Every year, usually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, there's an afternoon when the leaves go unraked, the kids stay indoors and everyone is glued to the television.

It's "The Game," Michigan versus Ohio State, played once every fall since November 30, 1918 - just three weeks after the end of World War I.

More often than not, The Game decides the winner of the Big Ten conference. The two teams have been so dominant that many people in the Midwest called their conference "The Big Two, Little Eight." Since we Midwesterners are apparently still lousy at math, this appellation continues today, despite the addition of Penn State giving the league eleven teams.

Michigan leads the series, 57-39-6, but that large margin is due to Michigan's dominance during the Fielding Yost years (1901-1923), during which the Wolverines won six national championships. The series has been fairly even over the last fifty years.

The series is most famous for the friendly, but intense, rivalry between Michigan coach Bo Schembechler and Ohio State coach Woody Hayes. Schembechler was once an assistant to Hayes at Ohio State. Schembechler coached at Michigan for 21 seasons from 1969-1989, was 194-48-5 overall and 11-9-1 against the Buckeyes. Hayes coached at Ohio State from 1951-1978, was 205-61-10 overall and 11-16-1 against Michigan.

Twice before, the schools have met on the last day of the season with perfect records. In 1970, Ohio State came out on top. And in 1973, the teams met in Ann Arbor, both 10-0, and played to a 10-10 tie. Back in those days, the Big Ten only allowed one team to participate in postseason bowl games. There was also a rule that in case of a tie, the team that had most recently represented the league in a bowl would not be eligible.

That second rule had recently been repealed. But people still expected Michigan to represent the Big Ten after the tie. The conference athletic directors met, and awarded the title to Ohio State by a 6-4 vote. To this day, Michigan fans hold nothing against Michigan State other than its athletic director's vote against Michigan in 1973.

That vote was the biggest heartbreak of my young childhood, not to be forgotten until I discovered girls years later. But anyway...

Michigan quarterback Dennis Franklin compiled a 30-2-1 record during his tenure for the Wolverines, from 1972-74. He never played in a bowl game and he never beat Ohio State. The post-season ban on second-place Big Ten teams was lifted in 1975, and Michigan has played in the postseason every year since - a stretch that will reach 32 seasons this year.

When the inevitable "win it for..." book comes out, expect to see Franklin's name prominent among the requests.

Coaches are judged at Michigan and Ohio State not by their overall record, or their national titles. They are judged by The Game, and only The Game. John Cooper was 111-43-4 at Ohio State from 1988-2000. He had three 11-win seasons, but was 2-10-1 against Michigan. There's no question that was the reason for his firing.

In 2001, Jim Tressel was hired, and in his first press conference, promised a win over Michigan the following year. He delivered. He is 4-1 against the Wolverines, and as far as the people in Columbus are concerned, he is almost the coach Woody Hayes was. Lloyd Carr is 6-5 against the Buckeyes, but despite starting out as successfully as Tressel did, frustrations over the last five years have led to significant grumbling about Carr's future.

Some quick notes about Michigan...

The Wolverines last had a losing season in 1967, two years before Schembechler took over.

The Wolverines have had 39 consecutive winning seasons in the Big Ten, also dating back to 1967.

Michigan is 211-34-4 at home over that stretch, and 135-44-4 on the road (only 14-19 in bowl games, though).

The Wolverines have outscored their opponents, 13540-6569, over the last 39 years.

Michigan has 860 wins since beginning collegiate play in 1879, by far the most of any school at any level - college, pro or high school.

In the interest of positive Wolverine I am unoriginal and unfunny. Please put me out of my misery, here's my ticket from the 1977 game, which was a 14-6 Michigan victory:



"Go Blue, Beat Ohio"

"Andiamo Azzurro"

Go Blue.

Good idea, CS. Unfortunately, I'll be in Green Bay next weekend making a pilgrimage to Lambeau and won't be able to game thread along with you guys so I'll offer this:

I went to a wedding yesterday, and the bride and groom entered the reception to this song:

click me

It was friggin beautiful.

edit - Thanks Boomer Scott

Bucks fans.

The official typeface is as follows:

BIG GAME JIM

Size 14, Bold, font = impact, all caps.

Please use this any time you mention our esteemed coach in your halftime description of the blowout, the subsequent "where do Buckeye fans make their bookings for the National Championship games?" thread, the Buckeye National Championship game thread, the subsequent "which National Championship was better - 2002 or 2006?" thread and the "Tressel > Woody" thread that should surface around.....oh......February.

We thank you in advance for your adherence to this policy.

Yours in Buckeye,

Rick Burlesons Global Buckeye Bag

Sorry, lads, but THIS



is/was THE GAME.

Accept no substitutes.

Jigga Please.

I grew up in the Boston area and didn't really know that Harvard/Yale game was such a big deal until recently. This is just not a college football crazed area.

