Fitzgerald, Cooper to be honored at Fiesta Bowl

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald and former Ohio State head coach John Cooper are among the 14 new College Football Hall of Fame inductees to be honored before tonight’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. 

The Hall of Famers will be introduced just prior to kickoff between No. 3 Texas and No. 10 Ohio State (Fox, 8 p.m. ET). Fitzgerald was inducted as a player, having led Northwestern to consecutive Big Ten titles as an All-American linebacker in 1995 and 1996.

The class actually has three members with Big Ten roots. Head coach Lou Holtz coached at Minnesota from 1984-85. 

Here’s the full list of Hall of Famers:

2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS

• TROY AIKMAN — UCLA, QB (1987-88)
• BILLY CANNON — LSU, RB (1957-59)
• COACH JOHN COOPER — Tulsa (1977- 84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988-2000)
• JIM DOMBROWSKI — Virginia, OT (1982- 85)
• PAT FITZGERALD — Northwestern, LB (1993-96)
• COACH LOU HOLTZ — William & Mary (1969-71), NC State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004)
• WILBER MARSHALL — Florida, LB (1980- 83)
• RUEBEN MAYES — Washington St., RB (1982-85)
• RANDALL McDANIEL — Arizona St., OG (1984-87)
• DON McPHERSON — Syracuse, QB (1984- 87)
• JAY NOVACEK — Wyoming, TE (1982-84)
• DAVE PARKS — Texas Tech, SE (1961-63)
• RON SIMMONS — Florida State, NG (1977- 80)
• THURMAN THOMAS — Oklahoma St., RB (1984-87)
• ARNOLD TUCKER — Army, QB (1944-46) 

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Come Back To Earth, Buckeyes; You Still Have a Long Way to Go

Ohio State fans, why must you continue to insist on your team’s greatness?

Why do you continue to boast what doesn’t impress?

That is the question. “What doesn’t impress” is your five-game win streak over Michigan and seven of eight victories.

You think this is greatness. You think this means that your beloved Buckeyes own that team up north.

Well, now, you couldn’t be more wrong.

While seven of eight wins is impressive, as is five straight wins, all that UM fans can do is yawn. Would you like to know what true dominance is? You probably do, since you’re not too familiar with it.

It is funny how quickly Buckeye fans everywhere forget about a man named John Cooper.

That is right, Buckeyes! Remember the good ole days where Michigan won 10 of 12 over your beloved Buckeyes? Hmmm, maybe you should start if you have forgotten.

As for five straight, that pails to Michigan’s longest win streak of nine games to begin the series. That streak lasted from 1901-1909. Michigan actually started the series 13-0-2 dating from 1897-1918.

In fact it was after the 86-0 blowout loss to UM (largest in rivalry history) that Carmen Ohio, the OSU Alma Matter, was written. Fairly sad to think the school’s most tradition-rich song was written after such a disgrace of a game.

Say what you want about going back to the olden days, but victories are victories, no matter the era. Most OSU fans use that old “Yeah, that was way back then” excuse just to avoid the truth. In all fairness, the level of competition at that point should have been about equal.

In fact, Ohio State didn’t even get their first win until 1919, which was Chic Harley’s first year. OSU would win the next three.

In 1918, the rivalry started back up as both teams met in their first-ever meeting as members of the Big Ten Conference. Michigan prevailed 14-0; that became Michigan’s 11th shutout of Ohio State in 15 games.

That is dominance!

After Harley was finished at OSU, nature returned to its rightful manner…Michigan beating Ohio State. In 1922, The House that Harley Built was finally complete. The dedication game, which was played in front of 71,000 people, was against none other than Michigan.

Final result: Michigan 19, Ohio State 0…yet another shutout.

There is lore stating that there was a wager on that game. As a result, yellow flowers on a blue background still exist in the stadium’s upper rotunda.

Michigan would win the next five, making for a six-game win streak, before OSU won the last two of the decade.

By this point, Michigan held a 19-5-2 lead.

That is dominance!

Starting in 1930, Michigan won three of four on their way to winning two national titles.

Finally in 1934, Ohio State started to learn a little about dominance. They won the next four in convincing fashion, outscoring the Wolves 112-0.

Way to go OSU; you got something.

Too bad it didn’t last long. UM would take the next three, one of which was a 40-0 beat down in the Shoe where Tom Harmon would leave the stadium to a standing ovation, the only player to leave the stadium like so….and Tom played for Michigan.

1941 marked the two schools’ first meeting when both teams were ranked. It ended in a 20-20 tie.

We would win five of the next seven, while tying one more time by 1949. By the half century mark UM had a comfortable lead at 30-12-4.

That is dominance!

We all know who won the infamous Snow Bowl in 1950. It was that game that led to the hiring of legendary Buckeye coach Woody Hayes.

This is were the tide finally turned. The Buckeyes went on to win 12 of 18 victories vs. Michigan to start Hayes’ tenure. One of those was the 1950 game…you know, the game were Woody went for two when up 50-14, just because he couldn’t go for three.

By the end of 1968, UM still held a solid lead at 37-24-4 even despite the Buckeye dominance.

Oh, but then began the “Ten Year War.” Bo vs. Woody in arguably the most heated decade of any rivalry.The end result 5-4-1…advantage Michigan.

Michigan increased its lead to 42-28-5.

That is dominance!

Upon Hayes leaving, he was replaced by Earle Bruce. Under Bruce, the Buckeyes went 5-4 vs Schembechler’s Wolverines.

By Bruce’s last season, the series was 46-33-5. Are you still getting this, Buckeye faithful? I know it’s hard, but keep reading. It’s about to get a little harder.

Then came John Cooper. You Buckeyes remember him fondly…so do Wolverines.

Cooper lost his first game vs. the Wolverines, then his second, then third, then fourth, oops, then a tie…and then his fifth the next year. He didn’t get his first win until 1994.

The 1993 team came to Ann Arbor as the heavy favorite as they posted a 9-0-1 record and a No. 5 ranking. Michigan shut them out once more, 28-0.

In 1995, the again favored Buckeyes returned to Ann Arbor with a thirst for vengeance. The entered the game undefeated and No. 2 in the nation. They were led by Heisman winning running back Eddie George.

However, George was outplayed by Michigan running back Tim Biakabatuka…Tim who? Biakabatuka ,that is who! He put George to shame as Tim blazed through the Buckeye defense rushing for 313 yards (series record).

Michigan won 31-23.

Then there was 1996. Ohio State entered the game No. 2 in the nation once again. This time the game was in the Shoe. However, the Buckeyes flopped once again. Even without the starting quarterback, three-loss Michigan pulled of the 13-9 upset, all on the arm of back up junior Brian Griese.

One year later the rivalry returned to Ann Arbor, both teams undefeated with Michigan No. 1 and Ohio State No. 4 in the nation. Here was Ohio State’s chance at redemption. Not quite. Unfortunately Michigan had a guy named Charles Woodson who made sure that the Bucks went home with a bitter taste in their mouth once more.

Final score: Michigan 20, Ohio State 14…Michigan went on to win their first national title since 1948.

Cooper played in two more games vs Michigan. He ended his career vs Michigan at 2-10-1.

The Michigan record vs OSU got a little more comfortable at 56-35-6.

