Ohio State Gains Share of the Title : Big Ten: The No. 5 Buckeyes escape No. 19 Indiana, 23-17. A victory at Michigan will send them to the Rose Bowl.

Quarterback Bret Powers dived for a first down on fourth and inches in the final minute, preserving fifth-ranked Ohio State’s 23-17 victory over No. 19 Indiana on Saturday.

“Nothing ever comes easy for us,” Buckeye Coach John Cooper said after his team clinched at least a share of its first Big Ten championship since 1986.

Thousands of fans rushed the muddy field after the game, with state and university police using a chemical spray to prevent them from tearing down the goal posts. No arrests or injuries were reported.

“It’s not time to celebrate yet,” said flanker Joey Galloway, who caught a touchdown pass and had 115 yards on five receptions.

Raymont Harris ran for a career-high 162 yards and became the 15th Ohio State player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

“I’ve always considered myself a 1,000-yard running back, but I’ve never had the opportunity in the past,” he said.

The Buckeyes, 9-0-1 overall and 6-0-1 in the Big Ten, can clinch their first trip to the Rose Bowl since the 1984 season with a victory at Michigan on Saturday.

Ohio State outrushed Indiana, 154-31, but it was one of the Buckeyes’ shortest gains of the day that sealed the victory.

Faced with fourth and inches at its 48 with 35 seconds to play and Indiana out of timeouts, Cooper chose to go for the first down instead of punt. Powers ran up the middle, making the first down by the tip of the ball.

“There wasn’t much debate about that,” Cooper said. “Maybe if Indiana had timeouts left, we probably would have kicked it.”

Ohio State expanded a 17-10 lead at the half to 23-10 heading into the fourth quarter on field goals of 23 and 22 yards by Tim Williams.

After a 44-yard kickoff return by Jermaine Chaney gave the Hoosiers the ball at the Ohio State 49, Indiana drove to a third-and-two situation at the Ohio State nine. But Chaney was tackled for a two-yard loss by end Jayson Gwinn. The Hoosiers then were penalized for delay of game as Bill Manolopoulos set up for a 28-yard field goal. Now faced with fourth and nine at the 16, Indiana faked the field goal and holder Chris Dyer’s pass for Manolopoulos fell incomplete.

Indiana Coach Bill Mallory said he wanted to change the play and go for the field goal after the penalty, but didn’t get the message to his team in time.

“It was a screwed-up mess,” he said.

After an Ohio State punt, Indiana drove 63 yards in seven plays, with Chaney’s 21-yard touchdown run off right tackle cutting the lead to 23-17.

Ohio State drove to the Hoosiers 19 with 2:38 to play, but Williams’ 37-yard field-goal attempt was wide to the left.

The Hoosiers took over for the final time at their 20. But Gwinn, who had five of Ohio State’s 11 tackles for losses, sacked Chris Dittoe and also forced an incompletion.