Monday, November 18, 2002
The Wolverines have dashed the Buckeyes' title hopes twice in the past seven years.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The Ohio State Buckeyes are treading a path both foreign and familiar.
Never in more than a century of playing football had Ohio State been 12-0. The Buckeyes, No. 2 in the polls and No. 1 in the BCS standings after a series of tight escapes on the road, now head into their final regular season game.
Against who? Michigan, of course.
"It's game No. 13 coming up, and it's the greatest rivalry in college football," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said after his team pulled out a 23-16 overtime win at Illinois on Saturday.
Several Ohio State teams have been unbeaten and filled with the starry-eyed possibilities of a national championship as they approached the annual showdown with the Wolverines. Twice in the last seven years Ohio State had three months of title hopes dashed in three hours by the Wolverines.
The stakes and the risks are the same this week.
"It makes it a huge game," Michigan's Marlin Jackson said. "We can spoil their whole season, and last year they beat us, so it would be a great win for us."
Bad history
In 1995, Ohio State was 11-0 and ranked No. 2 when it traveled to Ann Arbor to play No. 12 Michigan. Wolverines tailback Tshimanga Biakabutuka gained 313 yards on 37 carries in Michigan's 31-23 victory. The Buckeyes then lost to Tennessee in the Florida Citrus Bowl -- instead of playing in the Rose Bowl.
In 1996, the Buckeyes were again No. 2 and could have taken over the top spot with a win at home against a Michigan team already saddled with three losses. Ohio State dominated the first half but lost 13-9, when All-American cornerback Shawn Springs slipped on Tai Streets' short pass reception that turned into a long touchdown. The Buckeyes went on to win the Rose Bowl, but that loss at Ohio Stadium cost them the national title.
Michigan (9-2, 6-1) doesn't need a fiery speech from coach Lloyd Carr this week to conjure up those past glories.
"I don't remember ever being around a Michigan team that had to be motivated for an Ohio State game," Carr said Saturday after his team dispatched Wisconsin 21-14. "The only goals that are important for us are our goals. We're not interested in knocking them out of a bowl or anything like that. They've had a great year and have a great team. We want to finish the season strong."
Berth at stake
Ohio State (12-0, 7-0) needs to win to share the Big Ten title with Iowa (11-1, 8-0), which already completed its regular season. With a victory, the Buckeyes will get a berth in the national championship game, Jan. 3 in the Fiesta Bowl.
That is the only simple scenario.
An Ohio State loss boosts Iowa into the BCS -- and probably the Rose Bowl -- as the Big Ten champion. Michigan could steal a spot in one of the big four bowls.
Ohio State would be left to think about what might have been. Depending on a number of other teams and games, it could end up in the Orange Bowl against Florida State. The Buckeyes might fall all the way to the Capital One Bowl.
"Nobody said it was going to be easy," wide receiver Michael Jenkins said.
A team whose mantra all season has been "The Next Game" now has just one left in the regular season. A win by any amount -- in overtime or by 40 points -- will do as Ohio State chases its first national championship since 1968.
"All we've done this year means nothing if we don't win," center Alex Stepanovich said. "The pressure is always there. In college football, you can't lose one week and then go do what you want."
That's a lesson the Buckeyes know all too well.