That is dominance!

But then came the sweater vest. Jim Tressel would lead the Bucks to three straight victories over Michigan to start his career at OSU.

The streak would end in 2003, the rivalry’s 100th meeting. OSU would take over that, and yes, OSU won the first ever No. 1 vs. No. 2 meeting in the rivalry’s history in 2006.

This all led to the idea that Ohio State is dominant vs. Michigan. While that does hold some truth, it still doesn’t come close to Michigan’s dominance.

In fact, your five-game win streak matches only our third longest in rivalry history, if you don’t include the tie in 1992.

After the 2008 victory, Buckeyes have liked the fact that they hold the best win percentage all-time in Big 10 play. However, little do they realize how small the difference is. It is only .00001%. Some difference, huh?

Michigan also holds 42 Big Ten titles and 11 national championships.

Ohio State only claims 33 Big Ten titles and 7 national titles.

Michigan has 20 Rose Bowl appearances…Ohio State 13.

Bowl appearances OSU 39…Michigan 38

So what has been learned…

Michigan holds the series record for largest margin of victory: 86 points

Michigan won the “Ten Year War:” 5-4-1

Michigan holds the longest win streak: 9 straight (and the second longest at six straight).

Oh, and Michigan holds the all-time series record 57-42-6.

That is dominance!

But let’s not stop there. How bout we look at each school’s athletics overall. There are more sports than football, Buckeyes.

For this, let us look at the Director Cup standings which rank the top universities overall athletics.

Since the cup was created in the 1993-1994 school year, Michigan has finished in the top 5 in nine of the cup’s 15 years and has never not finished in the top 11 and only once out of the top ten. That also includes three top 3 finishes. 

Ohio State finished in top 5 only twice, with its best finish being third.

That is just to add some insult to injury and to further explain to OSU fans that they aren’t who they think they are.

Let’s cool down on the arrogance. You won five straight, congrats…but you still haven’t “dominated” Michigan to extents Michigan has you.

Keep thinking you are an elite. Ohio State will never be more than that team down south and the national punching bag.

Win a big game, then talk about being elite. Losing 41-14 and 35-3 is not elite (here come the excuses).

Until then, come back to earth, Buckeye fans. Join us down here, won’t you? Understand this…you are not superior, you are not elite, and you sure as hell are not dominant.

The sooner you realize this, the better.

By the way, it looks as if you’re going to have to wait on getting that elite status back. Playing Texas in the Fiesta Bowl…not going to be pretty. To think that OSU couldn’t do worse than the USC game.

Final score…Texas wins 45-7.

And remember 57-42-6…That is dominance!

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Honors won, lost and under consideration

A pair of interesting tidbits today:

1. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is among 10 finalists announced Tuesday for the Football Bowl Subdivision Liberty Mutual coach of the year award.

2. James Laurinaitis didn’t repeat this year as Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker. Wake Forest senior Aaron Curry won the award instead.

The accolade for Tressel is a bit of a surprise. Tressel is certainly a good coach, but I’d have a feeling most fans would feel Ohio State underachieved this year. I suppose the relatively smooth transition from Todd Boeckman to Terrelle Pryor may have had something to do with it.

Speaking of accolades, former Ohio State coach John Cooper joined Lou Holtz as coaches honored in the College Football Hall of Fame. Cooper is the only coach to win a Rose Bowl with a Pac-10 school (Arizona State) and a Big Ten school.

They were joined by players Billy Cannon of LSU, Troy Aikman of UCLA, Thurman Thomas of Oklahoma State, Don McPherson of Syracuse, Jim Dombrowski of Virginia, Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern, Wilber Marshall of Florida, Jay Novacek of Wyoming, Dave Parks of Texas Tech, Randall McDaniel of Arizona State, Ron Simmons of Florida State, Rueben Mayes of Washington State and Arnold Tucker of Army.

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Celebrating Thanksgiving with YouTubes

Since I’m kind of bored this Thanksgiving day, with nothing really to do nor any work projects that need my attention, I thought I’d upload another Michigan-related Drive-Thru compilation.  It came down to 1970, 1974, 1987 or 1994.  The first three constitute much more interesting games in the series, but the 1994 game was easier to compile.  So, to celebrate Thanskgiving, I’ve uploaded John Cooper’s first… and sadly penultimate… win over Michigan in 1994.

This game was something of a career make-or-break game for Cooper.  He had received an extension after the 1992 tie, much to the chagrin of several Buckeye fans.  While his 1993 season marked a significant improvement over his previous years at the helm of the Buckeyes, the season ended in a shutout loss at Michigan and a very bleeh win over a 6 win Brigham Young team in the Holiday Bowl.  To make matters worse, the 1994 season was something of a painful one.  The Buckeyes lost early to Washington in Seattle, again lost to Illinois in a second-half collapse in the Horseshoe and, the coup de grace, were routed by Penn State 63-14 in Happy Valley.  Another loss to Michigan would put Cooper’s record against the Wolvereenies at 0-6-1 and make his already hot seat one hot enough for him to spontaneously combust.

The Game started off well enough for the Buckeyes.  They kicked off to Michigan, who drove about 60 yards through the strength of Tyrone Wheatley.  However, they found themselves in a 4th and Inches situation at the fringe of the Buckeyes red zone.  Instead of taking 3 points, Moeller opted to go for it with a pass to the fullback in the flats.  It backfired, giving Ohio State the ball on the turnover on downs.  However, it didn’t take long for an Eddie George fumble to give Michigan the ball back in great field position.  Before his Heisman season in 1995, fumbles were a chronic problem for Eddie George.  Combine his fumble-itis with some of the impatience you can see in his earlier games and you can imagine why the coaching staff, at the time, honestly thought Pepe Pearson would be their tailback for the future (that is: 1995).

Michigan’s offense, in spite of the great field position given to them, went backwards 34 yards.  On 3rd and 44, Michigan went with the draw for a short gain and punted back to Ohio State’s offense.  Ohio State’s offense, a very anemic unit in 1994 in spite of the brilliance of future Pro-Bowler Korey Stringer and professional mainstay Joey Galloway, stalled, setting up a punt.  However, the Scott Terna punt that followed was a gamechanger.  Amani Toomer, Michigan’s punt returner, made a curious decision not to field the ball with a fair catch¹.  Ohio State’s punt team eventually downed the ball within the Michigan 2 yard line.  A few plays later, Todd Collins, Michigan’s QB, tripped over himself in the end zone for a safety.  This safety marks the first real appearance of the LOLverines for this game.  Later in the second half, they would show up in full force to give the game to the Buckeyes.

The kickoff following the safety gave Ohio State a short field.  It didn’t take that long for Ohio State to capitalize.  After marching deep into the Michigan red zone, Bobby Hoying ran a poorly executed bootleg keeper into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game.  The Buckeyes had taken a 9-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Bill Young, pictured to the left, had held Michigan in check through the first half.  After Michigan’s ensuing drive went nowhere, the Buckeyes received the ball back.  On this drive, the Buckeyes found themselves in that gray area between punting and going for it on 4th down.  With the down and distance 4th and 5, Hoying connected with Joey Galloway to extend the chains.  However, on 3rd and goal later in that drive, Hoying overshot a wide-open Galloway in the end zone.  The Buckeyes settled for a field goal and a 12-0 lead.

