, it seemed like the whole game you guys had the lead and had Ohio State on the ropes a little bit. What was the mood like on the sidelines? Did you guys feel like that, especially in the last few minutes?
CW: “I think when you shut down an offense that is so—that has so many players that can make plays and you shut them down for most of the game, you have a ten-point lead, you feel pretty good about yourself. So yeah, we were feeling pretty good on the sidelines.”
When you were up 17-7 there was then an extended period the rest of regulation where you guys were on the field most of the game. Does fatigue start to play in there a little bit?
MM: “I don’t think so. We prepared for it in the offseason and it’s week 12, so I don’t think fatigue had anything to do with it.”
Chris, were they doing anything different in the run game with Barrett in the fourth quarter and overtime? He seemed to have a little bit more room. Did you notice anything different in what they presented to you guys?
CW: “No, they were running the same type of plays we prepared for all week. They hit a couple. It wasn’t like they were just driving. They had big plays, which we had to eliminate and didn’t.”
Do you guys feel like you’re one of the four best teams in the country?
CW: “Absolutely. If we would have won this game—a call here or there would have turned the game around in our favor, then you guys would have been saying we’re a playoff team and we’re a shoe-in. So, I think we are. I think we have the talent, I think we have the players, and I think we’ve proved ourselves all year that we’re a playoff contender. Hopefully people see that and put us in the playoff, the playoff hunt, I guess.”
You all said that you come to Michigan to play this game. How difficult is it to leave here again with a loss?
CW: “It sucks. You’re a fifth-year guy, you’ve never beaten Ohio State and you want this one as bad as possible, and when you don’t get that win it sucks. Yeah, just not a good feeling.”
MM: “Just like Chris said, it sucks. Probably won’t go home for a while until it calms down for a little bit. Yeah, that’s all I got to say.”