He ran to his right, cut upfield, shrugged off a sandwich by two defenders at the 45, and sprinted to the end zone to give Michigan a 21-17 lead just before the half. It was the stuff of legends – the senior Denard Robinson making a highlight-reel play in the game’s biggest rivalry. It capped an impressive first half for the Michigan offense that was matching Ohio State punch for punch.

Ohio State 26 – Michigan 21
	Final Stats
21	Final Score	26
8-4, 6-2	Record	12-0, 8-0
279	Total Yards	396
108	Net Rushing Yards	207
171	Net Passing Yards	189
13	First Downs	22
4	Turnovers	2
5-54	Penalties – Yards	9-74
4-191	Punts – Yards	3-133
23:10	Time of Possession	36:50
4-of-10	Third Down Conversions	4-of-13
0-of-1	Fourth Down Conversions	0-of-0
4-39	Sacks By – Yards	4-29
0-for-0	Field Goals	4-for-5
3-for-3	PATs	2-for-2
1-for-1	Red Zone Scores – Chances	4-for-5

Two drives later, on Michigan’s second drive of the second half, Denard rushed to his right and tried to juke a defender who’s helmet squarely hit the ball and popped it loose. Ohio State recovered, and despite missing a field goal, Michigan would never recover.

In the span of two drives, two plays signaled the swings in momentum that decided the game. The fumble was one of many miscues made by Michigan that doomed their chances of winning as the Wolverines coughed it up four times.

The game started ominously as Ohio State took it right down the field on six plays, using a 52-yard pass to Devin Smith to set up a 3-yard Carlos Hyde touchdown run. Michigan mounted a nice drive to the Ohio State 22, but Devin Gardner was sacked by Adolphus Washington and fumbled. After an Ohio State punt, Michigan got on the board with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Roy Roundtree.

Ohio State answered with an 11-play field goal drive to take a 10-7 lead. On Michigan’s ensuing possession, an offensive pass interference call on Roundtree negated a first down and led to a Michigan punt. But Ohio State’s Philly Brown muffed the punt and Michigan recovered. Five plays later, Gardner carried it in for the score to put Michigan ahead 14-10.

After the teams traded punts, the Buckeyes got back on the board with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Braxton Miller to Brown. Michigan got the ball back with 1:30 remaining in the half and Denard’s aforementioned 67-yard touchdown run put Michigan back on top. Ohio State tacked on a field goal to head into the half with Michigan ahead 21-20.

The first half was evenly played and, except for Gardner’s fumble on the sack, the offense moved the ball rather well. There was a good mix of plays with Denard, both at quarterback and lined up at other positions. But the second half was a different story.

Denard Robinson fumbles in the third quarter (Jay LaPrete, AP)

Michigan completely went away from any offensive creativity, instead opting for using Gardner and Denard on the field separately, and the offense became entirely predictable. On Michigan’s first possession of the second half, the Wolverines got to their own 48. Facing a 4th-and-2, Brady Hoke initially sent the punt team onto the field, but called a time out to re-think the decision. He then sent the offense back out and ran Denard up the middle, but he was stuffed. Ohio State took advantage of the game-changing field position and kicked a 28-yard field goal to re-take the lead. Michigan would never get it back.

Michigan’s next possession was Denard’s fumble, on which Ohio State wasn’t able to capitalize. When Michigan got it back, the Wolverines faced a 3rd-and-short, but handed off to Vincent Smith up the middle. Again, he was stuffed for no gain and Michigan punted.

The defense kept Michigan in the game as Jake Ryan sacked Miller and forced a fumble that was recovered by Frank Clark. But again, facing 3rd-and-1 at the Michigan 45, Al Borges elected to hand off to Smith up the middle and he was stopped for a loss of two. Michigan punted.

After an Ohio State punt, Michigan got the ball on its own eight. A pass interference penalty gave the offense some breathing room, but two plays later, Garnder was sacked and fumbled. Ohio State recovered at the Michigan 10, in prime position to score a touchdown and all but seal the game. But yet again, the Wolverine defense held strong, forcing Ohio State to kick a 25-yard field goal.

Trailing 26-21 with 6:26 remaining, time was of the essence for Michigan, but the game was still well within reach. Gardner completed a 10-yard pass to Jeremy Gallon for a first down and picked up another, but the latter was called back by a holding penalty. Two plays later, Gardner was intercepted by C.J. Barnett on a poorly thrown ball to Drew Dileo. Michigan never got the ball back as Hyde converted a 3rd-and-7 with a 13-yard run up the middle and the Buckeyes were able to run out the clock.

Denard scores on a 67-yards touchdown run in the first half (Jay LaPrete, AP)

If you saw a theme in the second half drives it was Michigan’s inability to move the ball and inexplicable play-calling – especially on short yardage plays – that handed Ohio State the game. The first half had all the makings of a shootout, but that offense – and the one that Michigan ran the week before against Iowa – suddenly disappeared. Denard and Gardner never saw the field at the same time in the second half, not even to use Denard as a decoy. Instead, the Buckeyes were able to load the box when Denard lined up at quarterback and send the blitz when Gardner was in. The offense never crossed midfield in the second half and gained just 61 yards, and it wasn’t because Ohio State’s defense suddenly learned how to play. Simply put, the play-calling was atrocious.

Michigan obviously missed Fitz Toussaint in the running game as Thomas Rawls and Vincent Smith were able to manage just 10 yards on 10 carries. Denard, on the other hand, rushed for 122 and a touchdown on 10 carries, nearly all of which were in the first half. He passed Mike Hart for third on the career rushing touchdown list and Jamie Morris for third on the career rushing list. He also eclipsed Illinois’ Juice Williams for sixth on the Big Ten career total yardage list and became Michigan’s all-time career total touchdown leader, passing Chad Henne with 91.

Gardner completed 11-of-20 passes for 171 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, while also rushing for a touchdown. Roundtree led the way receiving with three receptions for 92 yards and passed Jason Avant and Marquise Walker on the career receiving list.

Ohio State finished its season with a perfect 12-0 record and will forever complain about not being able to play for the national championship due to its sanctions from the Jim Tressel scandal. Perhaps it was fitting then that the Buckeyes honored Tressel and his 2002 national championship team during the first quarter.

Michigan finishes the regular season at 8-4 and will play in either the Capital One Bowl or the Outback Bowl on New Years Day against an SEC opponent, likely either Texas A&M, Georgia or Florida. Both would be tough matchups, but one final time for Denard and the rest of the seniors to suit up in the maize and blue. The matchup will be announced next Sunday.

