Columbus, OH

Braxton Miller had an exceptional game at quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday in his head-on battle with Michigan Wolverines' signal-caller Denard Robinson.

But Miller showed he was only human, and also a freshman, overthrowing three receivers who were wide open for possible touchdowns.

Robinson passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more to lead the Wolverines at 40-34 Michigan Stadium. Miller threw for two touchdown passes and ran for another to lead Ohio State to a 24-23 halftime lead.

"I think he did a great job," senior OSU running back Dan Herron said. "He has a bright future. He's going to be a great player."

Miller threw for 235 yards and ran for 100 against Michigan. He has topped 100 yards on the ground three times in his last four games and has been the Buckeyes' No. 1` rusher with 695 yards this season.

"They've got a talented football team, and I think their offense with (Dan) Herron and (DeVier) Posey and Braxton Miller and that offensive line -- I think they are really good," said Michigan coach Brady Hoke. "They did a nice job protecting and play-actions and throwing the ball past us a little bit, and we can't do that. We haven't given up big plays all year, and we gave up a couple big plays."

One of Miller's overthrown passes to a wide open senior Devier Posey was late in the game with the Buckeyes needing a touchdown to win it.

"Honestly, I thought it was over, but I just missed the ball by a couple yards," Posey said. "I thought we had it and we went for it, but I think the silver lining out of that play was that Braxton wasn't afraid to throw it. That was a call that he made and I feel like that was a grown-man call. We just missed it."

"A couple of them took off on me," Miller said, when asked if he thought the wind may have played a factor in his overthrows. "I was just trying to win the game. I had a fun experience playing this game. I have to work harder."

"Your juices get flowing when you take shots like that," said Ohio State coach Luke Fickell, referring to Miller's deep passes. "It comes down to making the plays, whether the ball is under or overthrown, but again, those shots can loosen the defense up. It is all part of the game, but when it comes down to it, the game is about big plays, and whoever makes the big plays is going to win the game."

Miller, a Huber Heights, Ohio, native, played his football at Wayne and led that school to the Division I state title game, passing for 2,167 yards, 17 TD, and rushing for 658 yards, 17 TD. He had a career record of 31-7 over three seasons.

"We knew they were going to be a tough offense to stop," said Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs. "Braxton Miller is a great quarterback. He made some great plays, and is going to make some plays for them in the future. I think he got loose a couple times, made some big plays."

Miller said he was excited with the game plan when he saw it against Michigan.

"We have to keep our team working," he said. "I just have to keep working. I'm striving for next year."

All eyes fell upon Miller during the preseason as he prepared to take over for Terrelle Pryor.

"He is a competitor," Posey said. "He is going to play until the wire and that is one thing about that kid I admire so much. At such a young age, he's such a fighter and no matter what it is, he's going to make some plays. He's a hell of a player."

"I just took it play-by-play," Miller said. "I was trying to get a job done. The game went back-and-forth."

Miller set an Ohio State record for the longest rush by a quarterback with his 81-yard TD scampered against Indiana on Nov. 5.

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