They come out of the stalks, like so many over-popped demon kernels - which also play football. There are too many other types of corn to count. Corn on the cob. Corn off the cob. Corn chowder. Corn bread. Creamed corn. Popcorn: Hardcore corn. (Typo, sorry). None are as good at football as the Cornhuskers. Sorry this got so corny. Enjoy the game. Everett Cook, Zach Helfand, Matt Slovin and Liz Vukelich. TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Nebraska has a powerful offense. Mich- igan has a mediocre defense. Who has the advantage? The last man left from the Bo Schem- bechler days will retire at the end-of the year. A look at their friendship. This is Michigan's last chance to be the team it wants to be. Win, and the season is sal- vagable. Lose, and it could go downhill. Cover photo by Erin Kirkland 0 e 2013in ScheduleE i " n Central Michigan (Aug. 31): Michigan beat the Chippewas by their largest opening-day margin since 1905. Notre Dame (Sept. 7): Eminem is still in the ESPN booth, wondering where he is and where all the people went. Akron (Sept.14): Unfortunately, Akron is chick- ening out of this great rivalry after this year's game. Connecticut (Sept. 21): UConn lost to Buffalo. Buffalo. Buffalo. But almost beat Michigan. Buf- falo. Minnesota (Oct. 5): Against Michigan last year, Minnesota promoted epilepsy awareness. For information, visit: epilepsyfoundationmn.org. Penn State (Oct. 12): Unhappy Valley! Crappy Valley! Funny play on wordsl [ III S Indiana (Oct. 19): How high must one man fly before he hits the sun? Jeremy Gallon almost found against Indiana. What a game, what a game. Michigan State (Nov. 2): This was a freaking beatdown in every sense of the word. Nebraska (Nov. 9): The problem with Nebraska fans is they're much too nice to hate. Unless, of course, the 'Huskers win again this year. Northwestern (Nov. 16): The best 0-5 Big Ten team around. Iowa (Nov. 23): Vodka Saml Ohio State (Nov. 30): Urban Meyer has been playing eshibition games for two years now. ing up his pant leg to reveal a brand-new pair of cowboy boots, courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys, emblazoned with his name. That afternoon, players and coaches were gather- ing to begin practice, and uncharacteristically, Bo was nowhere to be found. He eventually made it into the equipment room and half-dragged, half-carried Falk into the coaches' locker room, slamming the door behind them. As Falk remembers it, Bo said, "Look, I'm going to have you do something to me: If I ever hear that you tell' somebody what you're about to do, I'm going to hit you in the face. Now pull these boots off my feet!" Falk straddled Bo's legs and yanked on the boots to see your ugly face in all my until they came off. life,' " Falk recalled Bo say- "He and I giggled about ing. that for a good five minutes," Once Bo was in Falk's pas- Falk said. "But that's the senger seat defrosting, on fun you have with a coach. the way to the airport for a That's the fun you have with recruiting trip, he grumbled the players." that three state troopers had Then there was the time passed him - the most cel- in 1985 when Falk rescued ebrated personality in the Bo. He was cruising along on history of Michigan athlet- Interstate 94 near Ypsilanti ics shunned mere miles from when he saw a hitchhiker up the Big House. ahead. Falk listened to Bo's com- "It's almost 40 below. plaint but didn't fully sympa- February. Snowing," Falk thize. remembers. "I say, 'Wow! "Bo, you gotta remember," That guy's got a hat that Falk said, "you were 6-6 last looks just like Bo's hat.'" season." Falk drove up a little fur- ther and noticed Bo's car on *** the side of the highway. He pulled over right next to a The last time Falk saw red-nosed, red-cheeked Bo. Bo - the Monday before he "'I've never been so happy passed away - isn't how he remembers him. The feeble man Falk helped out of his car hard- ly resembled the power- ful man that Falk