Jake Rudock prepares for Ohio State as a Wolverine

Fifth-year quarterback expects things to be totally different now that he’s leading U-M and not Iowa FILE – In this Sept. 26, 2015, file photo, Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock (15) celebrates his touchdown in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against BYU in Ann Arbor.(Photo: Tony Ding, Associated Press) As a veteran quarterback in the Big Ten, Jake Rudock is no stranger to Ohio State’s winning ways. The fifth-year senior quarterback actually did quite well in his one try against the Buckeyes — going 19-for-34 in the air for 245 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the 34-24 loss in 2013 — but knows that this year will be vastly different. He’s no longer leading an Iowa team that would eventually finish 8-5. It’s 2015, and Rudock is the leader of No. 12 Michigan, ready to quarterback the Wolverines in the 112th rendition of one of the most storied rivalries in sports. “I fully expect it to be different,” Rudock said. “The history between these two programs, the greatest rivalry in college football, arguably in sports, you expect it to be a little bit different.” Despite the history and tradition that goes with the game, Michigan players and coaches have largely downplayed the rivalry, citing it as just another game to win. When asked if the energy at practice was different this week, Rudock joked that it was a little chillier than usual. Fortunately for Rudock, downplaying the rivalry isn’t a tall task. Unlike the dozens of players that grew up in Michigan or Ohio that have emotional and personal ties to the rivalry, Rudock — who was born and raised in Florida before playing at Iowa — is seeing the game with fresh eyes. “(The meaning of the rivalry has) clicked in my mind but, at the same time, it’s another game that we need to go out there and compete the best we can,” Rudock said. …

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