OSU, Michigan begin chatter

Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, Mich.

Devin Gardner has flourished in three straight starts at quarterback for Michigan.

Denard Robinson is healthy enough to play, but can’t seem to do more than lightly lob a short pass.

So, is there any chance Robinson will go back to being the team’s QB on Saturday at Ohio State?

“I guess he could,” Wolverines coach Brady Hoke said with a straight face. “I don’t know. It’s an option.”

Yeah, right.

Let The Game — and the gamesmanship — begin.

Even if it’s obvious, Hoke must think acknowledging the fact that Gardner will stay at QB while Robinson lines up as a running back or receiver would give the rival Buckeyes a bit of information to help them prepare for Saturday’s game.

No. 4 Ohio State (11-0, 7-0 Big Ten) will host the 20th-ranked Wolverines (8-3, 6-1) in its finale with a shot to win The Associated Press national title.

The Buckeyes, though, can’t play for the conference championship because they’re ineligible to play in the postseason as part of sanctions stemming from a memorabilia-for-cash scandal under ex-coach Jim Tressel.

After Ohio State beat the Wisconsin Badgers 21-14 in overtime Saturday to seal the Legends Division title, coach Urban Meyer said they’re not the program’s rival.

“The next one is,” Meyer said. “So when we use that ‘R’ word, we’re talking about this week.”

When Hoke talks about the Buckeyes this week, he won’t say Ohio State once — dropping the second word in the school’s name in what he insists is not intended to insult the storied program he grew up rooting against despite growing up near Dayton.

“There’s a lot of respect on both sides for both programs,” he said after a 42-17 win over Iowa.

Hoke will lead college football’s winningest program in a game at the Horseshoe for the first time against Meyer, who hasn’t been a head coach in what is referred to as The Game.

Ohio State linebacker Zach Boren probably understands The Game and the gamesmanship that goes along with it as well as anyone on the field Saturday.

His dad, Mike, played for Michigan and so did his brother, Justin, before famously — or infamously — transferring to Ohio State and taking a shot at the then-Rich Rodriguez led Wolverines by saying family values had eroded within the program.

“That’s the biggest rivalry in sports,” Zach Boren said. “Now we can turn our attention to them. We’ll be ready. This team keeps on getting better and better each week.”