Thousands swarmed the streets surrounding Ohio State University last night following the school's national championship win. Campus and local police, clad in riot gear, dispersed the crowds by firing pepper spray at students and fans.

According to NBC News, a "handful" of people were arrested by police, and a number of small fires and gunshots were reported from the scene. From the Columbus Dispatch:

Ohio State and Columbus police cruisers converged on the area, attempting to push the revelers back onto the sidewalks, but it appeared to be a futile attempt. As police pushed back one section of people, another group would swarm onto N. High, intent on making the main road a place to party.

Shortly after midnight, police began using pepper spray on many of the party-goers. Some left the area with stinging eyes and runny noses. Others stayed and just seemed to move to other areas along N. High Street.

Steven Plamondon, an Ohio State sophomore, described the frantic, drunken encounter revelers experienced with police to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

"As I'm trying to get away, I tripped, threw up on the ground, got hit in the foot with a [tear gas] canister, scrambled back on my feet, ran away some more, threw up some more, and put snow all over my face because it was just terrible," he told the paper.

[Image via AP]