Columbus police wield pepper spray
— -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The gates to the Horseshoe were locked and Mirror Lake was frozen over, but that didn't slow down the celebration on the Ohio State campus.
Instead, students congregated around the home stadium of the new national champions and hundreds ventured out onto the frozen lake for a new twist on an old tradition before police officers eventually cleared out both locations relatively peacefully after the No. 4 Buckeyes finished off a 42-20 win over No. 2 Oregon.
Officers reported using pepper spray, from a canister and from what appeared to be a paintball gun, but particularly in the case of the revelry at Mirror Lake, that was used for the safety of the students given the combination of low temperatures, slick surfaces and large crowds.
"We want them to celebrate," one responding officer said. "We just want them to be safe."
The fans decked out in all kinds of Ohio State jerseys, singing "Carmen, Ohio" and chanting "O-H-I-O" had no problem with the first part of that equation, and the quick response from local officers appeared to take care of the second half.
A police spokesman said 30 to 40 fires in trash cans and dumpsters have been reported.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, there were no reports of injuries as of 1 a.m., though sizable gatherings also on N. High Street also prompted the use of pepper spray and left some with watery eyes.
Several students at Mirror Lake reported having been hit with the spray as well, but when approximately a dozen officers showed up to close down the party, it moved on without incident.
"It's a little bit different out on the ice, but it's all awesome," sophomore Corey Brewer said. "There's no feeling like it, really. To win a national championship when I'm in school, there's just no better feeling."
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