The Oakland University Football Club drove four hours and 15 minutes to take on Ohio State’s club team in Xenia, Ohio Sunday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m., looking to end their inaugural regular season on high note. They did just that, and they didn’t even have to line up for one snap to land the win.

In the National Football Club Association (NFCA), it’s the responsibility of the home team to hire referees for games. Ohio State failed to do so and was forced to forfeit.

The teams went on to play an exhibition game, with coaches from each side acting as referees. The exhibition ended in a 27-27 tie, as the teams declined playing into overtime.

The game’s outcome was already decided, but that didn’t change the pride the Golden Grizzlies and Buckeyes played with in a game that featured several lead changes and big plays from each team.

OU running back Marc Wise ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, one of them coming on a highlight-reel 65-yarder. Ohio State missed several tackles on the run, as Wise used an array of cuts and jukes to evade the Buckeye defenders.

“That was crazy, he’s something else,” OU quarterback Brandon Tucker said of Wise’s run.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Wise said. “I followed my block. We had a good line, good lead blocks.”

Wise wasn’t the only Grizzly breaking long runs. Tucker finished with 94 rushing yards, the majority of them coming off a touchdown run of 33 yards and a 35-yard scramble.

“The linemen, I think today is one of the best games they’ve had all year,” Tucker said. “All the Power-I plays, they (OSU) knew it was coming, but they still couldn’t stop it.”

The exhibition was back-and-forth the whole way, but OU defensive back David Brosky came away with a key 30-yard interception return for a touchdown when it looked like the Buckeyes were poised to pull away with another scoring drive.

The Buckeyes had trouble consistently moving the ball, instead relying on quick-strike scoring plays of 50, 70 and 80 yards to keep pace with the Grizzlies.

Both coaching staffs declined to play out an overtime period in an effort to avoid any unnecessary injuries.

The Football Club ends the regular season with a 5-2 record, with U-M Flint being forced to forfeit their Oct. 26 34-19 win over the Grizzlies due to fielding unapproved players.