Stay tuned at the beginning for the Monday Morning Quarterback segment which will break down what went wrong with Michigan’s play-calling in the second half and where the Wolverines go from here.

As Thanksgiving has come and gone, we find ourselves at the game that signals season’s end, the annual showdown with Ohio State looming and yet another regular season ready to be etched into the record books. For some, like Denard Robinson and Jordan Kovacs, it means one final chance to perform against a bitter rival. For others such as Devin Gardner, it’s a chance to break out on the big stage and set the expectations heading into next season. Furthermore, for those such as Brady Hoke, it’s a chance to establish the upper hand over his foremost adversary. Yes, The Game is here.

For so many years, the season-culminating battle has determined Big Ten titles and national championship game berths. It has featured legendary performances and provides bragging rights for the next 364 days. The game had lost some of its luster over the past few years, but Michigan finally got back in the win column a year ago. Now, Ohio State comes in unbeaten and Michigan enters with a chance to win the Big Ten Legends division and advance to the championship game. The stakes are high, just as they should be.

Although the Buckeyes aren’t able to parlay their magical season into the BCS National Championship game due to the sanctions brought on by Jim Tressel and his merry band of tattooed men, that doesn’t stop them from honoring him and his 2002 national championship team prior to the game. And it makes them that much more hungry to come together, beat Michigan, and go down in Ohio State lore as one of the greatest teams in Buckeye history.

As the old adage goes, when the two teams square off, you throw out the records. But despite the fact that Ohio State is undefeated and Michigan has three losses, these teams are pretty even. It can certainly be argued that if the teams had switched out-of-conference schedules, their records would be reversed. Ohio State’s first four opponents have a combined record of 18-27, while Michigan’s three losses were to teams with a combined record of 31-3.

Can Michigan pull off a second straight win over the Buckeyes and their first in Columbus since 2000? Or will Ohio State conclude their season undefeated and continue Michigan’s futility across the border? Let’s take a look at the matchups.

When Ohio State has the ball

Ohio State has been a high scoring team all season, averaging 38.2 points per game. The Bucks have scored over 50 four times and have been held below 20 just once, although they needed overtime to top 20 last week against Wisconsin. Perhaps the Badgers provided the blueprint for slowing down the Buckeye offense by keeping Braxton Miller from getting outside. But it’s easier said than done. Miller completes 56.8 percent of his passes for 168 yards per game and carries the ball 19 times for 110 yards per game. He’s certainly more dangerous on the ground but has enough of a throwing ability to make defenses pay if they key too much on his feet.

In the backfield, Carlos Hyde is a powerful back that averages 5.2 yards per carry. Despite not playing in two games, he’s nearing 1,000 yards and has had three games this season with at least 137 yards. He’s also a touchdown machine with 15 on the season and has scored at least one in each of the past six games.

Brady Hoke and Urban Meyer face off for the first time

The receivers aren’t the stars we were used to seeing, but they are capable. Sophomore Devin Smith is the big play guy with 555 yards and six touchdowns on just 28 receptions. Philly Brown is the more reliable with 48 receptions for 456 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Jake Stoneburner has caught just 15 passes all season, but four of them have been touchdowns, so he’s a dangerous one to watch for in the red zone. Sophomore Evan Spencer is the only other Buckeye with double digit receptions (11), though he hasn’t caught a TD, while 10 others have caught at least one pass.

The offensive line is good, but not the typical mauling Ohio State line. They use a zone blocking scheme for the running game, but aren’t great in pass protection, having given up 26 sacks, which ranks 88th nationally. By comparison, Michigan has allowed just 11.

When Michigan has the ball

As I discussed in yesterday’s Friend vs Foe, Ohio State’s defense is built to defend the traditional Big Ten offenses such as Wisconsin, Penn State, and Michigan State. And in those games, they did look good. But against spread offenses, they have been porous. While the rush defense is respectable, giving up just 117 yards per game, teams have been able to pass all over the Buckeyes to the tune of 250.1 yards a game.

The line is anchored by tackle Jonathan Hankins, who Brady Hoke called “as good of an interior lineman as anyone in the country.” The space eating junior ranks fourth on the team with 52 tackles, four of them have gone for loss, including one sack. On the end is John Simon who leads the Big Ten with nine sacks to go along with 14.5 tackles for loss. Strongside end Nathan Williams has 39 tackles and two sacks, while Garrett Goebel holds down the other tackle spot and does a good job.

Linebacker Ryan Shazier is the man that makes the Buckeye defense go. He leads the team with 110 tackles and 14.5 for loss. He also has four sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception. He’s fast and athletic, but also still prone to some of the boneheaded plays we saw out of him as a freshman last season. Etienne Sabino returned last week from a broken leg that was suffered against Nebraska to help stabilize the Buckeye defense, while converted fullback Zach Boren holds down the middle.

The secondary is the weak point, most notably corner Travis Howard. Despite four interceptions, he’s not a great cover corner and should be the one Michigan targets. Bradley Roby is a good cover man who leads the nation with 19 passes defended. Against Nebraska he picked off Taylor Martinez and returned it for a touchdown

The other third

Kicker Drew Basil has attempted just six field goals all season, making four, though he did hit 16-of-19 last season. Punter Ben Buchanan averages 40.9 yards per punt, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. The return game could be dangerous with Corey Brown ranking third in the conference in punt returns with an average of 13.6 yards per, but the Buckeye kick return unit ranks just 87th nationally.

Prediction

There is so much unknown with Michigan’s offense right now which will make it hard for Ohio State to prepare. The Devin at quarterback, Denard everywhere else offense that was showcased last week has so many possibilities that it’s hard to imagine Michigan’s offense struggling against the Buckeye defense that allowed 49 points to Indiana, 38 to Nebraska, and 22 to both Purdue and Illinois. Perhaps the best matchup to watch will be Taylor Lewan opposite of Simon as both have established themselves as the best in the Big Ten at their respective positions.

Look for Michigan to find a variety of ways to get the ball to Denard in space and let him go to work with his feet against mistake-prone linebackers and a poor tackling secondary. Along with that, expect him to be used as a decoy equally as much, as Ohio State will make sure to always know where he is on the field. I also would not be surprised at all see Denard throw a pass once more, but off of a reverse or step back screen rather than from behind center. For Gardner, the open spots will be underneath the cover-4 zone, where Ohio State has given up yards all season, so Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo will have plenty of open space. It will be up to them to make guys miss after the catch.

