It's not just a game. It's everything. Arguably the biggest rivalry in all of college football will play its 110th game in the history between the two teams. You can take everything you know about both teams thus far this season, crumple it up, and toss it right out the window.
There is no debating the Wolverine's struggles as of late, while Ohio State seemingly has little to play for on the outside with the conference all but wrapped up. A vintage recipe for an old school trap game.
Ohio State comes into this game as the king of the conference with a perfect 11-0 record, a 23-game winning streak, and ranks third in all major polls. However, ask anyone on the squad and they'll tell you none of that matters now, as they've saved their most important game for last.
Urban Meyer has gone on record saying this rivalry will force him to do things "over the top" compared to any other game, but as far as his Xs & Os game plan one would assume Meyer won't change much. Why would he? In their last four games the Buckeyes have averaged 55 points and 597 yards per game. Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde have been the oil in an offensive engine that has powered through opponents averaging 314 yards rushing per game. Digging deeper, Miller has rushed for 328 yards in his last two games while Hyde has been a fantasy monster. In his last six games he has ran for 938 yards, 14 touchdowns, averaging 8.1 yards per touch. But, Ohio State's dominance is new to no one.
To say their opponent Michigan has been struggling as of late would be an understatement. They've lost three of their last four games while losing their luster on the offensive side of the ball. Being held to six and 13 points against Nebraska and Michigan State while scoring nine points in four quarters last week against Northwestern. Most recently against Iowa they were held scoreless in the second half. Gardner has only averaged 182 yards passing in his last four games while averaging just 47 yards rushing as well.
What people forget about is their was a time not long ago when Michigan was considered just as good of a team, if not better. The Wolverines started out 5-0 including a win against Notre Dame in week two on a big time stage, which vaulted them to 11th in the nation. Their catalyst, Devin Gardner, at his peak this season was at times unstoppable. On October ninth against Indiana he threw for 503 yards and accounted for 584 yards of total offense for his team. Proving that the talent and potential is there for the Wolverines any given Saturday, and come this Saturday their motivation to shine will be on display in front of over a hundred-thousand passionate fans wearing blue and yellow giving them an indisputable home field advantage. Michigan will need their fans energy to change their momentum around on Saturday.
With a rivalry that runs deep in history, neither team is focused on the past as both teams momentum seems to stop here. Ohio State's offensive lineman Jack Mewhort knows what has happened up to this point doesn't seem to matter. "It's always a tough, smash-mouth game. We're prepared to get their best shot, and they're going to get ours, too. The records aren't really a big deal this week." After all, a flawless record and BCS title hopes would be flushed down the toilet with a loss this Saturday. If there is one team that would be ecstatic to spoil the Buckeye's season there's no doubt it's the Wolverine's who would be first in line like a coupon clipper outside Best Buy before Black Friday. After all this rivalry isn't just a game. It's everything.