truly believed could do anything. After all, he transformed a would-be farmhand from a rural corner of Ohio into the epitome of a Michigan man. Bo stumbled out of Falk's car and, despite the coach's protests, Falk grabbed his arm and assisted him into his house. Then Bo did one thing that night that reminded Falk that this was the same coach he'd grown up under, the one his mother had accu- rately predicted would take care of him. One last time, Bo took his index finger, "like he always does," Falk said, and jabbed it in the meaty part between his ribs. "Falk, I know exactly what you're doing to me," Bo growled. "If something hap- pens to me tonight, you'll tell everyone, 'I got him in the house. He was OK when I left.'" Four days later, Bo was dead. Falk and Bo had spent countless hours in a car together, but that final ride, like Bo's last trip to Colum- bus, felt different. All Bo cared to talk about was his rivalry with Woody Hayes and their battles that would outlive both of them. It was as if the last link to Woody knew his time was coming, and he wanted to share every last story before it came and there was noone left to share them. Falkitakes the responsibil- ity of being the last remain- ing tie to Bo in the Michigan locker room very seriously He sees it as his duty to keep Bo's presence alive there. When he addresses the team, like he did the week leading up to his last Little Brown Jug game against Minnesota earlier this season, Bo's mas~P terful speeches linger in his head. Now, Falk's time with the football team is coming too. He strolls across the locker roomto setup the barricades that prevent anyone from stepping on the block 'M' logo on the floor. Then, he pauses and looks up. He has one more story to tell about his friend Bo. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @MICHIGANDAILY IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL STAFF PICKS The Daily football writers pick against the spread to predict scores for the top-25 and Big Ten in the 2013 football season. Zach Helfand Liz Vukelich Melanie Kruvalis, Editorial Page Editor Everett Cook Matt Slovin I I No.1 Alabama (-13).vsNo. 13 LSU No. 2 Florida State(-35)at Wake Forest No. 3 Oregon (0.5) at No. 5Stanford No. 6 Baylor (-15) vs. No.10 Oklahoma No. 8 Missouri ( 14)t Kentucky No. 9 Auburn (-8) at Tennessee Nol Miami (FI) -7) vs.VirginiaT ech No. 14 Oklahoma State-31) vs. Kansas No 15 Texas A&M (-9)vs.MississippiState No.16 Fresno State (-10) at Wyoming No.19UCLA(-1) at Arizona No.20 Luisville (-28) atConnecticut No. 21 UCF(-0.)vs. Houston No. 22 Arizona State (-7) at Utah No. 23 NotreDm (-4.5)atPitsburg No. 24 Wisconsin (-7.5) vs. BYU No25 Texas Tech -3) vs. Kansas State Minersota(-3)rvs. PenneState I owa(-15)atPurduee Indiana(-l0) vs. llinois Michigan (-7) vs. Nebraska MichiganState (-271vs. urdue Indiaver-10)avs.tllinois Overall LSUO Florida State Staford Baylor Missouri Auburn Miami (FL) K ansas Mssissippi State Fresno State UCLA Connectirut UCF Airzona State Notre Dame BYU Texas Tech Penr State Indiana Michigea Purdue I21iaea 22-e0 Florida State Stanford Baylor Miseuri Auburn Miami (FL) Oklahoma State Ter As&M Fresno State UCLA Louisville UCF Arizona State Notre'Dame Wisconsin TeasTech Penn ate Indiana Nebr2ska 112-d10 Wake Forest Oregon Oklahoma Missouri Tenessee Miami (FL) Oklahoma State Mississippi State Fresno State UCLA Conneticut UCF Arizona State Pitsburgh Wisconsin Texas Tech Per State Illinois Nebraska Purdue 140-82 Alabama Wake Forest Oregon Baylor Missouri Auburn Virginia Tech Oklahoma State Texas A&M Wyoming Arizona Louisville UCF Utah Notre Dame BYU Texas Tech Mineesota Indiana Mi cigar Michigan State I2dian2 Alabama Wake Forest Stanford Oklahoma Kentucky Auburn Virginia Tech K ansas Mississippi State Fresno State Arizona Conecticut Arizona State Pittsburgh BYU Kansas State Minnesota Indiana Michigan Purdue 2 1 FootballSaturday - November 9, 2013 TheMichiganDaily - www.michigandaily.com 7