Defensively, Michigan will try to keep the Buckeyes up the middle and force Miller to beat them through the air. Expect to see Kovacs walk up early and often in run support, leaving the secondary exposed to a big play here and there. And, as is usual in a game like this, a big special teams play could swing the game in one direction or the other.

It’s going to be a back and forth offensive shootout that could go either way, but I think Ohio State figure out a way to contain the Michigan offense without Fitz Toussaint and will pull it out at home. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

Ohio State 38 – Michigan 35

On November 18, 2006, Michigan and Ohio State squared off in Columbus, both undefeated. Two titans with an unrivaled history found themselves in what was dubbed by the national media “The Game of the Century.” The Big Ten title and a spot in the BCS National Championship game were at stake. The game went back and forth like a heavyweight fight, but in the end, the scoresheet went in Ohio State’s favor.

The day before, the great patriarch of Michigan football, Bo Schembechler, had passed away, and along with him metaphorically went the program. Michigan went to Pasadena on New Years Day and got thumped by USC.

Bo's passing shook the rivalry and the Michigan program

Bo’s understudy, Lloyd Carr, decided to stick around for one more year. After all, he had a senior, fourth-year starting quarterback and running back, the eventual first overall NFL Draft pick at left guard, and a talented receiving corps. Who could blame him for giving it one last go-around? But a shocking loss to Appalachian State started the season, followed by a humiliating drubbing by Oregon and the Michigan program that had spent most of the previous season looking unbeatable had now lost four straight. The program that had seemed unshakeable for over 40 years was now suddenly lost without its figurehead.

The Wolverines rebounded with eight straight wins before dropping the final two to Wisconsin and Ohio State. In Carr’s swan song, Michigan faced a heavily favored Florida squad coached by Urban Meyer who relied heavily on his star quarterback. Carr pulled out all the tricks in the bag, using an offense almost foreign to the Michigan faithful and beat Meyer’s Gators.

Carr’s retirement a year after Bo’s passing signaled the end of Michigan football as we knew it and college football’s greatest rivalry suffered along with it. Ohio State beat Michigan by a combined score of 100-24 over the three years that followed while Michigan was guided by an outsider who many felt never truly understood the importance of the rivalry.

And so it was only fitting that it would take a Bo disciple to right the ship. Brady Hoke immediately returned the program to what it was like under Bo and followed in Bo’s footsteps by beating Ohio State in his first season. It ended Ohio State’s seven game winning streak over Michigan, but the Buckeyes were going through some troubles of their own. The great tattoo scandal sent Jim Tressel packing and left the Bucks headless last season, but led the man who was on the losing end of the final game of the old Michigan era to become the new head man in Columbus.

All he has done in his rookie season is not lose a game. Despite being ineligible for the postseason, OSU is ranked fourth in the AP poll and could conceivably be crowned national champions by the writers upon season’s end. Michigan faced a much tougher non-conference schedule which eliminated any national title hopes, but still holds hopes of a Big Ten title. And that’s just the way it should be: title hopes on the line, dreams either made or dashed.

Tim Biakabutuka's record performance ruined OSU's perfect season in 1995 (Larry E. Wright)

It’s the way it was so often throughout the past few decades. Something was always on the line, and more often than not, it was that way for both teams. The season-ending battle truly was the one game season.

Six times in the past 19 matchups, at least one of the two has entered The Game undefeated. Saturday marks the seventh and Michigan will be looking to do what it has done three times since 1993: hand the Buckeyes their first loss.

In 1993, OSU entered with a 9-0-1 record, it’s only non-win a 14-14 tie at Wisconsin. Michigan was just 6-4 with losses to Notre Dame, Michigan State, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The Wolverines played spoiler with a resounding 28-0 win in what Ohio State head coach John Cooper called “by far the most embarrassing game I’ve been associated with in college football.” Tyrone Wheatley gashed the Buckeyes for 105 yards and Todd Collins played an efficient game. The defense picked off the Buckeyes four times and Michigan ended Ohio State’s 16-game unbeaten streak and hopes of an outright Big Ten title and handed the Bucks their first shutout since 1982.

Two years later, in 1995, Ohio State visited Ann Arbor with a 11-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking. Michigan was just 8-3. A Buckeye win would give them the Big Ten title and likely a national championship pending the Rose Bowl result. But yet again, Michigan played spoiler. Prior to the game, Ohio State receiver Terry Glenn mouthed off to the media that Michigan was nobody. But when the teams took to the field, Tshimanga Biakabutuka rushed for 313 yards, the most an Ohio State defense had ever given up to a single back as Michigan soared to a 31-23 victory. Once again, Cooper issued a strong statement, saying, “I don’t know if I’ve ever been as disappointed in my life as I am right now.”

Charles Woodson helped keep Michigan's perfect season intact against OSU in 1997

The following season, Michigan traveled to Columbus to face yet another unbeaten and second-ranked Ohio State squad. Michigan was 17-point underdogs and this time, Cooper kept his players from speaking to the media in order to prevent any bulletin board material. But Michigan didn’t need it. Ohio State jumped out to a 9-0 halftime lead, but wouldn’t score again. Michigan had to turn to Brian Griese due to an injury to starter Scott Dreisbach and he threw a 68-yard touchdown to Tai Streets. Kicker Remy Hamilton added a pair of field goals to give Michigan the 13-9 win. Following the game, it was Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson who did the talking, saying, “It was a great victory, to be able to look those people in the eye and say, ‘this is why I didn’t go to Ohio State’. I wanted to win at Michigan.”

In 1997, it was Michigan that carried the undefeated season into The Game. At 10-0 and ranked first in the nation, Michigan hosted the 9-1, fourth-ranked Buckeyes. The Big Ten title was on the line – either Michigan won it outright or the two shared it – and for Michigan, the national title was at stake. Michigan prevailed 20-14 on the heels of a great all-around performance by Woodson and advanced to the Rose Bowl where the Wolverines beat Washington State and captured the national title.

In 2002, Ohio State once again brought an unblemished record into the matchup. At 12-0, and ranked second, Ohio State needed a win to capture the Big Ten and advance to the BCS National Championship game. Michigan was 9-2 with losses to Notre Dame and Iowa. The Buckeyes held on, intercepting a John Navarre pass near the end zone to win 14-9 and eventually won the national title.

This Saturday, the rivalry has the ferver it did back then. Michigan needs a win and a Nebraska loss to advance to the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State needs a win to complete an undefeated season. The only thing holding the game back from receiving all of the national spotlight is the sanctions Ohio State is currently facing, keeping the Buckeyes from being able to win the Big Ten and play for the national title. But on the field, the two teams will battle it out just like the good old days and Michigan will hope to ruin Ohio State’s dream season for the fourth time in the last 20 years.

