The showdown has arrived: Ohio St. vs. Michigan!

[John Corn]

As Boxing announcer Michael Buffer would say, "Let's get ready to rummmmble!"

Yes, this is the week where the spit flys, where nobody is safe to cross state lines...

The Buckeyes are coming off of an impressive defensive effort in a 16-13 win over 10th ranked Purdue. The Buckeye offense did enough to assist the win. Mike Nugent and his great kicking game provided some pretty good additional relief.

Michigan defeated Northwestern on the arm of John Navarre and the legs of Chris Perry, a nice 1-2 punch. Michigan's defense forced 3 turnovers as well and played keep-away with the ball. When they are 'on', they are very difficult to beat.

Michigan will see the best defense this week that they have seen all year, in Ohio State's. Ohio St. will perhaps see the most balanced team this year with Michigan.

What gives?

I think that "what gives" obviously depends upon the success of what team is able to do, what they do best. If the Buckeye defense can come out and sway the game with their intense defense, then you have to glide toward them. If Michigan is successful as they have been most of the year mixing the run and the pass, then they must be considered as a favorite.

As always in football, the turnovers could make all the difference.

This is going to be one heck of a physical football game, one that could go down as one of the best in the series, cancelling or enabling any dreams of National Championship repeat.

Yes, it's going to get all hung out on the field next Saturday...may the best Scarlet and Gray win.

 

[Roger]

I'll tell you what gives. Michigan is going to beat the hell out of OSU and I'm going to tell you why.

There is justice in football and the OSU team shouldn't have beaten the
lowly Lions. This team sucked with their offense all year long and their play of the game against PSU was for your starting QB to get knocked out of the game which his replacement did better.

OSU is a pathetic team like Notre Dame was last year and it's time for OSU to get the hell beat out of them. If it wasn't from a no-call pass interference call, a clearly incomplete dropped pass on 3rd and 3, and a TE that got out of bounds which the same incompetent refs said didn't OSU wouldn't have beat PSU and that's a fact, Jack!

 

[John Corn]

Michigan is a great team, King, very impressive in the way they have been winning ballgames. Sometimes, they do not necessarily dominate the stats game, but when you look at the final score, you think 'what's up with that'?

They do what they need to do to win games, point of end. Create turnovers, hog the ball, make plays when they need them, and are playing the 'field position' game very well. That's a sign of a very good team. They are a hot team going into this game...

But......here is very well where Michigan gets in trouble.

In the two losses Michigan has, Michigan's running game was either controlled, or stopped. As well, John Navarre received pressure when he went back to pass, and was forced out of his comfort zone, which created undisciplined play on his part.

If you want to beat Michigan, you must take them away from what makes them click. This happens to be just what the Buckeyes do best, stop the run, and apply pressure to the QB. It's how they defeated Purdue.

The Buckeyes defense will be a huge key in this game if they are to go on to a nice BCS Bowl. And, it may just be the case in the 2nd half of this game.

The game is in Ann Arbor. Will that make a difference? Michigan's 2 losses came on the road.

If this is a "6 or 7" point game, my confidence just grew a bit with the experience the Buckeyes and Jim Tressel have in close games...they have just been able to win them.

It's full circle to my topic post. Whoever does what they do best, doesn't turn the ball over, wins this game.