It’s Ohio State Week here at J Beanie (I guess most people in Ohio would say it’s Michigan Week but since I’m a Blue fan it’s Ohio State Week). Ohio State Week follows just one week after Pittsburgh week. I’m hoping for a game that is just as thrilling but only a better outcome (of course, like the Browns, if it comes down to Michigan having to make a tackle on a quarterback or kick a field goal, they are in trouble).
As I mentioned yesterday in the comments section, has there even been a game to decide a conference champion that is less exciting. It’s still Ohio State and Michigan, and it still is for the Big Ten title, so there is some excitement to it, but it’s not the same. Both teams coming off losses really put a damper on it.
Last week just kind of summed up the whole Big Ten season. It’s mediocre. Wisconsin and Michigan were suppose to be the best teams but early on it was established that that was clearly not the case. Then there was OSU who just kept winning and rose to No. 1 in the country while Michigan “rebounded” and was perfect in the Big Ten. Both were suppose to be undefeated in conference play for The Big Game. After Michigan’s two loses to start the year, the only thing that would seem to make the season anything but a total waste would be keeping Ohio State out of the BSC title game. Thanks to Ron Zook and Juice Williams, that task is already done. Actually, it’s more like thanks to Jim Tressel for calling a timeout on fourth down. Who calls a timeout on fourth down when the other team is punting. I’m glad OSU’s out of the national title picture, I just wish Michigan would have done it.
The winner gets the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth. For Michigan, that seemed impossible after losing to App State and Oregon. For Ohio State, it’s a disappointment after being No. 1 for so long. I guess the Rose Bowl is nothing to sneeze over but there is defiantly something missing from this game. I’m surprised College GameDay is going to be in Ann Arbor. Hopefully something comes up in the next four days that adds some spice to the game.
Maybe by Friday my feelings will change on it. I’ll be heading to Columbus and thinking of that alone will get me fired up. Of course, if Hart and Henne don’t play (which I think is more unlikely than Tressel going Woody Hayes on his Beanie Wells as he runs down the sideline for the winning touchdown with less than a minute left in the game and then ripping off his sweater vest to reveal a maize and blue vest and joining Michigan in celebration and he replaces Carr as the next coach of the Wolverines), it will take any thrill of the game out of it. But there’s no way they miss this game.
On paper I’m not too confident right now for my Michigan boys. That’s why I’m not making any predictions until Friday when I’ll be ready to go. Hopefully, by then, this game feels more like The Big Game rather than just a game.
(Side Note: There’s supposed to be a really good documentary on the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry on HBO tonight, anyone with HBO want to tape it for me. Rosie, I’m looking your way. Thanks)
J-Beanie Sports 