The man who has resurrected Michigan’s program with the Bo-like approach now faces off with the man who has transformed the Buckeye program. It has all the makings of a new “ten-year war” like the one Bo and Woody Hayes once fought with both programs at the top of their games. Most importantly, the game matters again. It’s back to the way it was.

Read our preseason Ohio State preview here.

With a dominating win over Iowa on Saturday, Michigan kept itself in contention for the Big Ten title. Unfortunately, Nebraska also won and plays Iowa this weekend, so the hopes are slim. But they are still alive. Now, it’s a one game season as Michigan travels to Columbus for The Game. You don’t need to be told how big it is, but Michigan will be looking for its first win in Columbus since 2000.

Ohio State comes in undefeated for the sixth time in the last 20 years. Michigan won three of the previous five (1993, 1995, 1996), although Ohio State has won the last two (2002, 2006). The Buckeyes played a weak non-conference schedule of Miami (OH), UCF, California, and UAB and struggled against the latter two. In Big Ten play, Ohio State eked out a one-point win over Michigan State, throttled Nebraska, hung on against Indiana, survived overtime to top Purdue, beat Penn State, thumped Illinois, and hung on in overtime to beat Wisconsin.

So yes, Ohio is unbeaten, but the Bucks are anything but unbeatable. Can Michigan win its second straight in the series and end Ohio State’s AP national title hopes? Or will OSU continue its home dominance of Michigan? Let’s take a look at the Buckeyes.

The main thing that stands out with OSU’s stats and national rankings is the number of touchdowns versus the number of field goals. Ohio State has scored 58 touchdowns and attempted just six field goals all season. The offensive efficiency is outstanding. The Bucks have scored on 89 percent of their red zone trips and 80 percent have been touchdowns. Michigan’s red zone percentage is slightly better (and ranks fourth nationally), but many of those scores have been field goals.

On the flip side, while Ohio State’s defense has given up a lot of yards and points this season, it has clamped down in the red zone, holding opponents to just a 71 percent conversion rate, which is 15th nationally.

There’s no secret who Ohio State’s main man is. Sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller has garnered some Heisman talk this season and has had a Denard-like impact on OSU this season. He has completed 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,850 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions, but where he has done the most damage is with his feet. Miller leads the Buckeyes with 207 rushes for 1,214 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has become a slightly better passer this year than he was last year, but has still had his struggles.

Urban Meyer faces Michigan for the first time as OSU head coach (Mike McGinnis, Getty Images)

In a two-game stretch against Purdue and Penn State, he completed just 16-of-39 passes for 256 yards, a touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also struggled against Wisconsin on Saturday, throwing for 97 yards on 10-of-18 passing. On the ground, however, Miller has eclipsed 100 yards in six of 11 games with a high of 186 in the win over Nebraska.

Bruising back Carlos Hyde has been his co-star in the offense with 159 carries for 824 yards and a team-leading 15 touchdowns. And he missed two games at the beginning of the season. However, Penn State held him to just 2.5 yards per carry on 22 carries.

The receiving corps is basically a two-man show, Devin Smith and Philly Brown. Smith leads in yards (555) and touchdowns (six) on 28 receptions, while Brown leads with 48 receptions for 526 yards. Tight end Jake Stoneburner has 15 catches for 260 and four TDs. The only other guy with double digit receptions is Evan Spencer with 11.

Make no mistake about it, the Buckeyes are a run-first team and they do it out of the spread with the zone read, allowing Miller to make the reads. The rushing offense is second in the Big Ten (behind Nebraska) and ninth nationally, averaging 245.5 yards per game, while the passing offense is eighth in the conference and 100th nationally.

Defensively, Ohio State is very vulnerable. They allow 23 points per game, but over the last six weeks, the Buckeyes have given up an average of 28. The run defense is pretty good, allowing 116.8 yards per game, which is third in the Big Ten and 17th nationally. But the pass defense is the weak point, giving up 250.1 yards per game, which is second to last in the Big Ten, in front of only Northwestern. Yes, even worse than Iowa. The Bucks have given up nearly 700 total yards more than Michigan has on the season.

Linebacker Ryan Shazier ranks second in the Big Ten with 110 tackles, while defensive end John Simon leads the conference with nine sacks. Both lead the Big Ten with 14.5 tackles for loss apiece. Defensive back Bradley Roby also leads the conference with 19 pass breakups and Travis Howards leads with four interceptions.

It will be the first matchup between Brady Hoke and new OSU head coach Urban Meyer. Hoke won last year’s meeting 40-34. Since Ohio State is ineligible for the postseason, the Buckeyes will be playing their final game of the season and would love nothing more than to end Michigan’s chances of winning the Big Ten. There’s still an outside chance the Buckeyes could be named national champions by the AP, so Michigan would love to ruin those hopes. Stay tuned for our continued coverage throughout the week.

Michigan has the unique position of having three big rivals. Most teams only have one rival to get up for, but year-in and year-out, Michigan has three. While we, as fans, hate each of these teams, we carry some respect for them. Michigan State and Ohio State carry conference affiliation ties while Notre Dame, well, we all just put up with them. All season long, it’s fun to keep track of how each of them is doing, but there’s only so much time on Saturday to watch games. More often than not, they play at the same time Michigan does so you don’t get a chance to do your “advanced scouting.” Well, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered. This weekly feature will give you an overview of Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State’s games the previous weekend and a look ahead to the upcoming one.

Two bitter rivals did battle last Saturday as Ohio State invaded East Lansing to take on the Spartans. I don’t like either team at all, but I dislike the Spartans less despite their inclination for dirty play. However, due to the conference divisions, it was in Michigan’s best interest that Ohio State win and so I reluctantly rooted for the Buckeyes. But ONLY for the sake of our beloved Wolverines.

Ohio State came out on top, 17-16, in a classic Big Ten battle. It was once again the Braxton Miller show for the Buckeyes as he accounted for 315 yards of total offense and one touchdown. He also accounted for several turnovers but none fortunately for him, none affected the outcome of the game. Miller was injured twice and had to leave the game but he returned both times.

Ohio State kept the MSU run game in check, holding Le’Veon Bell (who, per ESPN, was hit within two yards of the line of scrimmage on 15 of his 17 carries) and the rest of the Spartan attack to 34 total yards – a paltry 1.5 yards per carry. Despite the extremely poor play of the Spartan run game (or was it the exceptional play of OSU’s defense?) Andrew Maxwell played fairly well. He threw for almost 300 yards, adding one touchdown and no picks, though he was 22-for-42 for a less than stellar passing percentage of 53 percent.

