OSU Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The perfect record survived, but it didn't come with many style points.

The latter was apparently more important to the AP voters this week than Ohio State's unbeaten run through eight weeks after it escaped with a 29-22 overtime win over Purdue on Saturday.

The Buckeyes slipped two spots back to No. 9 in the nation when the latest poll was released on Sunday, with one-loss Oklahoma jumping ahead of them and leaving two teams with a defeat between the program and the top ranking.

That will make pushing for an AP national championship a bit tougher with four games left and no postseason opportunities available for the Buckeyes, but they still have several chances to prove themselves heading into the closing stretch of the season -- starting with a trip to Penn State on Saturday.

Only rival Michigan stayed with Ohio State on the inside of the top 25, though a handful of opponents are still showing up on ballots -- including that next opponent on the schedule as the second half of the Big Ten slate starts for the Buckeyes. Here's a look at how the Wolverines and the rest of those receiving votes fared over the weekend:

Michigan

• Rank: No. 20
• Date: Nov. 24
• Where: Ohio Stadium
• Last week: No. 23; beat Michigan State 12-10

Wisconsin

• Rank: Received 31 voting points
• Date: Nov. 17
• Where: Camp Randall Stadium
• Last week: Received 6 voting points; beat Minnesota 38-13

Penn State

• Rank: Received 18 voting points
• Date: Saturday
• Where: Beaver Stadium
• Last week: Received 1 vote; beat Iowa 38-14

Nebraska

• Rank: Received 24 voting points
• Date: Oct. 6
• Where: Ohio Stadium
• Last week: Received 4 voting points; beat Northwestern 29-28

Even if Kenny Guiton never starts a game at quarterback for Ohio State, he gave himself a legacy on Saturday. Welcome to Across The Field, a weekly feature on BuckeyeNation where we point you to noteworthy Buckeyes coverage here and elsewhere. Think something should be included? Send it to espnkendrick@gmail.com.

Ohio State 29, Purdue 22 (OT)

• Imperfect win, imperfect (and very injured) team, but a perfect record, writes Austin Ward.
• Guiton's performance was one for the ages, writes Bob Hunter (Dispatch) and Bill Livingston (Plain Dealer)
• Guiton gets the headlines, but how about that first career TD catch for Chris Fields? (News-Herald)
• The defense made a big stop in overtime. (Dispatch)
• And Purdue found another way to lose. (Indianapolis Star)

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• The offensive line has been the engine behind the winning streak.
• Looks like Urban Meyer's message to the defense was received.
• Luke Fickell has enough internal pressure to get the defense fixed.
• Brad Bournival caught up with former WR Roy Hall, who is president of a nonprofit.
• Zach Boren might not have been able to move to defense if not for Jeff Heuerman's ability to move to fullback.
• Carlos Hyde tends to get stronger as the game progresses. And he's spreading his wings in the offense, writes Adam Rittenberg.
• 2014 offensive tackle Jamarco Jones is already looking forward to Nov. 24. Aren't we all.
• Three freshmen are playing themselves into big roles on defense.
• The Buckeyes need linebackers, right. That makes Mike Mitchell a big, big target. It's one of the national #BlueChipBattles.
• A linebacker committed to Auburn also is taking a look at the Buckeyes.
• 2013 receiver Shelton Gibson wants to finish his season before whittling his list.
• Middletown's Jalin Marshall projects as a receiver in Columbus, where his physical skills could come in very handy.
• A former Michigan offensive line commit also will give the Buckeyes a shot.
• An athlete from Tennessee made the trip for the Purdue game.
• Ohio State also gave an offer to a juco receiver originally from Akron.

Football

• Vanderbilt's athletic director plans to apologize for the handling of dropping the Buckeyes from the 2013 schedule. (Lantern)
• Cute lead by Doug Lesmerises -- the Buckeyes played like a Big 12 defense last week. (Plain Dealer)
• Comparing Braxton Miller with Terrelle Pryor, and it's hard to ignore the baggage. (Plain Dealer)
• With Ohio State's pedigree of star linebackers, it's hard to believe the cupboard is this bare at the position. (The Ozone.net)
• The Buckeyes would have likely been No. 7 in the first BCS standings if they were eligible. (Plain Dealer)
• Miller isn't looking at the Heisman polls. (11 Warriors)

Basketball

• The Buckeyes are No. 4 in the coaches' poll.
• So, is the Big Ten a basketball conference now? Football players weigh in. (Plain Dealer)
• Ohio State should be a contender as other powerhouses rebuild. (SI)
• A Q&A with point guard Aaron Craft. (Sporting News)
• Student tickets for basketball sold out in less than five minutes. (Lantern)

The Gang's All Here

• Tiffany Cameron of the women's soccer team broke the team record for goals. (Lantern)
• And one of Woody's guys passed away this week. (Jacksonville.com)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The undefeated season is intact.

But Ohio State might have suffered a pretty big loss at quarterback in the process.

Braxton Miller left the game late in the third quarter and was transported to the hospital, and the Buckeyes couldn’t muster anything on offense without the sophomore in a gritty 29-22 overtime win over Purdue on Saturday at Ohio Stadium that tested the resolve of Urban Meyer's program.

And another big challenge could be coming depending on the health of his star sophomore.

It was over when: The last pass of the game flew out of the back of the end zone in overtime, falling incomplete on fourth-and-5 and finally allowing Ohio State to exhale. The Buckeyes were pushed to the max, needing a last-second touchdown to even force the extra session before delivering a critical stop with its beleaguered defense on the final drive.

Game ball goes to: Kenny Guiton only added to his reputation as the ultimate closer off the bench. While the backup quarterback wasn't instantly effective -- as he was in the opportunities when Miller was briefly injured in the past three games -- Guiton delivered when it mattered most with the perfect season on the line, leading an impressive drive in the final minute and capping it with a two-point conversion pass to Jeff Heuerman that forced overtime in what had looked to be a lost cause.

Stat of the game: Among the worst rushing defenses in the Big Ten, Purdue put together a solid scheme to slow down Miller and held him to just 47 yards on 12 carries with a lost fumble before he left the game with an injury late in the third quarter -- with 37 coming on his last attempt.

How the game was won: The Buckeyes had to dig deeper than they have all season, but they still found a way to keep their record perfect as the passing game picked up some of the slack for a surprisingly ineffective ground attack. Chris Fields provided a spark as a receiver, including the diving touchdown catch that extended the game in the fourth quarter after not making a catch all season coming into the game.

What it means: A Heisman Trophy campaign could be on hold for a bit, but an undefeated season remains a possibility for the Buckeyes. The trick for them will be finding a way to respond with a banged-up defense and uncertainty with their most valuable player on offense moving forward as they shift their attention to a tough road trip to Penn State.

Purdue, meanwhile had its flickering chances of contending in the Leaders Division extinguished despite an impressive outing overall, showing life with its defense that could make it a tougher out down the road.

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David Dawson decommited from Michigan and Justin Manning delayed his decision date, and that had a big-time ripple effect in this week's #BlueChipBattles , as more than half of the top 10 spots have new occupants.