I've always known that tOSU/UM was THE GAME.

The thing I've always love about THE GAME is it didn't matter what had happened before, this was the game that defined the season. If Michigan was undefeated but lost to OSU, even if they went to the Rose Bowl, the season had a sour taste to it and there was little joy in Ann Arbor. If Michigan lost to ND or MSU or whomever earlier in the season, or even lost more than once (God forbid), the season was redeemed by a win over osu, and all the better when it was an upset.

There was no greater joy than beating Woody Hayes in the Big House, it just made for a great weekend, or what I remember of it.

100,000+ fans, yeah that's just like Harvard/Yale. Just don't leave after the 3rd quarter, Lose.

Sille, I think you could stop in Columbus on Saturday on your way to Lambeau. I know you are considering it, go for it.

I think you know me a little too well, Janet. I was actually trying to do that and create the ultimate football weekend™ but just couldn't swing it timewise.

It figures, every other year THE GAME is at 12noon and if it wasn't at 3:30 this year I could have swung it. I want to be up and out very early with the Packer faithful tailgating that Sunday. Lambeau Field is probably the final frontier for me as far as stadiums I HAVE to see on this planet go.

Oh well, I guess there are worse places to watch the game other than the hallowed historic streets of Green Bay, Wisconsin. I need to find a good sports bar up there.

Brother you HAVE to be kidding me.

A few points on Lambeau:

1) It's awesome. It's awesomeness times a billion.

2) There are more bars per square mile in Green Bay than......well.....pretty much everywhere I have ever been. Even in residential neighborhoods there are bars. It is like Carlos Cowart's England.

3) Tailgating starts - and I am not joking - at around 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Folks hit the bars HARD on Saturday night and then, as they are wolfing down drunken pizza at 3:00 a.m. they say "OK then, see you at 6:00."

And the guy who could barely walk out the door at 3:00 a.m. shows up bright eyed and bushy tailed with more tailgate equipment than you have ever seen in your life, sharp at 6:00.

Seriously though, the buzz starts building throughout the day on Saturday. Friday night even. I have never seen anything like it.

4) You need to drink Lienenkugels beer (I spelt it wrong, but it is the shit) and eat cheddar brats. If you need to buy a fucking grill to get your tailgate on just do it. Tailgating at Lambeau at 6:30 in the morning with 10,000 other frozen morons is awesome.

5) If you can get to the Packers Hall of Fame you should do it. It is a great way to spend an hour or two.

6) Be VERY aware that - in their minds - Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the 2nd and 3rd best QBs in football. Honestly. These people think Favre shits filet mignon. I was last up there 3-4 years ago and I spent an hour in the freezing cold drinking beer as 5 rational humans argued who was the best out of Montana, Marino and Favre...........and all 5 came to the conclusion that it was Favre. Pay homage and understand that they are not open to the thought of Aaron Rodgers starting "for the good of the team."

Don't drink that Berry Weis, though. Too fruity..

I lived across the street from a 'Wisconsin style' bar from 2000-2003. I've drank my fair share of Leine's.

GB fans are the nicest fans around.

Cheese curds. Get some of those. And because this is 'the game' thread. Check out the sign. The Buckeye fan obviously had to revise it.

Probably not the first time heard on this board and certainly not the last:



BIG GAME JIM!

I hate to bring up the ESPN early analysis on the Michigan - Ohio St game, but that's what I watched during sportscenter last night. The question was, can Michigan contain Troy Smith? Especially since the previous 2 years, Michigan could not. I think most went on the say that Michigan still will have trouble with Smith.

The issue with Michigan is IF they don't get pressure on Smith from the DL (Woodley, Branch, Crable, Jamison, Briggs), do they have a dedicated shadow from one of the LBs? Also, even if Michigan puts initial pressure on Smith, he's really best at moving out of the pocket and exploiting the advantage of either running the ball for a good gain or finding that safety or corner cheating up to stop Troy's running ability, which then he will throw long to the best WRs in the nation, with USC and Michigan close behind.

What can Michigan do to prevent these big plays? I think rather than blitzing corners and safeties, you try to put an umbrella around Smith, forcing him to make throws from the pocket. Sure, easier said than done. But Alan Branch and Terrance Taylor are going to be key. They need to get some type of rush up the middle, staying in their lanes. That way you make it a little harder for Smith to get his 5'11" frame from getting the ball over his OL and Michigan's DL. Assuming Smith busts out of the pocket, hopefully David Harris can aggressively keep Troy from any big plays.

This is what was posted to the Michigan students, if they choose to go to Cbus for the game.



http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/

Skrub demonstrating restraint at OSU.