Michigan’s ensuing drive was cause for consternation for the Buckeye faithful.  It had seemed that Michigan’s offensive coordinator had finally found something he liked in Bill Young’s defensive schemes.  A bootleg fake-stretch play to Tyrone Wheatley freed up Amani Toomer deep down field for an enormous gain early into the drive.  With it, Michigan had moved from their own 30 yard line to the Ohio State 11 yard line.  Fortunately, Bill Young’s unit held, forcing Michigan to settle for a field goal to cut into the deficit.  The 12-3 scoreline eventually carried over into the intermission.  Ohio State led by virtue of the game-changing punt by Terna and the safety gift by Todd Collins.  Failing that, they were outplayed in most statistical areas in spite of the brilliant play from the defense.

The third quarter was a nailbiting affair for Ohio State fans.  The Buckeyes began with the ball, but went 3 and out.  The would continue to go 3 and out for the remainder of the quarter.  Michigan, on the other hand, racked up 94 yards of offense in the quarter to Ohio State’s 10 total yards.  While Michigan continued to dominate possession, Ohio State’s offense couldn’t muster a first down.  Michigan’s first drive of the second half resulted in a field goal to halve the Buckeye lead.  Michigan’s next offensive series after that played out just like the first of the half.  With the clock rolling over into the final quarter of play, Michigan had the ball, the momentum, and were looking to take the lead.

However, Michigan’s offense did sputter again, setting up another field goal try for the Wolvereenies.  With momentum clearly on Michigan’s side, Marlon Kerner — special teams superhero for the Buckeyes — made the play of the game.  A high snap by the LOLverines on the try was all the delay Kerner needed to spike the ball and spike it backwards.  Mike Vrabel was in pursuit of the live ball, hoping for a scoop and score.  Vrabel, however, was not able to come up with it, but Kerner’s authoritative block not only denied Michigan 3 points, and not only turned momentum back to the Buckeyes, but also flipped field position.  Ohio State’s offense now had the ball within the Michigan half of the field.  They made good on Kerner’s efforts as only that 1994 offense could: by getting at least 3 points out of it.  Ohio State now had a 15-6 lead with about 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter, good enough to extend their lead back to a two-score cushion.

The LOLverines now woke up.  On the first play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Todd Collins found the waiting arms of the pass rush by Luke Fickell, the consensus scariest dude currently on the Buckeye coaching staff, who tipped the Collins pass to himself for the interception.  Unlike the last gamechanging play by Kerner, the Buckeye offense plowed ahead with Eddie George, then an impatient banger between tackles, for a touchdown.  The score was now 22-6, with about 10 minutes left.

Michigan’s next drive went a long way in making that the final score of the game.  Michigan’s offense took what the Buckeye defense gave them, eventually getting into the Buckeye red zone.  However, the LOLverine offense went backwards after that.  As you’ll see, on a 3rd and 23 play, Michigan’s left tackle flinched while a Michigan receiver was in motion, upending him.  As it turned out, the left tackle was flagged for a false start, and not an unnecessary roughness penalty against his own teammate.  3rd and 23 became 3rd and 28.  3rd and 28 became 4th and 28.  4th and 28 became a turnover on downs.  With about 5 minutes left, the Buckeyes were feeling it.

Ohio State ran out the next 4 minutes, exhausting Michigan’s timeouts in the process.  Michigan was set to get the ball back with about one minute and 30 seconds left, down 16 points, but the LOLverine special teams roughed the punter.  Now, the Buckeye offense could ice the game away, celebrate their first victory over Michigan in Columbus in 10 years (sigh…), and prepare to face the loser of the SEC Championship game in the Citrus Bowl.  That happened to be Alabama that year, and, sadly, I think you know what happened.  Fucking Jay Barker².

Still, for all the static John Cooper got at Ohio State, it was rewarding to see him feel so relieved after this game.  He deserved the free ride he got as time expired; it’s just unfortunate he couldn’t beat them more often.

Two other things of note about this game:

• First, it was Gary Moeller’s first loss in November as head coach at Michigan.  He was undefeated in November for 5 years to that point.
• Second, Ohio State set a team record for sacks this game, breaking a mark set in 1991.  Musburger and Vermeil didn’t say how much the Buckeyes tallied in this game.  However, the Buckeye pass rush was excellent this game.

Without any further ado, the game can be seen below.

1. He would eventually repeat this later in the game.
2. He does campus promotions all the time at the University of Alabama, maybe I should make time to find him and demand an apology for that game.

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OSU – UM history….In The Numbers

The below information was sent to me via email and was originally written by Jack Park and published at BuckeyeExtra.com. I thought is was worthy of reposting…. ENJOY!

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Rich Rodriguez hopes to avoid becoming an anomaly: a Michigan football coach who loses his first game against Ohio State.

The 105th chapter of college football’s greatest rivalry will be written Saturday afternoon when Ohio State entertains Michigan with a noon kickoff in Ohio Stadium. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 57-41-6, but the past 80 games (1928 through 2007) are even at 38-38-4.

Michigan’s 16 more victories than Ohio State are primarily the result of the Wolverines’ record of 13-0-2 during the first 15 games (played from 1897 to 1918). Halfback Chic Harley led OSU to its long-awaited initial win, on Oct. 25, 1919 — 13-3 in  Ann Arbor.

Ohio State has won the past four games. With a victory Saturday, OSU’s five-game winning streak would be its longest over the Wolverines. Prior to the present winning streak, the Buckeyes twice won four straight — 1934-1937 under coach Francis Schmidt and 1960-1963 under coach Woody Hayes. Michigan’s longest winning streak over Ohio State is nine straight from 1901-1909. The Wolverines also won six in a row from 1922 to 1927.

Coach Rich Rodriguez is in his first season at Michigan. The Wolverines have had 12 different head coaches, from 1897 through 2007, who guided their teams during the 104 previous games against the Buckeyes. Only one of those 12 lost to Ohio State during his first season as Michigan’s head coach — coach Harry Kipke’s first UM team lost to OSU 7-0 in 1929.

Jim Tressel is the fifth head coach to lead Ohio State in eight or more games against the Wolverines. The other four are Dr. John Wilce (11 games), Woody Hayes (28 games), Earle Bruce (nine games) and John Cooper (13 games). With a win Saturday, Tressel’s record against Michigan would be 7-1. The Ohio State coach with the second-best mark over his first eight games would be Woody Hayes at 5-3 from 1951-1958.

Ohio State and Michigan have faced each other each year since 1918. The Game was moved to the last game of the regular season for both teams in 1935. Only once has a game been decided by a single point. Michigan won 17-16 at Ohio Stadium in 1926 to hand the Buckeyes their only setback that season.

Five times Ohio State has entered the game ranked as the country’s No.1 team, while Michigan has been top-ranked three times. The Buckeyes are 3-1-1 when ranked No.1 — winning in 1954 (21-7), 1975 (21-14) and 2006 (42-39); losing in 1969 (24-12); and playing to a 10-10 tie in 1973. The Wolverines are 3-0 as the nation’s No.1, being victorious in 1947 (21-0), 1948 (13-3) and 1997 (20-14).