"Please never get hurt" (photo by Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

MSU looked as though it would pull off the upset when Keith Mumphrey took a short pass from Andrew Maxwell and evaded/carried several Buckeyes on his way to the endzone and a 13-10 lead late in the third quarter. But in the end, only down 1 point, MSU failed to convert a third down on its last possession after having forced OSU into a three-and-out with over five minutes remaining. The Spartans never got the ball back and OSU ran out the clock.

Thus far, MSU has lost to both Notre Dame and Ohio State, teams they should have beaten. Ohio State has “almost” lost to Cal, UCF, and UAB, and barely eeked out a win over MSU. To me, this says neither of these teams is as good as they thought they would be and both are winnable matchups for Michigan. OSU gives up a ton of yards through the air and is a one-man show. MSU has a stout running game that we’ve seen can be shut down and an improving passing game that still leaves a lot to be desired.

Playing Ohio State in Columbus will be tough, but after watching these two teams so far this season I can say there is not much that scares me about either team. At least not in a way that would make them an unbeatable opponent. Braxton Miller does scare me, but as he goes so go the Buckeyes and as we know all too well, it is very possible to shut down an athletic quarterback and force a team into bad plays. After Michigan’s rough start, though the Alabama game was hardly a shocker, I think they still have a bright future as the season progresses. The Big Ten title is well within grasp and Michigan still controls its destiny.

This Week:

Ohio State does battle with Nebraska at The ‘Shoe on Saturday night. It should be a good game as the Huskers are coming off an incredible 30-27 victory over Wisconsin in which they were down by 17 points, twice. The Huskers are running the ball very well, averaging over 305 yards per game and Taylor Martinez doesn’t quite look as erratic with his passes as he has the past couple of seasons. But we’ll keep an eye on him as Columbus can be a very hostile place to play. Once again, it is in Michigan’s best interest for OSU to win, as Nebraska is in the Legends division.

Prediction: Nebraska 27 – Ohio State 23

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Michigan State travels to the mecca of college football, err basketball, as they take on Indiana in Bloomington. I don’t wanna say IU is bad, but the Hoosiers did lose to Ball State 41-39 a couple weeks ago and they’re just not a team you worry about in the Big Ten. Remember, this is a team that went winless in the Big Ten conference schedule last year. I expect Michigan State to exorcise some demons after the last two weeks and it probably won’t be pretty when the dust has cleared.

Prediction: Michigan State 48 – Indiana 17

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Notre Dame had the week off after barely beating Michigan despite the six gifts it was given. The Irish travel a short distance up I-90 to Soldier Field in one of my favorite cities, Chicago, to do battle with Miami. Now, while this probably won’t be an epic Notre Dame versus Miami game, it should be rather exciting nonetheless. Miami is starting to come into its own and is currently 15th in the nation in passing offense, averaging just under 330 yards per game. Pass defense has been a weak spot of the Irish defense, but with some good push from their front seven they could make it a long night for Stephen Morris and the ‘Canes.

Prediction: Notre Dame 23 – Miami 21

Michigan has the unique position of having three big rivals. Most teams only have one rival to get up for, but year-in and year-out, Michigan has three. While we, as fans, hate each of these teams, we carry some respect for them. Michigan State and Ohio State carry conference affiliation ties while Notre Dame, well, we all just put up with them. All season long, it’s fun to keep track of how each of them doing, but there’s only so much time on Saturday to watch games. More often than not, they play at the same time Michigan does so you don’t get a chance to do your “advanced scouting.” Well, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered. This weekly feature will give you an overview of Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State’s games the previous weekend and a look ahead to the upcoming one.

Notre Dame 20 – Purdue 17
Record: 2-0
This week: At #10 Michigan State (2-0) – 8pm – ABC

Unlike last week, Notre Dame did not dominate its opponent this past weekend. In fact, the Irish were almost downed at home against an underrated Purdue squad. It took a near-last second field goal to surpass the Boilers, after being led down the field by backup quarterback Tommy Rees on the last possession.

Everett Golson got the nod as the starter but apparently Brian Kelly said if it came down to it, Tommy Rees would be their “closer.” His strategy worked this time, but whether he employs this method going forward is yet to be determined. Rotating quarterbacks has its benefits and its drawbacks, so we’ll keep an eye on this as well.

Golson played a great game, going 21-for-31 for 289 yards and a touchdown. The rushing game didn’t produce much as they only managed 52 yards for the game.

Down 17-7 heading into the fourth quarter, Purdue managed to tie up the game with just over two minutes remaining before Rees led the game winning drive. Purdue only managed 288 yards of offense and turned the ball over twice but they still look like a legit Big Ten team and not one we should overlook. They could be another “trap” game, as Michigan heads to West Lafayette the week after doing battle in South Bend.

Photo by Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Something of note, perhaps, is that Notre Dame has only two turnovers so far this season, compared to the ten they had after two games last season.

This week:

Michigan State and Notre Dame square off in East Lansing this weekend in what could be a really good game. MSU’s stout defense will try to give Notre Dame all they can handle, and the Spartan rushing attack will try to take some pressure off a less than stellar Andrew Maxwell. The two-headed QB “monster” of Everett Golson and Tommy Rees look to lead the Irish to victory in hostile territory, perhaps employing another “closer” QB strategy for another game winning drive late in the fourth quarter.

On paper, these teams’ offenses are evenly matched. Michigan State enjoys a slight edge in the rushing category but both teams average over 170 yards. On defense, however, Michigan State is the superior team and could have a field day against the Irish offensive line that was pushed around by Purdue last week. Notre Dame will need to have a perfect game up front, on both sides of the ball, if they want to leave East Lansing 3-0.

Everett Golson will most likely get the starting nod again, but Tommy Rees has much more experience and ‘poise,’ and it wouldn’t surprise me if he came in much sooner than the fourth quarter. It is yet to be seen whether Tyler Eifert will be ready after suffering what was being called a mild concussion last week. Eifert’s status, and effectiveness, will be a huge part of whether Notre Dame can win this game. I expect Notre Dame to play a balanced game on offense and stack the box on defense and try to force Andrew Maxwell to beat them through the air. If they can force some third and long situations and make Michigan State pass the ball, they stand a good chance of pulling off the upset.

