US VS THEM

WELL TOMORROW MARKS THE 102ND MEETING BETWEEN THE #9 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES AND THE #17 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES. I FOR ONE AM VERY PUMPED UP FOR THIS ONE. REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS BACK WHEN MOST PEOPLE SAID THAT THIS GAME WOULDNT MEAN A WHOLE LOT FOR EITHER TEAM. WELL THAT IS NOT THAT CASE AT ALL THIS WEEK. 8-2(6-1) OHIO STATE WITH A WIN CAN CLINCH AT LEAST A SHARE OF THE BIG TEN TITLE. IF PENN STATE LOSES, THEN IT WILL MARK THE FIRST OUTRIGHT TITLE FOR THEM SINCE 1984. THEY HAVE HAD THEIR SHARE CO CHAMPIONSHIPS OVER THE YEARS HOWEVER. AS MUCH AS I DISLIKE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES, I MAY DISLIKE CO CHAMPIONS EVEN MORE. WHEN MICHIGAN WAS 3-3 AFTER THEIR WISCONSIN LOSS, PEOPLE WONDERED IF THEY COULD EVEN BE BOWL ELIGIBLE. WELL GUESS WHAT, AFTER 4 STRAIGHT WINS, THEY ARE POSSIBLY BCS BOWL ELIGIBLE. IF THEY CAN KNOCK OFF THE BUCKEYES AND PENN STATE LOSES THEN THEY GET THE AUTOMATIC BID WITH HEAD TO HEAD WINS OVER BOTH. THAT WOULD ALSO MAKE A 3 WAY TIE FOR THE BIG TEN TITLE WHICH I REALLY DISLIKE. ANYWAY, YOU JUST HAVE TO LOVE THIS GAME. I DONT FEEL THE RIVALRY IS ANYWHERE NEARLY EMBRACED LIKE IT USED TO BE. I HAVE BEEN READING HOW IN 1934 WHEN FRANCIS SCHMIDT TOOK OVER ON OSU, THAT IS WHAT STARTED THE GOLDEN PANTS TRADITION. WHEN YOU PLAY AT OHIO STATE OR MICHIGAN NOW, YOU SET GOALS TO SEE HOW MANY PAIRS OF GOLD PANTS YOU CAN HAVE WHEN YOU GRADUATE. ALSO THE WOODY VS BO RIVALRY IS THE BEST OF ALL TIME AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. I ONCE READ THAT WHEN EITHER WOULD RECRUIT A PLAYER, THEY WOULD REFER TO THE OTHER AS THE WORST SOB IN THE WORLD TO PLAY FOR. EARL BRUCE THEN THOUGHT ABOUT THIS GAME ALL SEASON LONG, AND THEN JOHN COOPER NEVER QUITE SAW THIS AS THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE YEAR. HE HAD UNBELIEVABLE TALENT AND HE THOUGHT TALENT ALONE COULD GET HIM THROUGH THIS GAME. THAT IS WHY HE WAS 2-9-1 AGAINST THEM. JIM TRESSEL HAS EMBRACED THE RIVALRY AND ASSURED FANS THAT HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS ON THE LAST WEEK OF THE SEASON AND HE IS 3-1 SO FAR. THAT MAKES BUCKEYE FANS HAPPY. LLOYD CARR IN MY EYES USED TO SEE THIS AS JUST ANOTHER GAME, BUT NOW THAT HE HAS LOST 3 OUT OF THE LAST 4, HE RECENTLY ADMITTED THAT HE HAS LOOKED AHEAD TO THIS GAME. I DONT THINK HIS JOB IS DEPENDENT ON THIS GAME LIKE SOME DO, BUT I KNOW IT IS AT THE BACK OF HIS MIND. THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING GAME OF THE YEAR, AND I STILL CANT FATHOM GAMEDAY GOING TO MICHIGAN STATE THIS WEEKEND FOR THE PENN STATE GAME. LAST I CHECKED, THE SPARTANS WERE 5-4. GIVE ME A BREAK. I HEARD SOMEONE SAY THEY WOULDNT GO TO ANN ARBOR THIS YEAR SINCE THEIR WASNT MUCH ON THE LINE THIS YEAR. WELL APPARENTLY THERE IS. IF MICHIGAN STATE WINS THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BUT WHAT ARE THEY PLAYING FOR? GOING TO THE MOTOR CITY BOWL INSTEAD OF THE ALAMO BOWL? WHATS THE DEAL HERE? ANYWAY SORRY, I JUST DONT GET THAT ONE. ANYWAY, THE OHIO STATE MICHIGAN GAME IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS OF THE YEAR. IT IS FUN TO GET TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS(YES WHETHER THEY ARE WOLVERINE FANS OR NOT) AND HAVE A FEW BEERS AND BRATS AND ENJOY THE GAME. MY TAKE ON IT IS THIS. I FEEL THAT WHOEVER CAN ESTABLISH THE BEST RUNNING GAME IS GOING TO WIN. THEY ARE GONNA BE HUNTING FOR TROY SMITH THIS YEAR, SO PITTMAN IS GONNA HAVE TO STEP UP BIG. IT IS GONNA BE COLD AND MORE LIKE FOOTBALL WEATHER. I THINK BOTH TEAMS ARE GONNA STRUGGLE MOVING THE FOOTBALL AND IT WONT BE ALL THAT HIGH SCORING. GIVE US 2 TD'S AND 2 JOSH HUSTON FIELD GOALS AND THE BUCKEYES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS 20-14. MAN I HOPE I AM RIGHT!! GO BUCKEYES.