Both schools have all-time winning percentages higher than .700. Only once during the 105 seasons Ohio State and Michigan have met have both teams ended the season with losing records. The Wolverines finished 4-5 and the Buckeyes 3-5-1 in 1959.

Saturday’s date is Nov. 22. Hayes and UM’s Bo Schembechler each coached their first victories in the series on Nov. 22 — Hayes (27-7) on 11-22-52; Schembechler (24-12) on 11-22-69. The series’ 100th game was also played on this date — UM won 35-21 in Michigan Stadium on Nov. 22, 2003.

In addition to winning the past four, Ohio State has won six of the past seven and seven of the past 10, but only nine of the past 23 (9-13-1) and 13 of the past 32 (13-18-1). This year’s encounter will be in Columbus, but the home field in this series has been only a slight advantage (52-46-6).

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A salute to the seniors

I’ve covered better senior classes in my 22 years on the Ohio State beat, but none more successful.

This class enters the Michigan game with a 42-7 record, three Big Ten titles, three wins over Michigan, two trips to the BCS title game and three BCS bowl appearances over the past four seniors. The most wins by an Ohio State senior class — 43, in 1995-98 and 2002-05. So this class could become the winningest with victories in its last two games.

The 19 fifth-year seniors, with All-Americans James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins counted among them, could become the first group to go 5-0 against Michigan. That’s a lot of gold pants, two more pairs than won by two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, who never lost to the Wolverines (3-0-1) and went to four Rose Bowls.

“Our senior class, we haven’t lost a lot of games in our time here,” fullback Brandon Smith said. “When you’re not used to losing, you never know how guys are going to react. I think we’ve done a good job of just trying to get better each week and coming back and being successful.

“I’d like to be remembered as part of a class that didn’t fold the tent. We lost two (national) championships, guys could have left early (for the NFL) and said, ‘Forget Ohio State.’ I want us to be remembered as a group of guys that were determined to finish strong and make the best of what we have.”

Coach Jim Tressel didn’t want to be drawn into comparisons of senior classes.

“Every group of seniors has been through a different path and you don’t end up liking one group more than another, but you end up appreciating what it was that their travel was and what their contribution was and what their sacrifice was,” Tressel said. “This is a group that’s been here a great deal of time and we’ve had some wonderful things happen and we’ve had injuries happen that have shaken the family and it’s been a group that has worked very hard to represent us off the field and has done very well academically and I think are prepared for the next step in their world.

“Some of them will step into the NFL, some of them will step into the other world. But it’s been a group of great guys that have given a lot to Ohio State. They’ve really given a lot to the community, appreciated being at the university. Their diploma is something that they’re very proud of and they’ve played a lot of good football and sometimes it’s gone for them in football the way they’ve wanted and sometimes it hasn’t, but they’ve marched forward, and that’s been impressive.”

Like former coach John Cooper, who might have won multiple national championships with a few more wins over Michigan, this senior class was on the cusp of unrivaled greatness. It might have had a monument erected in its honor had it been part of national titles in 2006 and 2007. But these seniors still have a chance to be part of just the 10th OSU team to win at least 11 games in a season and the first group of seniors to do it three straight years.

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Winning “The Game” is about who “gets it” more….

I’ve been watching The Game since I was a little boy. I’ve seen Earle Bruce win games he shouldnt have won, I’ve seen John Cooper lose games he shouldn’t have lost, and I’ve seen Jim Tressel absolutely own TTUN.

On the other side of the field, the TTUN coaches who understand the rivalry have done the best. There’s a damn good reason Bo Schembechler won that 1969 game against the best OSU team ever. It’s the same reason that Tressel beat #7 TTUN in 2004. It wasn’t about who had the better team, it was about who could motivate and execute better.

So yesterday, I saw an article about The Game, and a few key points stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Head Coach Rich Rodriguez might have more riding on this game. Redemption and the ability to walk around Ann Arbor without a disguise until next football season.

“(Upsetting Ohio State) is not going to salvage the season, but it at least will make you feel good for a few days,” Rodriguez said.

Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME????

If the Head Coach of That Team Up North thinks that beating us will make him feel good “for a few days”, then he very clearly does NOT “get it”!

“We talk about … the frustrations we’ve had or any disappointments we’ve had. A win would help a little bit, but it’s not going to erase everything, and it shouldn’t erase everything.”

I don’t know about you, but if my team was 3-8 and we beat our biggest rival, who happened to be in the Top 10, I’d have to say that would erase EVERYTHING painful about the whole year.

Hey, TTUN.  You have the power to knock us out of the freaking Rose Bowl….and you’re not excited?

“I’ve told the team … not a lot of people are going to expect you to do well and win the game, but we expect them to do well,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a challenge, but we are capable of playing pretty good football.”

That’s the sound of defeat coming from your head coach.

Now, here’s what it sounds like when your coach “gets it”…..

OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel said. “Ohio State vs. Michigan trumps everything. It trumps your record. It trumps whether it’s dangerous or you don’t have a chance, or any of those kinds of things. … I would like to think our guys understand that. There’s only one demonstration of understanding and that’s at 12 noon on Saturday.”

That’s the attitude to have.  Ohio State has it, TTUN doesn’t.

When John Cooper showed up at Ohio State, he was wearing a blue blazer around campus one day, when a student told him “coach, you can’t wear that”.  Cooper didn’t understand why.  He said that the TTUN game was “just another game”.

Rodriquez is talking the same way.

Here’s hoping RichRod has the same success at TTUN that Cooper had at Ohio State.

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College Football ADD: Week 13

For those who don’t want to read full articles

Attention everyone, I have an important announcement to make. The M*ch*g*n at Ohio State game has been cancelled this year. It seems that M*ch*g*n can’t get around Toledo. (Thank you, Shawn Collier)

I love M*ch*g*n Week.  As far as weeks go, I think it narrowly edges out the week of Christmas, the week of Thanksgiving (every other year for the family vacation) and the first week of the NCAA basketball tourney for my favorite of the year.

This weekend just adds to the lore of making fun of that hated state up north.

- At noon on Saturday it will have been 1,826 days since M*ch*g*n’s last win over Ohio State. Here’s to 365 more!

- This season’s 20.5-point spread in favor of the Buckeyes is the largest in the history of the rivalry. It’s opened at 19; who knows what it’ll be by Saturday.

- Last week established the first time M*ch*g*n lost eight games in a season in their 129-year football history. I’m sure the Buckeyes would gladly enjoy making this the first time they’ve lost nine.

- A win on Saturday gives Ohio State their first-ever five game winning streak over the state up north.

So it’s time to gear up for another Beat M*ch*g*n week, full of jumps in freezing lakes, daily singings of “We Don’t Give a Damn” and hopefully yet another Buckeye victory. Go Bucks!

Thoughts on Last Weekend

- What, you want me to elaborate in some profound way that makes last weekend seem important or entertaining?  Not only were the games bad on paper, but they were bad on the field.

Only three Top 20 teams trailed at half (UC and BYU trailed, USC was tied) and only Georgia, LSU, UNC and Florida State were trailing in the fourth (obviously UGA and LSU won).

Mainly, it was a large dose of yawners; players’ mothers were bored watching; luckily we have this weekend to save us.

- Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, you coach at a smart school, so let me throw a big word for a small article out there for you: comeuppance.

Thanks to Coach Harbaugh’s end-of-game tactics (tactics in this article actually means stupidity), you’ll be able to use that word along with “2009” and “Stanford at USC game” in a sentence next season. Leave no doubt, the Trojans won’t forget how that game ended.

- We all are now aware that Steve Spurrier had never taken a beating like he did in the Swamp on Saturday.  More interesting to me is that Spurrier now has four games in four seasons with the Gamecocks in which his team didn’t score a touchdown. That only happened once while at Florida, a 30-6 loss to Mississippi State in Spurrier’s second season in Gainesville.

- Vanderbilt is bowl eligible, congrats.

- Rutgers is still alive! After drubbing South Florida in Tampa, Rutgers is back to an even record for the first time since being 0-0.  I know I’m grasping at straws here, but the opportunity for a 7-5 Big East team to make a BCS game doesn’t come along every day.

- Speaking of the Big East and BCS, bowl projections right now have either Maryland (7-3) or Miami (7-3) playing Cincinnati(8-2) in the Orange Bowl. I wanted to see UC in a top tier bowl this season, but man, what a terrible top-tier game this would be

And to recap, the Orange bowl has given us Kansas vs. Virginia Tech, Louisville vs. Wake Forest and Penn State vs. 8-4 Florida State. That was after the 55-19 National Championship embarrassment USC put on Oklahoma in 2005.

In other words, I haven’t really enjoyed an Orange Bowl in some time; I’m pretty sure most of the country hasn’t either.

- Seriously ACC, just flip a coin and stop playing the games. Adding to the madness this past weekend, former Coastal Division leader, and assumed front-runner North Carolina lost to Maryland to lose control of first place for the third time this season.

This was the same Maryland team who was shut out by 5-5 Virginia 31-0. Virginia then lost at Wake two weekends ago, but Wake followed that victory with a loss on the road to N.C. State.

However, N.C. State lost to Duke the same weekend Virginia was dumped by Wake, and Duke was just knocked off by Clemson this past weekend.

Clemson, amongst other losses, was beaten by Georgia Tech in their first game without Tommy Bowden back in mid-October, while GT lost to VaTech all the way back in September.

VaTech lost this past Thursday Night to Miami, but Miami had already been beaten by rival Florida State, who just lost to B.C. on Saturday.

And that, my friends, is how you link all 12 ACC teams together in one big circle. It didn’t take nearly as long as you’d think.

- Division III Mount Union finished their regular season last weekend a perfect 10-0 record, the 15th time in 17 seasons they’ve accomplished that feat.  Mount scored 40+ points in all but one game (a 33-3 nailbiter over No. 10 St. John Fisher), and didn’t win by fewer than four TDs all season. They enter the D-III playoffs as the unanimous No. 1 team.

In case you hadn’t heard about D-III Mount Union, that’s just a taste of how good they are, every season.

- I have absolutely no power to decree such a thing, but I’m asking that this happen regardless.  If you are attending a football game (or any sporting event actually) between Team A and Team B, and some d-bag fan shows up wearing clothing supporting Team C, fans of both teams A and B must unite to unmercifully berate and chastise said fan C until he either changes or leaves.

I saw a man wearing an Iowa sweatshirt on the coverage of the Ohio State/Illinois game. I saw a man wearing a Steelers coat on the Monday Night Football game between Cleveland and Buffalo. Through the years I’ve seen various forms of retarded fans doing this when I go to Ohio State games; it must stop now!

- We may witness a second-coming of the depressing grunge rock era if Washington’s football teams don’t turn around. A 3-28 record between Washington, Wazzu and the Seahawks makes me wonder what the Pacific Northwest did exactly to make the football gods mad.

All of that bad, and yet the Wazzu faithful continue to keep alive one of the coolest under-the-radar traditions in all of college football each Saturday morning at ESPN’s Gameday.

Football theme grunge band names for the new era: Hasselbeck in Chains, Tyrone-ic Youth, Stone Temple Dobas, and my favorite, Temple of the Husky.

- And in my weekly watch of the stupidity that is the college football polling landscape, two AP Poll voters now have Florida as their No. 1 team. One Coaches’ Poll voter and one Harris Poll voter has them there as well.

I get it; Florida looks really good right now. They’re playing great. But they have this one little thing called a loss at home to 6-4 Ole Miss. Until ‘Bama or Texas Tech lose, the Gators do not belong at No. 1. That’s final; end of discussion.

So, little happened last weekend except serve as an appetizer for our palate this Saturday. Well…I can deal with that.

Last Week’s Picks

Hits

VaTech(+4.5) over Miami – VT only lost by 2

Northwestern (+3.5) over M*ch*g*n

Oregon (-4) over Arizona

The Over on O/U 79.5 in the Tulsa/Houston game

Florida (-21) over South Carolina

Cincy (-6) over Louisville

Texas (-21) over Kansas

Misses

Florida State(-7) over B.C. – so I made that pick before the five WRs were suspended.

Georgia (-8) over Auburn – that’s two pathetic UGA games in a row. And they’re makin’ me look bad!

The Under on O/U 71.5 for Nebraska/K-State – the game hit 84 pts.

Oklahoma State (-17) over Colorado – Ok State won by 16

7-4, same record as last week.

Thoughts on this Weekend’s Events

- So ESPN has the rights to all the BCS games starting in 2011.  You tell me that, but all I hear is the possibility of Dave Pasch and Andre Ware doing a major bowl game and I instinctively move to the fetal position.

- I’m not a huge conspiracy theorist, but this is something I’ll be watching for ESPN over the next few seasons. I don’t know if a college football playoff system will be implemented before 2011, or what sort of financial impact that could have on ESPN’s deal. But if it does affect it, I bet you see less and less coverage and talk about a playoff on the Worldwide Leader.

If that annual “ESPN Playoff” they do every December before the start of the bowls disappears, it would be my first indication.

- If he was standing on the other sideline, what would the records be? That’s the question I’ve decided is the most intriguing for the Ohio State/M*ch*g*n game. If Pryor would have signed with the state to the north, how much impact would there have been?

What would’ve happened in a Boeckman season? Could Pryor have worked the same magic as a freshman for M*ch*g*n as he’s done for OSU? It’s interesting to ponder in my opinion.

- You call it a Holy War huh?  I’m listening…not watching because I have other games, and better games to watch that don’t involve the state of Utah duking it out, but I’ll read about it on Sunday.

- Will the ride continue for the Beavers in Tucson? Arizona and Willie Tuitama put up 45 on Oregon State’s Civil War partner Oregon last weekend…but their defense subsequently allowed 55 points.

- Tennessee is a three-point underdog at Vandy this weekend.

- Ball State had its closest MAC contest of the season last week at Miami (OH), only winning by 15. They’ll be playing top two other MAC teams over the next two weekends in 8-2 Central Michigan and 9-2 Western Michigan. And they’ll continue to drop down the BCS.

- If Crabtree doesn’t score that touchdown against Texas and thus Texas Tech enters this weekend’s game with one loss, what’s their line at Oklahoma?  Right now, the Sooners sit seven-point favorites. I think that line would be near 20 if Tech had lost. And here’s to hoping the Red Raiders keep on proving “them” wrong.