Michigan State will look to run the ball and run it a lot. I’m not sure they will give Le’Veon Bell another 40-plus carry night but he should tote the rock a lot more than he did last week. On defense, the Spartans will no doubt employ multiple looks and try to get after whichever quarterback is out there. After a subpar performance against the Purdue defensive front I’m not so sure Notre Dame can handle this Spartan front seven. If Michigan State controls the line and runs the ball well they will win. And I fully expect them to do so.

Prediction: Michigan State 24 – Notre Dame 14

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#11 Michigan State 41 – Central Michigan 7
Record: 2-0
This week: Home vs. #20 Notre Dame (2-0) – 8pm – ABC

The Spartans probably marched into Mount Pleasant not expecting much of a fight from the Chippewas, and they were right. MSU won the game convincingly, 41-7, scoring all 41 before Central scored on an interception return late in the game. MSU has yet to give up an offensive touchdown this season. Yes, it is early but it is something to keep an eye on nonetheless. The defense is definitely this team’s calling card and it will be interesting to see how they fare as the season progresses and their opponents become more formidable.

Photo by Rey DelRio, MSU

Showing that the Spartans are not a one-dimensional team, Andrew Maxwell threw for 275 yards on 20-for-31 with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. In total, MSU threw for 322 yards total and the rushing game added another 173 yards, led by Le’Veon Bell’s ‘meager’ 70 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Central Michigan couldn’t get anything going on offense and finished 17-for-38 passing for 173 yards and two interceptions.

I’m sure we all thought MSU’s defense would be dominant coming into the year but they’ve looked better than many, myself included, expected. The Spartans are clearly one of the favorites, along with Michigan, to contend for the Legends Division this year and look to be every bit as good on defense as they were last year. Thankfully, we get to play them in the friendly confines of the Big House.

This week:

See above
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#14 Ohio State 31 – Central Florida 16
Record: 2-0
This week: Home vs. California (1-1) – 12pm – ABC

Ohio State battled Central Florida on Saturday afternoon, and up until the second half it looked like UCF might pull off the upset. However, OSU scored right before the half to go up 17-10 and scored two more touchdowns in a matter of minutes during the third, the second of which was set up by an interception from Etienne Sabino. Once again, it was the Braxton Miller show as he ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries, while adding 155 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 18-of-24 passing.

On defense, OSU gave up 249 yards and two touchdowns on 25-of-41 passing. They also intercepted UCF three times which made up for their one pick thrown and two lost fumbles. OSU is beginning to look rather one-dimensional as Miller is the only guy who can ever get things going, at least so far. As we know all too well, it is tough when your team relies to heavily on its quarterback to do everything for you. But they better turn it around quick or Urban Meyer might find himself needing more “family time” as he did at Florida when things got tough.

Photo by Jay LaPrete, AP

This week:

California travels to Columbus this weekend, and unless they find a way to get Aaron Rodgers and Desean Jackson back in Bears’ uniforms, I don’t think they’ll be leaving home with the win. After losing to Nevada in Week 1, Cal beat Southern Utah (FCS) 50-31 last week to even their record at 1-1. The Bears gave up almost 300 yards and four touchdowns through the air to the Thunderbirds, and 230 and 220 passing and rushing, respectively, to Nevada in their opener. Neither of these results bodes well for them against the Buckeyes. When a team gives up those kind of stats to an FCS team, and not even a good FCS team, it’s hard to give them any chance against a perennial Big Ten powerhouse like Ohio State.

Urban Meyer has vowed to not run Braxton Miller so much, but who knows if he will keep his word. Regardless, this game should once again be the Braxton Miller show. However, it will probably be his arm on display this week and another good game should cement his status amongst the early season Heisman contenders. With the injury bug hitting the Buckeyes’ running backs, this will be a good week for them to get other guys touches and some game experience. They only have one more cupcake after Cal before they begin the real season and Meyer knows they cannot rely on one guy, Miller, to carry them all season. As we saw with Denard Robinson two years ago, it is very tough for a running quarterback to make it through an entire Big Ten schedule unscathed.

Prediction: Ohio State 41 – California 10

Michigan has the unique position of having three big rivals. Most teams only have one rival to get up for, but year-in and year-out, Michigan has three. While we, as fans, hate each of these teams, we carry some respect for them. Michigan State and Ohio State carry conference affiliation ties while Notre Dame, well, we all just put up with them. All season long, it’s fun to keep track of how each of them doing, but there’s only so much time on Saturday to watch games. More often than not, they play at the same time Michigan does so you don’t get a chance to do your “advanced scouting.” Well, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered. This weekly feature will give you an overview of Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State’s games the previous weekend and a look ahead to the upcoming one.

Notre Dame 50 – Navy 10
Record: 1-0
This week: Home vs. Purdue (1-0) – 3:30pm – NBC

Notre Dame versus Navy in Ireland – sounds like a match made in heaven; unless you play for Navy that is. Notre Dame has not had the best of luck against the service academies as of late (at least it seems that way) but they had their way with Navy on Saturday, evidenced by a monumental 50-10 beat down of the Midshipmen. Notre Dame enjoyed a great output from two different running backs as Theo Riddick gained 107 yards and George Atkinson III gained 99. Both found the end zone twice.

Photo by Barry Cronin, Getty Images)

The real excitement came when 303-pound defensive end Stephon Tuitt rumbled 77 yards for a touchdown after a fumble recovery. It was the second longest fumble return in Notre Dame history. Senior linebacker Manti Teo (yep, he’s still there) added an interception and a fumble recovery, which suprisingly were the firsts of his career. The man racks up tackles like it’s no one’s business but had yet to lay his hand on a turnover.

Everett Golson got the start as last year’s starter, Tommy Rees, was sitting out due to a suspension. He went 12-for-18 for 144 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

Navy passed for 192 yards while their triple-option ground game gained only 149 yards on 40 carries. On paper it appears as though Notre Dame flat out dominated, but they had their fair share of miscues, missing two extra points – one going wide and the other slipping through the hands of the holder. Also, Golson’s pick was a poorly thrown ball. By and large, however, Golson played well and the Irish running game looked strong.

This week, Notre Dame returns to the states and the friendly confines of South Bend to face the Purdue Boilermakers who whipped Eastern Kentucky 48-6 on Saturday. They’ll be sure to put up more of a fight than Navy did and could be  surprise contender in the Big Ten Leaders division. This is a game to set your DVR for as it will be on at the same time as Michigan’s game.

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#13 Michigan State 17 – # 24 Boise State 13
Record: 1-0
This week: at Central Michigan (1-0) – 3:30pm – ESPNU

Michigan State and Boise State didn’t end up being quite the game many thought it would be. The Broncos had won six straight against BCS-conference teams, but last weekend the perennial giant killer seemed overmatched against a more physical Michigan State team as the Spartans out gained the Broncos 461 yards to 206 (the fewest since Chris Petersen became head coach in 2006).