The only problem with the umbrella tactic is that it enables tOSU to use screens to unlock Pittman. If Pittman is given room to run then I think that Michigan will have a hard time stopping him. I don't think that Michigan has enough speed and brawn at LB right now. I could be wrong.

By the way, I think that the losing coach in this game will be gone in two years. History be damned, this will be the defining game.

That's possible. David Harris and Prescott Burgess have good lateral quickness. Burgess is a pretty good coverage LB. Though he has been sort of lost in the shuffle lately. I think Michigan would gladly take some of the screen plays or release valve type of plays, rather than Troy Smith moving out of the pocket and either running or throwing.

I'm not sure how big it is for Tressel. I'd say he is pretty safe unless they start losing this game 3 out of the next 4. Carr is bound to retire soon. I'd expect Ron English to be a front runner to a HC job as soon as this winter. Though it will be a MAC school or something. I think if English is smart, he'd hold out a couple years. Assuming he can recruit. Though it's not very hard to recruit good players to go to Michigan.

You may be right, I just think that a lot of the national media are missing how dangerous Pittman is. He has been excellent all year long for tOSU.




I don't know about that. Tressel has been perfect in many ways, but I think that losing this game would put him one more kid in big trouble away from being asked to rethink his career options.

Unfortunately I don't see the ESPN OSU/Michigan "Without Sports..." commercial from a couple of years ago anywhere on youtube. For a flashback it went like this. A couple are on a couch kissing. One says, "I love you". The other responds, "I love you, too". The camera pulls farther away to show the guy is wearing an Ohio State sweatshirt and the woman is wearing a Michigan sweatshirt. The caption at the end of the commercial says, "Without sports...this wouldn't be disgusting".

Edit: I see they're now re-airing it.

A game, a very big game, but if you're looking for a picture of a ticket to The Game, this is what it looks like:

I think this is the key to THE GAME™ for the Wolverines. The stout and talented front seven of Michigan have to find a way to disrupt the scarlet and gray offensive machine which runs through T-Smith. As Yammer pointed out, Pittman is no joke (neither is Wells for that matter), but IMHO stopping T-Smith has to be priority #1 and #1a for UM.

If they don't, they will be hearing a lot of this.

What kind of car does Jim Tressel own?

Why should Michigan change its mascot to a possum?

Where was O.J. hiding right before the famous white Bronco chase?

Sille-

The Michigan fans on SOSH in recognition of your contributions as Mayor and our confidence in how much fun it will be to have you there (and have to suffer through a loss) are taking up a collection to buy THIS for you.

All donations are going through my paypal account.

Pack those bags and make that detour to Columbus on your mapquest route.

Why is this game starting at 3:30pm? It is really messing with my UNH hockey game that night. Guess I'll be getting there a little bit late.

Awesome. Were you at that game? I was only 8, but my dad has been selling tickets at Yale games since 1963, so I used to tag along. All I remember is that it was FREEZING cold. I have two framed tickets from that game as well.

Can't remember if those were the Stone Phillips days at Yale...

This was the only game I went to in New Haven in my 4 years at Harvard. I don't remember how cold it was, but the one thing I remember about the '83 game was going down onto the field right after the game ended and being only about 20 yards away when the goal post was pulled down hitting another Harvard student in the head (causing some fairly serious head injuries).

This was well after the Stone Phillips days at Yale. I think the game in which he scored the go-ahead touchdown only to see Mike Lynch kick the winning field goal for Harvard was in the mid-70's.

Why thanks, Janet. That is mighty kind of the local cyber-Wolverine contingent.


No clue. Again, usually THE GAME™ is at 12noon. It probably better that it isn't because I definitely would have tried to swing both. I'm quite familiar with the C-Bus to Milwaukee drive which includes a pass-by the Mars Cheese Castle. I've made it many times.

Don't forget the porn shops as you cross the border from ILL to WIS...

The game was changed a long time ago. I want to say in the spring or last winter. Can you imagine if the game was during the night? I'm sure you can, Sille.

I've been to my share of Heine gate and Varsity Club appearances down there next to the Stadium. The 3:30 start still makes it a big drunk fest.

One thing I forgot to mention. They re-sodded the field, again. This is the 2nd time this season. After the Penn St game, I think. Now again. Of course it's been a couple weeks since they put the sod down, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Don't want to have another Shawn Springs slip, letting Tai Streets run past him for the game winning TD again, eh? - edit (insert current random OSU corner and UM WR)

Boomer,

I realize that this was done with the best of intentions and did create quite a humorous little jape, but please, there is a protocol:

BIG GAME JIM

Yours in Buckeye,

RBYB

Rather than start a new thread in which I'd be the only person to post, let me make a shout out to the 142nd Lafayette-Lehigh Game. "College Footballs' Most Played Rivalry" (TM pending). How? They played a couple of times a year for a few years.