- The Miami Hurricanes spent 107 consecutive weeks ranked in the AP poll from 1999 until the Sept 17, 2006, poll. This week marks the first time they’ve been ranked since, as they come in at No. 23. They still aren’t ranked in the Coaches’ or Harris Polls.

This Week’s Big Ones

The Game

M*ch*g*n at No. 10 Ohio State

My column, my bias. Sorry.

Outside of these two states, this game means as much as the Harvard/Yale game this season. But to me, it’s still that a**-hole Desmond Howard striking a pose, it’s David Boston and Charles Woodson coming to blows, it’s Will Allen making the leaping interception that sent Ohio State to the 2002 National Championship.

It’s cursing the name of Tshimanga Biakabutuka, it’s refusing to wear any clothing that combines yellow and blue, it’s reliving Woody and Bo, it’s forgetting John Cooper and Shawn Springs’ “slip.”

For all who were a part of a college experience that included a major rivalry like this, you all know what this weekend is like in Columbus. At 9-2, we aren’t going to the big dance this year (I know, about half of you just said “thank God”), so this is our BCS Championship Game. F-M*ch*g*n and bring on the 2008 Big Ten Champion Ohio State Buckeyes!

No. 2 Texas Tech at No. 5 Oklahoma

This is “the game” which happens to fall on the same weekend as “The Game”. My apologies to Big XII fans everywhere.

I’m not going to say too much different than what you’ll hear all week from talking-head nation. Oklahoma can’t outshoot the Red Raiders; they have to find a defense somewhere. Tech held Texas to its second-lowest score of the season then turned around to hold Okie State to its lowest.

I want to believe the Red Raiders win this game, but in Norman, under the bright lights for the third time in four weeks…I have to go against Crabtree and Evelyn (Evelyn doesn’t really play for TT). Sooners by 10.

No. 15 Michigan State at No. 8 Penn State

It’s been a long, long time since Penn State lost itself a game at home to Michigan State. So long in fact that the last time it did happen, 1965, JoePa wasn’t presiding over the sidelines at the foot of Mt. Nittany.  Paterno’s first season was 1966.

Ohio State fans, what I’m sayin’ is, don’t hold your breath. I take the Spread HD and their -14.5 line all the way to Pasadena.

Other Conference Games I’m Watching

ACC – Florida State at No. 25 Maryland

How much of a revolving door have the poll rankings from No. 20 to No. 25 been this season? Nine of the 12 ACC teams have been ranked at some point this season, with Miami and Maryland now joining the crowd.

Maryland has beaten four ranked teams this season, which would mean something except only one of those teams is currently ranked.

Seriously, I could go all day with the random oddities about the ACC. There’s millions.

Big XII – Iowa State at Kansas State

This is the only Big 12 game this weekend besides the TT/Oklahoma tilt.

Yeah.

Big East – No. 20 Pittsburgh at No. 18 Cincinnati

It’s the biggest game of the year for both teams. If UC wins, it would all but clinch the Big East title (UC only has one conference game left, vs. Syracuse), while a Pitt win gives them control of their own destiny with two conference games left.

And yet Cincy fans will be torn between going to this night game at Nippert Stadium or driving up I-75 forty-five minutes north to see Cincinnati Elder battle Pickerington Central in the Division I State Semis.

You think I’m joking? UC football isn’t exactly the traditional powerhouse and we all know the Bengals are terrible. High school football is the only hope for a winning team in town.

I’d take Pitt +5 to cover, but not to win.

Big Ten – Illinois at Northwestern

If the Purple Kitties win, they could be playing in a New Year’s Day bowl, and subsequently keep Illinois from playing in a bowl, period.  After the non-ferocious fight they put up against the Buckeyes two weekends ago, and subsequent punting contest vs. M*ch*g*n last weekend, I’m gonna think that probably won’t happen.

Take Illinois -3.

Pac-10 – Washington at Washington State

The Apple Cup has never seen a match-up like this before. Although 1969’s battle of 1-9 teams comes close, this game is just going to be horrendous on the eyes.

SEC – Ole Miss at No. 18 LSU

You want the definition of the Cialis Special again? It’s not getting up for a game after a major letdown from the week before or before a big game the following week. LSU just suffered the biggest Cialis Special of the season, nearly losing to Troy.

Ole Miss has lost their four games by a combined 19 points, and just handled a Sun Belt school the way an SEC school should – by beating them 59-love.

I’m taking Ole Miss and Jevan Snead +4.5 over “Pick-6-R-Us” Jarrett Lee.

My Top Ten

1.)    Alabama (11-0)

2.)    Texas Tech (10-0)

3.)    Texas (10-1)

4.)    Florida (9-1)

5.)    Oklahoma (10-1)

6.)    USC (9-1)

7.)    Penn State (10-1)

8.)    Utah (11-0)

9.)    Ohio State (9-2)

10.)   Boise State (10-0)

Quick Picks (HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Ball State (-7) over CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Washington (-7.5) over WASHINGTON STATE

Air Force (+18.5) over TCU

Boise State (-6) over NEVADA

RUTGERS (-17.5) over Army

Lines I’m Staying Away From

All ACC, Notre Dame or Georgia games.

Tulane (+28.5) at Tulsa– you want a team that just lost by 40 to turn around and win by 4+ TDs?

Stanford (+9) at Cal – Rivalry game theory.

Iowa (-5) at Minnesota – Seems almost too easy to take Iowa with how Minnesota is playing these days…I don’t like that feeling.

Thus concludes my M*ch*g*n Week A.D.D. Happy Mirror Lake jumping and Go Bucks!

As always, please tip your wait staff, they don’t make that much, seriously. I am spent.

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It’s Time To Wake Up Big Blue!!!

Lol…this article is going to be great! I’m sure I’m going to get TONS of positive and “constructive” feedback from Wolverine Nation on the thoughts I’m about to express.

Look I’m a Buckeye, and I know what all you Wolverines are thinking…”A Buckeye doesn’t know Michigan football and its problems!” Or how about the response of, “Shut up, Buckeye fan!”

But if you read my work you’ll probably see that I’m about as unbiased as it gets…so please Michigan fan, hear me out on this one…

You need to storm the ivory towers of Ann Arbor Michigan, fan. You need to pull Athletic Director Bill Martin from that fancy office of his, carry him down to the 50-yard line of the Big House, and you need to hang his career at Michigan right there. Then we need you to do the same with Rich Rodriguez…their careers at the University of Michigan should die side by side, following the complete ass-whipping your football program is about to endure in Columbus this coming Saturday.

Please, Michigan fan, I’m begging you, I know you are drinking some delicious maize and blue kool-aid right now (much like a lot of delusional Buckeye fans that I have to deal with sometimes). I know that the kool-aid is filled with the flavor of change, turn-around, revival, hope, and promise. I know you are tired of obnoxious Buckeye fans (yours truly), sitting here year after year, crowing, mocking you, and telling jokes about the JOKE your program is.