Photo by Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

Spartan back Le’Veon Bell carried the ball an astounding 44 times for 210 yards and two touchdowns and added with six receptions for 55 yards. Bell was clearly the workhouse for MSU this weekend and the Spartans needed every bit of his production. Boise State did manage a couple of good drives but their offense just couldn’t punch it in; their lone touchdown came on a 43-yard interception return in the second quarter.

However, despite their prowess in the run game, MSU, much like their rivals in Ann Arbor, couldn’t manage to get their passing game going. First year starter Andrew Maxwell threw for 248 yards on 22-of-38 passing, but also managed to toss three picks, all of which came in the first half. It’s clear that MSU has some issues at quarterback but they should be okay in the Big Ten, relying heavily on a stout offensive line, Bell carrying the load on the ground, and an imposing defense.

This week, they travel an hour north to face Central Michigan who opened with a 38-27 win over Southeast Missouri State last Thursday. It should give Maxwell a chance to get into a rhythm before the Spartans host Notre Dame in Week 3.

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#18 Ohio State 56 – Miami (OH) 10
Record: 1-0
This week: Home vs. Central Florida (1-0) – 12pm – ESPN2

The UM era at Ohio State began the Miami Redhawks and it was the Braxton Miller show. He threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-24 passing and also ran for 161 yards, the biggest of which was a 65-yard touchdown run to start the second half. Miller started out slowly but quickly found his rhythm and managed to settle down as the game progressed. OSU managed only 48 yards of offense in the first quarter, but sparked by an acrobatic touchdown catch by Devin Smith, the Buckeyes went on to rack up 297 yards in the second quarter.

Overall, OSU put up 538 yards to Miami’s 312 and forced three turnovers. Miami did put up 313 yards through the air despite being held to negative one yard rushing. A weakness for the Buckeye defense perhaps? Remember, the last time Urban had a great defense, someone by the name of Greg Mattison was with him. Mattison has since wised up and moved on to coach the defense for college football’s winningest program.

Of course, after the game everyone wants to hop on the Urban Meyer bandwagon and declare them a dynasty in the making but last I checked they cannot even play for their conference title this year, so let’s hold off on the hype machine. This was Miami (OH) after all. I’m talking to you, Lou Holtz.

This week, another cupcake comes to town in the form of Central Florida. The Knights beat Akron 56-14 last Thursday but shouldn’t put up much of a fight in the Horseshoe. Turn it on before the Michigan game or while tailgating, but it won’t be much of a game.

Years after he finished his coaching career, legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes was asked which of his teams he thought was his best. He quickly replied his 1969 team that went unbeaten except for a 24-12 loss to Michigan. He then paused, looked into the crowd and said, “Damn you, Bo, you’ll never win a bigger game.”

The man he looked at and referred to was Bo Schembechler, his former protégé and the man who upset his greatest team. It was Bo’s first year at Michigan, hired to replace a floundering Bump Elliott whose team had lost to Ohio State 50-14 the previous year.

Last season, Brady Hoke found himself in a similar situation: first-year Michigan coach, replacing a down period, a year removed from an embarrassing 37-7 defeat to the Buckeyes. While Ohio State wasn’t nearly the power it was in 1969, it carried the momentum of seven straight wins in the rivalry. No one doubts whether or not Hoke will win a bigger game in his career, but it was the win that silenced any remaining doubters as to whether he was the right man for the job, and it was a memorable one to witness.

This year, Michigan’s trip to Columbus looking for its second straight win over the Buckeyes will be just one of several interesting storylines to watch. Let’s take a look.

Dethroning the Champs

Alabama will be the first Top-10 ranked team Michigan has opened with since #8 Colorado in 1997

Michigan won’t waste any time diving into the schedule. Week 1 finds the Wolverines facing defending national champion Alabama in Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Alabama was nearly unstoppable a year ago, its only loss a 9-6 overtime defeat at the hands of LSU, which it made up for by shutting out the Tigers 21-0 in the BCS National Championship Game.

Alabama’s strength was its defense, which led the nation with just 183.6 yards and 8.2 points allowed per game. Only one team all season, Georgia Southern, scored more than 14 points, only five of 13 opponents reached double digits, and the defense allowed just 12 touchdowns all season. Fortunately for Michigan, six of the 11 defensive starters are now on NFL rosters, which means the Tide will be breaking in a lot of fresh faces in Week 1. The flip side of the coin is that Nick Saban’s recruiting dominance allows highly rated recruits to step right in.

Offensively, Alabama doesn’t have as much to replace, but the big loss is running back Trent Richardson, who was the third overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Draft. Leading receiver Marquis Maze will also have to be replaced.

The Crimson Tide certainly won’t be a pushover, and they may just be the best team Michigan faces all season, but with so many starters to replace, they’ll be ripe for the picking on September 1.

It will be the first time the two have ever faced off in the regular season. They last played in the 2000 Orange Bowl, which Michigan won 35-34 in overtime on the strength of Tom Brady and David Terrell. Interestingly enough, it was Michigan’s only BCS bowl victory prior to last season.

Alabama beat Michigan 17-14 in the 1997 Outback Bowl, giving Michigan its last loss before winning the national championship the following year. In the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl, Michigan topped Alabama 28-24 a few weeks after Schembechler underwent heart surgery following a heart attack.

Notre Dame nearly spoiled Michigan's night game last season; Michigan will look to do so in South Bend

The fourth game in the series is sure to be a good one between two of college football’s most storied programs with the previous three having been decided by a total of eight points. If Michigan can topple the Tide, the Wolverines just might be the team to beat this season.

Under the Lights Part 2

The most thrilling finish of the 2011 season, when Michigan rallied from behind to beat Notre Dame in the closing seconds, provided a feel-good ending to an otherwise historic night. The first night game in Michigan Stadium history was nearly overshadowed by a loss to the Irish, but Denard Robinson hit Roy Roundtree for the winning touchdown with just two seconds remaining to send the record Big House crowd into euphoria.

This year, Notre Dame hopes to return the favor with a night game of its own. It will be the first night game at Notre Dame Stadium since it beat Michigan 28-24 in 1990. In fact, Notre Dame has hosted Michigan three previous times under the lights and won all three.

