12 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 17, 2000
FRIDAY Focus
:In 1968, Woody Hayes led Ohio State to a 50-14 victory over Michigan. Despite possessing an insurmountable lead, the
Buckeyes drove for a touchdown in the game's waning moments, and subsequently attempted a two-point conversion.
When a reporter asked Hayes why he went for two with only seconds left, Woody didn't miss a beat:
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All this hatred, so little to show
Usually I wait until Saturday
morning to let the hype for
The Big Game hit me. But I
broke that little rule this year, taking a
stroll through an
Ohio State fan
Website to smell
the blood boil.
I realized dur-
ing the course of
my Web surfing
the difference-
between these
two schools and CHRIS
their faithful. D
Michigan fans
would enjoy a The
win over the Michigan Daily
Buckeyes for a
week, perhaps two.
For Ohio State fans, a victory would
live forever. There's so much hatred for
Michigan in that state I didn't even
realize it.
Web-forum posters under names
such as BuckNut, UMHater and Akro-
nBuck cherish 1998, 1994 and any
other victories over "scUM" or
"TSUN" (That School Up North).
Ohio state police recall with
grandeur the sparse Saturday nights
they were saved from writing punitive
tickets to Michigan motorists headed
back from the game.
Roy Rogers employees remember
with fondness their years at Ohio State
and how fortunate they were to see one
sweet victory over the Wolverines.
The Buckeyes have gone through
some well-documented, nasty droughts
against this team. From 1988-93, the
best they could do was a tie amongst
five losses. Throughout the presidency
of George H.W. Bush, there was not
one Ohio State victory. Better luck dur-
ing his son's tenure.
But it's not just the losing that hurts
Ohio State. It's how this team has lost.
Opportunities arose where the Buck-
eyes were eight- and nine-point
favorites, only to fall.
Ohio State made Tim Biakabutuka
an NFL prospect. The Buckeyes helped
Tai Streets quite a bit too, and certainly
Charles Woodson. Sometimes I think
Ohio State is more responsible for
sending Wolverines to the NFL than
the Michigan coaching staff.
It must be frustrating to want some-
thing so much and not be able to get it.
It kills Bucks fans to look forward to
this final weekend of the season each
year, only to be knocked down again.
Then it's 51 more weeks at the plant
until they get another shot.
Absence does make the heart grow
fonder. Maybe that's why Michigan
fans take this game so much less seri-
ously.
Why get excited about the Wolver-
ines beating Ohio State? That happens
every year. We'll save our enthusiasm
for out-of-the-ordinary events, like
winning the national title. (Never did
get a chance to thank you for lay-
ing down for us that year.)
Truthfully, sometimes I
wish the Bucks would
make it a little bit
harder on Michigan.
A rivalry loses its
meaning when one
team is always clean-
ing up.
My initial advice for the Buckeyes
this Saturday would be this: Have a
linebacker available in case Michigan
tries a simple slant (1996), avoid throw-
ing a dinky two-yard interception that
gets returned for an easy touchdown
(1997), and perhaps don't have your
running back angle toward a Michigan
defender chasing him down (1999).
Then again, you guys don't need my
help. I'm sure 01' Coop will put
together another impenetrable game
plan.
- Chris Duprey can he reached at
crduprey(a hotmaiL.cofiz.
FILE PHOTO
Personal fouls and other what-ifs
There's little wonder that Ohio
State fans love to watch the
Bucks beat Michigan.
Michigan loves to paint itself as the
school that epito- _
mizes class and
everything that is
right about col-
lege sports.-
Things could.
hardly be farther
from the truth. ,
Unless, of
In year 97, a slight edge to M'
I
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Editor
Two years ago, Rose Bowl-hungry Michigan headed to
Columbus thinking upset. But it was the Buckeyes who
dashed the Wolverines' hopes as the Horseshoe provided
the perfect, intimidating stage for Michigan's third loss of
the season, 31-16.
"From what I remember two years ago, it may be the
loudest place you can play," quarterback Drew Henson
said. This year, Rose Bowl hopes seem dim, but Big Ten
championship hopes were brought back to life last week-
end with losses by Purdue and Northwestern.
Not that anyone needs a reason to get up for the biggest
rivalry in college football.
MICHIGAN RUSHING vs. OHIo STATE RUSHING
DEFENSE:Last time the Wolverines entered the Shoe they
were allowed just four total rushing yards. Things haven't
changed. The Buckeyes lead the league in stopping the
run, allowing only an average of 92 running yards a game
-- a stat that coach Lloyd Carr thinks is the most impor-
tant statistic a team can hold next to points scored.
On the other side of the ball, Anthony Thomas needs
166 rushing yards to capture the Michigan career rushing
yardage record. But not even Michigan's top offensive line
will be able to carry the Wolverines in the war on the
ground. Sorry Anthony, you'll have to wait for the bowl
game.
Advantage; Ohio State
moments. Two straight shutouts were forgotten with an
embarrassing defensive performance against Northwest-
ern. But the Buckeyes won't throw in the no-huddle or
spread. And with that, the Wolverines' defense sighs with
relief.
Combs will break through with a touchdown, but for the
most part, this game will be decided in the air.
Advantage: Even
OHIo STATE PASSING VS. MICHIGAN PASSING DEFENSE:
Ohio State's two top receivers, Ken-Yon Rambo and Reg-
gie Germany, are still listed as questionable for Saturday's
game. Carr calls that bologna. "They will all play," he said.
