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- GAMR PVIEW
No~nber 22, 1997-F
- INSIDE FOOTBALL SATURDAY -
Michigan-Ohio State rivalry alwi
-.3-.
Cooper's curse
Ohio State coach John Cooper,
who was hired in part because of
his reputation as a Michigan-
killer, is 1-7-1 in his career with
the Buckeyes against Michigan.
He hears about it everyday on a
campus that is thirsty for a vic-
tory over the hated olverines,
giving great importance to
today's game.
- 4-
Commentary
Droves of Michigan students
decided to sell their tickets to
today's game, choosing big bucks
over watching the big game
against the Buckeyes. Daily
Sports Editor Nicholas J.
Cotsonika disagrees with their
decision. Also, Daily Sports
Editor Danielle Rumore and the
editors of the Ohio State Lantern
give their reasons why they think
their school will win.
--6-
Interceptions
don't come easy
for Griese
Quarterback Brian Griese, who
nearly left Michigan for graduate
school after last season, retuned
to lead the Wolverines on their
fairy-tale run. He has blossomed
into one of the nation's most
efficient passers and is now
mentioned in the same breath
with his Hall of Fame father, Bob.
----...
. -7 -w-
Quick Info
The depth charts for both teams
on offense, defense and special
teams, as well as complete
Michigan statistics.
Plus, the Daily's football writers
offer their picks for all the Big
Ten games this weekend and
selected non-conference action.
-8-
The Rosters
Complete numeric roster
information for both teams,
including Michigan's retired
numbers.
The Matchups
Daily Sports Editor John Leroi
breaks down the matchups on
offense, defense and special
teams for today's game.
Game Preview
Ohio State and Michigan have a
long, bitter history in their rivalry,
which has been reduced to one
team spoiling the other's season
in recent years. Today, it's back to
the old days, as two equal teams
battle for Big Ten supremacy.
An wmoped up
Michigan defensive end James Hall flattened Ohio State quarterback Joe Germaine
in the Wolverines' 13-9 win over the Buckeyes last season.
COVER ILLUSTRATION BY TED ADAMS/Daily
By Ma Goldebach
Daily Sports Editor
History will be on display tomorrow
afternoon. One of college football's
most storied rivalries, and perhaps its
most vicious, will add a new chapter to
its annals that will have higher stakes
than any other in almost a quarter cen-
tury.
When No. I Michigan (7-0 Big Ten,
10-0 overall) and No. 4 Ohio State (6-1,
10-1) square off tomorrow at Michigan
Stadium, there will be more than simple
bragging rights on the line. This year's
blockbuster is not just about Midwestern
supremacy or trash-talking.
Michigan is hoping for its first unde-
feated regular season since 1971 and
its first trip to the Rose Bowl since the
1992 season, the last of five consecu-
tive trips to Pasadena. Ohio State is
hoping for revenge and possibly a
repeat appearance in the Rose Bowl for
the first time in more than 20 years.
The past two seasons, upset victories
by downtrodden Michigan have
destroyed perfect seasons for second-
ranked Ohio State teams. A 31-23 vic-
tory in 1995 cost the Buckeyes a trip to
the Rose Bowl, and a 13-9 victory last
year cost them a possible national
championship. The Buckeyes went on
to an Il-I record that incluced a Rose
Bowl victory.
Now, perhaps, it is Ohio State's turn
to issue some paybacks. The Buckeyes
are now the underdogs. "They say pay-
backs are a mother," Ohio State line-
backer Kevin Johnson said, "and there
will be some paybacks Saturday."
Paybacks are part of the long history
of the rivalry. In the 1970s, the
Michigan-Ohio State season finale
decided the Big Ten title between the
two teams and determined who would
represent the conference in the Rose
Bowl almost every year. Tomorrow's
game will continue that tradition, play-
ing a major part in determining the Big
Ten's Rose Bowl representative for the
37th time.
Michigan and Ohio State were the
only Big Ten teams to go to the Rose
Bowl from 1968-77 - which made up
most of a period commonly called
"The Ten-Year War." With the excep-
tion of the 1971 season, the two teams
decided who would go to Pasadena
amongst themselves on the final day of
the season.
From 1969 on, Michigan was led by
legendary coach Bo Schembechler,
who coached against his mentor, Ohio
State's Woody Hayes.
Four times Ohio State won, four
times Michigan won. A 10-10 tie by
two undefeated teams in 1973 tied
them for the Big Ten title. A vote of
Big Ten athletic directors chose which
team that conference would send west.
The ADs chose the Buckeyes.
This year again, it likely will be
either Michigan or Ohio State in the
Rose Bowl. The last time these two
played under those circumstances was
in 1986. Michigan won the game in
Columbus, 26-24, and earned a trip to
the Rose Bowl.
No current Michigan player has
made the trip to Pasadena. And accord-
ing to the Wolverines, that just makes
them hungrier.
"I came to Michigan because they
won a lot of Rose Bowls and I wanted
to win one," safety Marcus Ray said.
"We haven't won a Rose Bowl since
1993. We slipped a little bit, but now
we're back."
If Michigan wins tomorrow, it goes to
Pasadena. If Ohio State wins, both teams
must wait and see if Penn State (5-1, 8-1)
loses one of its last two games. If the
Nittany Lions do lose or tie to either
Wisconsin or Michigan State, and Ohio
State wins, the Buckeyes would win the
conference title because there would just
be a two-way tie and the Buckeyes would
win the tiebreaker because they beat
Michigan.
If Penn State wins its last two
games, and if Michigan loses tomor-
row, creating a three-way tie, the
Wolverines would go to the Rose Bowl
because of the Big Ten's final tiebreak-
er - the team whose absence from the
Rose Bowl has been the longest.
Michigan last went after the 1992 sea-
son, while Penn State went in 1994 and
Ohio State last season.
The Rose Bowl, however, has the
option of selecting any Big Ten team that
is ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in either poll.
Therefore, if either Ohio State or Penn
State were to finish the season ranked
ahead of Michigan and in the top two,
that team would go to Pasadena. .
"Our main objective is to go out and
win and let everything else take care of
itself, the national championship and
the Rose Bowl," Ohio State offensive
tackle Eric Gholston said.
A victory in this game often makes
or breaks a season for these two
because of the intensity of the rivalry
and the emotional baggage that comes
Michigan tailback Chris Howard dives over a pile of offensive and defensive
2 and previously undefeated Ohio State. The Buckeyes would like to return
with it. Players often say that they .
could go into this game 0-10, but if
they emerge with a victory, their sea- '
son is a success
"The Michigan game is everything to
us," Ohio State linebacker Jerry e t
Rudzinski said. "In the off-season,
you're thinking about it. Lifting weights,
you're thinking about it. Going to class
you're thinking about it. During spring '
ball, all you think about is them because
of what they represent."
546 Packard
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