While the series has been close as of late, Michigan has won four of the last five overall and two of the last three in South Bend. Notre Dame returns most of its offense and should feature an intimidating front seven defensively. It will be Michigan’s fourth game of the season, and final non-conference game, so the Wolverines will have plenty of time to recover from the grind of the opener against Alabama before facing the Irish.

Reclamation Project

After ending its seven-game losing streak to Ohio State last season, Michigan has one more piece of unfinished business: taking back control of its intrastate rivalry with Michigan State. While Michigan has dominated the rivalry over the years, with a 67-32-5 all-time record, Michigan State has taken advantage of Michigan’s recent downturn with four straight wins.

Last year’s game ultimately decided the outcome of the Big Ten Legends division with Michigan State winning 28-14 in East Lansing and capturing the division title.

This year, Michigan looks for revenge against a Spartan team that lost its quarterback, Kirk Cousins, who ranks statistically as the best quarterback in school history, its top two receivers, B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin, and its number two running back, Edwin Baker.

The bad news for Michigan is that the Spartans return nine starters from the nation’s sixth-best total defense a year ago. That defense mostly shut down Michigan’s offense, holding the Wolverines to 250 total yards and their lowest point total of the season.

If Michigan State can find a capable quarterback and get a receiver or two to step up, the Spartans may be a legitimate national title contender. It should help Michigan to face the Spartans early in the Big Ten schedule, before they have time to find their groove, similar to the way it worked out to Michigan’s detriment last season. Of course, the game is in the Big House, where Michigan had won eight straight in the series prior to the Rich Rodriguez tenure, so that works in Michigan’s favor as well.

New Destinations

Michigan will make its first trip to TCF Bank Stadium

It’s not every year a school like Michigan gets to play two games in one season in unfamiliar stadiums, but that’s what Michigan gets to do this season, and in back-to-back weeks no less.

On October 27, Michigan will travel to Lincoln, Neb. for the first time in a century to do battle with Nebraska. The last time Michigan visited Lincoln was in 1911 when the two schools played to a 6-6 tie and the team, alumni, and students in attendance were invited to the Cornhuskers banquet afterward. Don’t expect that cordiality this year.

Last season marked the first regular season meeting between the two schools since 1962 and Michigan won in convincing fashion 45-17. Nebraska hopes to make a better impression in its second year in the Big Ten and gets Michigan the week following its rivalry game with Michigan State.

Interestingly enough, Brady Hoke has coached in Memorial Stadium, when his Ball State Cardinals nearly pulled off an upset of the Big Red in 2007. Nebraska won 41-40, but the experience will help Hoke prepare his team to do battle in one of college football’s premier home fields.

The following week, Michigan will visit Minneapolis hoping to keep the Little Brown Jug in Ann Arbor where it has been for 37 of the last 40 years. While Minneapolis is a regular destination on the Big Ten schedule, it will mark the first time Michigan steps foot in the Gophers’ one-year-old TCF Bank Stadium.

Since 1982, Minnesota played its home games downtown in the Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Vikings, and it served as a dingy, cavernous site devoid of any college football pageantry. The move to “The Bank” gave the Gophers a home on campus for the first time in nearly 30 years, and the new home proved helpful to the Gophers as they captured all three of their wins last season inside the friendly confines.

Michigan beat Minnesota 58-0 last season and the visit to TCF should make for an enjoyable road trip for Michigan fans, regardless of whether it’s a close game or not.

The Dawn of a New War?

Can Hoke & Meyer form a fiercely contested rivalry in the vein of Bo & Woody?

When Schembechler beat Hayes in 1969, it began what will forever be referred to as “The Ten Year War,” a ten-year period in which the end of season game decided the Big Ten title each year. Michigan won the conference title five of those, while Ohio State won four, and the teams shared the title in 1973 following a 10-10 tie.

Now, with Brady Hoke already on his way to becoming Michigan’s next great head coach, Ohio State brings one of college football’s biggest names into the rivalry: Urban Meyer. While the two were not previously teacher and pupil, they have the makings of another hotly contested period in college football’s greatest rivalry.

One of the first things Hoke did when he took over was cement the rivalry as the number one focus. He famously claimed to have never worn a red tie despite coaching at two schools – Ball State and San Diego State – whose prominent colors were red, and referred to the Buckeyes simply as “Ohio.” He said his upbringing in the state of Ohio led him to calling them that and it has stuck. Ohio State fans hate it.

Since Meyer took over last November, he has also done his part to renew the rivalry that has lacked its traditional spark the past few years. He reinstituted Hayes’ nickname for Michigan, “That Team Up North,” and put up a sign in the team’s facility mocking Michigan’s academics.

When the two meet in Columbus on November 24, it will be nearly a year to the day of Meyer’s hiring and it will be their first ever meeting as head coaches. With the way each coach has solidified recruiting and energized his respective fan base, the game could very well decide the Big Ten title once again and set the tone for a heated rivalry.

Greatest of all Time?

Denard Robinson began his freshman year in 2009 as one of the most electric players Michigan fans have ever seen. His first touch in the season opener against Western Michigan went for a 43-yard touchdown run. Now, as a senior, he has a chance to become not only one of the greatest quarterbacks but also one of the greatest players in Michigan history.

By the end of the season, he will likely pass Tom Brady, Jim Harbaugh, Todd Collins, and Elvis Grbac on the school’s career passing yards list. He’ll rank third all-time behind only John Navarre and Chad Henne. He’ll also likely finish third or fourth in career completions, fourth in touchdown passes, and third in 100-yard passing games, assuming he matches his average from the past two seasons in each category.

He will also likely pull within the top three or four rushers in Michigan history, second or third in career rushing touchdowns, and break the Big Ten record for career rushing yards by a quarterback.

With the well-documented struggles Robinson has had passing the football and his propensity for injury, the first reaction to the question of whether he’s one of Michigan’s greatest players of all time is to scoff.

But when you consider the list of quarterbacks and running backs Michigan has produced in the modern era of college football, and Robinson’s likely spot in the record books when all is said and done, it’s hard not to rank him up there with the best to ever don the maize and blue.

Every season is filled with its share of storylines, some we know about ahead of time, and some that write themselves as they go. This season is chalked full of them, from the season opener against the defending national champs, to losing streaks to be ended, to names etched in Michigan lore, so sit back and watch them unfold. And maybe at season’s end, we’ll get to watch Meyer stand at the postgame lectern, look into the cameras and pronounce, “Damn you, Brady, you’ll never win a bigger game.”

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For continued coverage of our season preview series, make sure to come back each day this week.

Tomorrow: Offense Preview
Wednesday: Defense Preview
Thursday: Record Watch
Friday: Schedule Predictions