Believe it or not…I’m tired of it too. So I’m begging you Michigan fan…WAKE UP AND REALIZE THAT 1) YOU CONTROL THE MICHIGAN PROGRAM and 2) HAVE THE COURAGE AS A FANBASE TO STEP UP TO THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND DEMAND A CHANGE! Because the hiring of Rich Rodriguez into this program was wrong. Save yourselves Michgan fan!

What more evidence do you need that this was a bad hire from the get go? How many more things can go wrong with your program until you ask yourselves why this decision was made? Rich Rodriguez had D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R written all over him from the beginning. Think I’m just a stupid Buckeye talking out of his rear? Need proof? Well here’s more damning proof than you can swallow…

How successful at West Virginia was Rich Rodriguez really? The Big East (when it was still a legitimate BCS conference), was prior to the 2004 season when Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College were still a part of the conference.

Rich Rodriguez had been at West Virginia for three years while this was still a real conference. His record over that three-year stretch overall was 20-17 with an 0-2 record in bowl games. His best season during that stretch, was a “stellar” 9-4 campaign. His record following Miami, Virginia Tech, and Boston College’s departure, 40-9. Doesn’t this strike anybody as a magical coincidence?

How much of Rodriguez’ contract extension at WVU and now at Michigan should have been given to Pat White? The spread zone option read…and it genius inventor Rich Rodriguez, prior to Pat White strolling into Morgantown was 28-21 with a glowing 0-3 in bowl games. Once Pat came in and took over immediately, 32-5 overall and 2-0 in bowl games.

Compound the God blessing that is Pat White along with the exodus of the power hitters in that conference, and how much of that success really should be dedicated to Rich Rodriguez?

Forget the whole rigaramo with the lawsuit between after Rodriguez and the WVU highers up after Rodriguez got that huge extension and the epic disaster that turned into after Rodriguez lied about interest in the Michigan job that he was brokering for all along, then bolted without trying to pay that pesky buyout he agreed to in his “CONTRACT”. We all know the story, I won’t rehash the details because its been covered a gazillion hours through ESPN (The Worldwide Leader in Sports!).

But more importantly, I ask the question about the kids of HIS PROGRAM, and the position he left them in and the manner with which he did so.

Remember Pat White? That quarterback that Rich Rodriguez basically owes his West Virginia buyout and his current Michigan contract to? Pat White who has risen to superstar status under Coach Rodriguez and his “genius”? What did he have to say about the departure of the coach who recruited him, and built a relationship of success with?

White, who you would expect to be somewhat remorseful of Rodriguez exit, seemed pleased that Rodriguez left, and happy that Bill Stewart was running the show. White indicated that players there were tired of the verbal abuse of Rodriguez and the staff laid on a regular basis. That’s your first *RED FLAG* moment right there Michigan fan where you should have been questioning the hire.

Or, how about the manner with which Rodriguez bolted for Michigan to begin with? Telling potential recruits about his departure to try and get recruiting in Michigan on the pavement, DURING THE SEASON—before he had told a West Virginia team—KIDS that Rodriguez built HIS PROGRAM and got him that new contract with, that he was going to be leaving! Strike two people…

Okay, so now Rodriguez comes to Michigan…Hail to the Victors trumpets from the towers, banners of “Go Blue” reign from the skies, and all of Buckeye Nation shakes in its boots with the thought of our six out of seven streak to Michigan going down the drain.

So how does Rodriguez use this shred of positive momentum? Immediately runs what little of the depleted talent that was still on the roster from the Carr regime (Mallet, Manningham, Arrington, Boren, etc…) out of Ann Arbor, didn’t respect the alumni or the rich, proud, and long standing traditions that a school of Michigan’s prestige, and has looked the depleted roster of square pegs, (the ones he couldn’t run off because those kids just want to play college football), and decided that he was going to jam them through the round holes of his “genius” offense! Besides, he is Rich Rodriguez, the genius that turns cowpies into roses.

Or that is what he, Bill Martin, and the rest of the Michigan Board of Trustees has gotten you, Michigan fan, to buy?

Well Michigan fan, three wins, two against absolutely average and OVERRATED Wisconsin and Minnesota football teams, and a dominating 16-6 win over the powerhouse that is Miami of Ohio, and a record setting level of ineptitude in the 129 years of Michigan football later with eight defeats (soon to be nine after this Saturday), and you have officially witnessed the genius of Rich Rodriguez, Michigan fan!

Bottom line, Rich Rodriguez was not Bill Martin’s first choice. Les Miles was. Les Miles was a “Michigan Man” that you guys always like to bark about up there in Ann Arbor about. Miles was in the process of beating the crap out of your archrival that was the main reason you got rid of a good man in Lloyd Carr to begin with.

Les Miles wanted to take the Michigan job in the worst way, all Michigan brass had to do was keep their fat pieholes shut until after the SEC championship game…and they couldn’t do it. Word leaked and Miles facing unbelievable scrutiny from the backlash had to turn the job down.

Hell, Rodriguez wasn’t even your second choice, Greg Schiano was…but he saw the baboons that run your athletic department, and the fact that your AD likes riding yachts more than taking care of the future of an unstable football program and he passed.

Then, he came, the ”Savior” that Martin wanted all along…and Michigan fan I’ll be damned if you slop that kool-aid up like a sugar starved 4 year old.

I don’t want to hear the arguement from angry posters that this is the first year of Rodriguez! That you have to give a chance to rebuild. That’s all crap. Rich Rodriguez had a chance to make this a FAR SMOOTHER transition than its been. YOU’RE FREAKING MICHIGAN FOR GOD SAKES!

This is a team that had some talent that would’ve come back if Rodriguez would’ve adjusted slowly. This was a team that beat the now 9-1, No. 3 ranked Florida Gators last year! But Rodriguez had to burn all bridges and have his “signature” on this team.

I’ll say it again…GOOD COACHES ADJUST TO THE TALENT ON THEIR TEAMS. Urban Meyer did it, so did Pete Carroll, Bob Stoops, and Jim Tressel. Because they are good coaches. This should NOT be a 3-8 team that isn’t even competitive half the time. What is your excuse for Rich Rodriguez Michigan fan?

If you’re looking for a huge turn around next year Michigan fan, you’re in for a massive rude awakening. You’ll be starting a true freshman at quarterback in the Big Ten. You will be in-fluxing more unproven talent at skill positions. Your current commitments are jumping this sinking Rodriguez ship, and you are not recruiting any size whatsoever or depth for your offensive and defensive lines in the future. There is even talk amongst the program that there will be multiple additional defections in addition to the previous ones.

Oh, and by the way Michigan fan, you’re going to now lose 7 out of 8 to The Vest who owns you.

Which will lead me to my finally point before I hit “publish” on this bad boy, and let the love fest between the Wolverine faithful and myself begin. Rich Rodriguez doesn’t “get it” when it comes to THE GAME. He sounds like a John Cooper clone.

*MEMO RICH RODRIGUEZ*…this ISN’T just another game to Wolverine and Buckeye fans. This is war, this is hatred, this is Desmond’s Heisman pose, its Buckeye players tearing apart the M Club Flag in 73′, its 50-14 in 68′, and 24-12 in 69′…ITS Woody and its Bo.

Do your history Rich Rodriguez, and realize that coaches get fired because of this game, become legends from this game…Jim Tressel UNDERSTANDS THIS. Hell, Lloyd Carr knew this for crying out loud.