"Mark that down."
If Rambo and Germany are able to walk to the stadium
on Saturday, they will both play against Michigan. But it
can be said is that they won't be at full strength.
Michigan's corners have been nothing to write home
about this season, but may have gotten a little more confi-
dence after their three interceptions last weekend.
This is a tough one to call - too many outstanding fac-
tors in the matchup.
Advantage: Even
SPECIAL TEAMS: The game may very well come down
to which squad's field-goal team can perform under pres-
sure. It has in the past and don't be surprised to see it
tomorrow.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, their field goal squad
has not been able to do so this season. Three games lost by
a total of seven points says just that.
Ohio State's Dan Stultz won Ohio State the game
against Illinois this past Saturday. He proved he could per-
form under pressure.
But the battle of the punters goes to Michigan. What
Hayden Epstein has lacked in his field-goal performance,
he has had in punting. His 40-yard average will prove
problematic for the Buckeyes this Saturday. Ohio State has
some long drives ahead.
Advantage: Even
INTANGIBLES: One word - Horseshoe. The most intim-
course, drunken THOMAS
football coaches O
adding their own ORR
secret ingredients The
to a salad bar is Lantern
what's right with
college athletics.
Or rushing up to the line of scrim-
mage with one second left in the game
to punch in one extra touchdown
against Penn State. Classy, Lloyd.
Or a basketball team blessed with
such marvelous characters as Chris "I
wish General Studies included a class
on counting timeouts" Webber, Jamal
"I don't know WHERE that car came
from" Crawford, Ed "I thought 'boost-
er' was just another word for high
chair" Martin and of course the living
legend Josh "I'm thinking of dropping
the 'elin' Asselin."
Have you managed to keep your
newest recruits from playing in traffic
this year? There's just nothing to be
Gaines-ed from that sort of behavior.
Michigan, of course, is the school
that names a now-penalizable pose as
one of its finest moments of athletic
achievement. Desmond Howard's now-
famous Heisman pose would have
drawn a 15-yard personal foul call
under the current anti-taunting rules.
Not to mention that the pose was not
correct. The Heisman has both feet on
the ground.
Howard's mistake was understand-
able, however, since Michigan managed
to play football for half a century
(1940-1990) without a Heisman win-
ner.
It's only fitting that Ohio State's most
famous football alumnus, Archie Grif-
fin, is known for winning two Heis-
mans, while Michigan's most famous
alumnus, Gerald Ford, is best known for
falling down. A lot.
Your band sucks, too. It's supposed to
be a marching band, not a mincing,
prancing or dancing band. I don't know
what they're supposed to be doing
when they hop out onto the field, but it
looks like they're running over hot
coals.
Lose the flag corps, too. I noticed last
year that their routine looked eerily
similar to the semaphore translation for
"no hot girls here."
Oh, and tell the band to learn another
song. Hearing "Hail to the Victors"
every time Anthony Thomas falls for-
ward for a two-yard gain gets a little
grating.
Speaking of the A-Train, did your
coaches forget to tell him that he need-
ed to hang on to the ball up in
Evanston? He looked like the
smoothest combination of Dennis
Lundy and Joe Pisarcek I've ever seen
when he lost that fumble.
The closest Michigan gets to being
angelic is that marvelous "halo" you
put on your hole-in-the-ground stadium
a few years ago. Whose brilliant deci-
sion was that? Take an architectural
landmark and mar it with an enormous
ring the color of used Mountain Dew.
Hail to the conq'ring halos, I guess.
Just remember, as you drive your El
Caminos to Columbus on Saturday
morning, that Bo got his start here,
learning from Woody. Your school
could never have produced a leader like
that.
So just come down, spend your hard-
earned allowance money in "the big
city" and sit on your hands, like all
110,000-plus of you do so well every
single fall Saturday. Then go home. Our
sanitation workers have ended their
strike, so we have no need for Michigan
grads.
See you at the game.
- Thomas Orr, sports editor of
The Lantern, can be reached at
orr:87@osu.edu.
Tomorrow's game marks the 50th anniversary of the blizzard-bound classic now
known only as the Snow Bowl. Michigan's season ended in Pasadena - but it will
always be remembered in Columbus amidst knee-high snow drifts and the greatest
rivalry in college football.
';in' g1.
MICHIGAN PASSING VS. OHIO STATE PASSING DEFENSE:
Ohio State's blitzing schemes will be all over Henson. The
junior quarterback has never faced blitzing like that from
the Buckeyes. Ohio State has recorded 45 sacks on the
season for a total loss of 290 yards.
Henson took some hits last weekend, but it will be noth-
ing like what he will see (or won't see) tomorrow. But
expect for Henson's All-American offensive line to hold
the Buckeyes to fewer sacks than they have had all season.
David Terrell said earlier in the season that if the ball is
in vicinity he can catch it. Both he and Marquise Walker
have proved that. All Henson has to do is get the ball away
before an Ohio State defender blindsides him.
This rivalry has always come down to impressive catch-
es at impressive times. Remember Mercury Hayes' out-
stretched body bringing in a touchdown for Michigan in
1995? You will see more of that this weekend - from the
COLUMBUS (Saturday, Nov. 26,
1950) - Michigan's relentless
Wolverines saved the space for
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