It’s 3rd and 1 from the Michigan 28-yard line. Ohio State has the ball and a four-point lead with 12:09 left in the fourth quarter. Fifth-year center Doug Datish points out a would-be blitzer, looks between his legs at quarterback Troy Smith, waits a beat and snaps the ball.
Except the ball doesn’t snap. The ball gets caught in a divot on the three-week old turf inside Ohio Stadium and for the second consecutive possession, the Buckeyes fumble and it’s recovered by the Michigan Wolverines.
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Michigan has the ball with a chance to take its first lead since 7-0 in the “Game of the Century’’ against its biggest rival.