A win over Ohio State in the minds of Michigan fans this Saturday, SAVES THE ABSOLUTE EMBARRASSMENT this season has been Rich. And as a Buckeye fan, I’m thrilled you don’t get it, because I’m very confident we’ll lay an ass beating on you for another few years until Michigan fan wakes up and realizes the mistake Bill Martin has made.

Please Michigan fans, please make THE GAME meaningful again, wake up, stop drinking the Martin/Rodriguez kool-aid, and use your power as a fanbase. You can do it, you just have to show the stones to stand up together and tell Bill Martin that the man he hired that wants you guys to “get a life”, needs to pack up his stuff and “get out of town”.

Now before the hate mail pours in on the comments board, I ask you to consider one thing…I am an unabashed Buckeye fan, I HATE your school. That said, I LOVE this game, and I respect the Michigan program, this is a BUCKEYE FAN saying you deserve better. Shouldn’t that be convincing enough that something is wrong with the Michigan Wolverine football program?

Please feel free to comment! If you liked the article, or even hated it, spread the word, and become a fan.

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Three Reasons Why Jim Tressel Has Taken THE GAME Back

Bear with me on the setup of this article…lots of background, but good numbers…enjoy!

The year was 2001. Ohio State was in turmoil as a program. The program, under previous head coach John Cooper, had risen from the ashes to post some great seasons during the 1990s. But great 1993, 1995, and 1996 teams, National Championship-caliber teams, all fell to defeat at the absolutely one team it couldn’t afford to…Michigan.

As the 1990s came to a close, it just seemed to get worse. The Buckeye football program not only continued to annually fall to Michigan in “The Game,” but the bowl losses also mounted, and academic ineptitude within the program began to reach the public.

Voices grew louder calling for the dismissal of Cooper, and those voices were heard after mediocre 6-6 and 8-4 seasons in 1999 and 2000. Under Cooper the Buckeyes were 3-8 in bowl games, and most damning, 2-10-1 against the hated Wolverines. BuckeyeNation needed fresh air…

That fresh air arrived in 2001 when a relative unknown outside of football circles arrived in Columbus and got the job over “higher profile” candidates such as Bob Stoops, Glen Mason, Walt Harris, and Chris Spielman. Jim Tressel came to Columbus from Division I-AA Youngstown State, where he had won four National Championships for the Penguins.

But this wasn’t Youngstown State, and this wasn’t Division I-AA…this was the Big Ten, and this was Ohio State, and many questions arose as to whether Tressel would be able to handle the challenge.

At the time, Michigan had a stranglehold on the Midwest as the signature program, and Tressel also faced the difficulty of perceptions that the Ohio State program was out of control and declining in general. All throughout the main question being…how are you going to take Michigan to task?

Tressel answered that question with flair at a ceremony during a Buckeye basketball halftime, saying, ”I can assure you that you will be proud of your young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the football field.”

310 days later that promise was kept with a rebuilding Ohio State marching into Ann Arbor a heavy underdog and walking out with a 26-20 victory, the first win for the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor in 14 years. The Buckeyes haven’t looked back since.

Under Tressel, the Buckeye have won six out of the seven meetings against the hated Wolverines, won a National Championship in 2002, and are 4-3 in bowl games. The improvement has seeped in off the field as well with team discipline, and academic pride has generally been restored as well.

But most importantly to BuckeyeNation, Jim Tressel took control of The Game at the end of November.

I don’t find it to be coincidence that the arrival of Jim Tressel has coincided with the decline of the Michigan football program. Michigan’s record under Lloyd Carr prior to the arrival of Jim Tressel in 2001 was 58-16 (78 percent), but from 2001 and until Carr’s resignation in 2007…64-24 (72 percent).

Before Tressel arrived, Carr was entrenched at Ann Arbor. A disciple of legendary head coach Bo Schembechler, Carr continued the dominance of Ohio State during the John Cooper era, leading the Wolverines to a 5-1 record against the Buckeyes from 1995-2000, and was a Co-National Champion in 1997.

But by the time of his departure in 2007, Carr was the goat of Ann Arbor, and Michigan had clearly declined as a program and needed new life.

How did Tressel turn the tables in this one-time lopsided rivalry for the Wolverines? How did Jim Tressel come in and swiftly take The Game back into Ohio State’s hands? How do we enter the annual game this year between Ohio State and Michigan with the rivalry looking as lopsided as many of us can remember in Ohio State’s favor? How did Michigan fall so hard, so quickly?

I will attempt to answer those questions…

1) Tressel put the importance of The Game back into the Ohio State program.

John Cooper simply never “got it.” Cooper never put the sense of urgency into his tenure that this game made or broke the season for his players. Thank God Woody Hayes wasn’t alive to see 2-10-1 during Cooper’s tenure…and he probably would’ve shot school president Gordon Gee in 1992 following a 13-13 tie against the Wolverines for stating that ”a tie is one of our greatest wins ever.”

As soon as Jim Tressel accepted this job, losing to Michigan was restored as an unacceptable occurrence. Jim set that precedent at St. John’s arena during halftime in 2001, and the Buckeyes have played that way for the past seven years.

2) What’s in Ohio Stays in Ohio!

Under Cooper, Ohio had gotten poached of some of its best talent by Michigan. Most notably, two Heisman Trophy winners in Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson were taken by the school up north right out of Ohio State’s backyard. Michigan fans will even admit that a great amount of their success on the football field has come from the great state of Ohio.

Cooper often spent a great deal of time recruiting national talent from California, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and New Jersey to fill out his roster.

With Jim Tressel’s arrival came a renewed foundation of putting a fence around Ohio for other programs, and in most cases since 2001, he has been successful. Tressel has almost made it mandatory that if you are an elite high school prospect in Ohio, it’s your duty to play for Ohio State.

This has hurt a lot of the programs that have been successful recruiting Ohio talent (Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Penn State), but it has undoubtedly hurt Michigan the most.

This has forced Michigan to settle on secondary Ohio talent and look elsewhere to find their impact players—players from mostly out-of-state, and players who didn’t necessarily grow up with the importance of The Game.

3) Raising The Standards…

The Buckeye program under Jim Tressel has lifted itself into elite status in the college football world again—not only on the football field by scheduling high-profile games against national powerhouses Texas, USC, Miami, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech, but also off the field by strengthening the stress upon academic success and high moral character.

All of this has gone further in making Ohio State all the more powerful a program…and it sets a standard and a tone for your program.

All of these reasons above…build cohesiveness, stability, and a marked direction.

That’s something that Michigan had lost somewhere along the line, and what you see them trying to regain under new head coach Rich Rodriguez.

Jim Tressel took The Game back and has completely turned the tables in the epic battle between these two storied programs. We eagerly enter the weekend of The Game with an air of confidence as Buckeye fans that I can’t remember ever having before.

As for new head man Rich Rodriguez, Saturday will mark his baptism into this rivalry. Amidst a cloud of uncertainty, Rodriguez and the Wolverines are trying to rebuild themselves and find a new identity. Saturday would go a long way for Rodriguez in accomplishing that goal.

What will happen, at this point we don’t know…but one thing’s for sure—The Game will be as much must-see TV as ever.

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