Here's a nutshell of the rivalry:

"THE LAFAYETTE-LEHIGH RIVALRY: Lafayette and Lehigh will meet on the gridiron for the 142nd time on Nov. 18 at Fisher Stadium, continuing the most-played rivalry in all of college football. The Leopards won the first game 50-0 in 1884 and the schools met twice per season through 1901. They met three times in 1891 and did not play in 1896, the only disruption in the series. They also met twice in 1943 and 1944. Lafayette leads the all-time series 74-62-5 (.543) and is 39-22-5 (.629) when the game is played in Easton. The Leopards have won three of the last four meetings, including a 24-10 win in 2004 and a 23-19 win last season. Both victories gave Lafayette a share of the Patriot League championship. "

A win gets either team a piece of the Patriot League Championship and a berth in the I-AA playoffs.

GO PARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are ever in the area for the game or any others drop me a line. I live about 20 minutes from the Lafayette Campus.

That's a good game.

Amherst-Williams is another big game.

One of the things that devalues the rivalries in so-called "big time" college football is that most of the people who watch those games have no actual relationship to either of the schools involved.

My God are you dull.

How does it devalue the rivalries? Surely if these fans are passionate then it does nothing but make them more intense. I am part of the biggest rivalry in high school football (Phillipsburg - Easton) but I didn't attend either school and I have lived near Phillipsburg for only 6 years now. How is my involvement hurting this rivalry? I feel bad.

Well, to make the same point as Yammer from the opposite end, I went to one of the schools that have the oldest high school rivalry in the country (Andover v. Exeter), and I barely follow it. But I wouldn't hold it against anyone who did that didn't go to either of the schools. On the flip side, I went to a Yale/Harvard game once (didn't go to either school) and had a blast. More the merrier. Who gives a shit?

FWIW, here's a list of high school rivalries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_High_...tball_Rivalries

Yammer,

Based upon you talk about the Pburg/Easton game, I knew you lived pretty close. I haven't been back there for a few years, but I'll be back that way at some point in the near future. My wife is an alum, too, and she does interviews for work there on occasion.

As for the game, my MFYfan AND Lehigh graduate brother in law is going this year. Last game I went to was 1995, 24 hours after I was sworn in to the CT bar. My actions at the game were or were not befitting of an attorney, depending upon one's perspective.

The local alumni associations do a broadcast or two at various bars in CT, and we've made the last couple few. It's good to have won the last couple years, that's for sure.

I know that I've plugged this site a couple times, but he just puts up good info. Some scouting info during the Texas - Ohio St game. Showing multiple plays from the game.

The play fake, roll out to the right and hitting Gonzalez scares me. (1st embedded video) That play is hard to stop. It forces the LBs to respect the run, which creates a hole in the middle of the secondary. Anthony is played off by a CB, at least 10 yards, at the line of scrimmage.

I expect Leon Hall to play tighter. But that play can be there for them quite a bit.

It sort of your typical Michigan play fake left and rolling out to the right, where the WR (option 1) and TE (option 2) gets open. Yet, this play by Ohio St seems to get more potential yardage. And it highlights Smith's strength, throwing on the run.

http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/

I didn't make it to the '83 Game, but the first one I can recall was at the '82 Game at the Stadium (a 45-7 drubbing of Yale) with MIT's infamous balloon prank.



IIRC, they tried another prank in '84 that didn't work so well, but I really can't remember what it was.

i really expected this to be a harvard-yale thread. glad to see it creeping in. accept no substitute.

oh. p.s. http://harvardsucks.org/

You know, most of the football players are general studies.....umm.. whateverers.

are you sure they go to class?

Go Bucks!

What was the last #1-#2 game hyped as much as this? Notre Dame-Florida State?

I would have thought that was the kind of thing that sprouted from your ass.

A quick preview:













then........

What's round on the ends and high in the middle?
Tell me if you know.
Don't you think this is a cute little riddle
Round on the ends and high in the middle.
You can find it on a map if you look high and low.
The Os are round it's HI in the middle
O-HI-O

Muck Fichigan.

It will be tough to top that prank. Just when I had thought all the good ones had been pulled years ago.

edit - damn!

Ok, I'll play - what will Lloyd Carr be saying repeatedly as Ted Ginn blows by him time after time?

This can't be good.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/9810358

Best wishes, Bo.

Poor guy would hate missing The Game more than dying itself.

Already rubbing it in, Yammer.

I can't wait to see the faces of tOSU fans as Chad Henne kneels down as the final seconds tick away. I only wish Fox would be broadcasting this game, as they would show every fan's face in shock and awe.

Even if Michigan loses, they can put that rose in their mouth, if they want. That's one thing I miss about this game. It usually means a Rose Bowl berth, to the winner.

Sille, the NC game is in Glendale, correct? Not Tempe. Get it straight, buddy..