This Saturday In Ann Arbor Will Be The Biggest Game In The History Of "The Game"
Do I really need to explain why this is a big deal? It’s kind of bizarre that these two story programs have only played each other three times in which they’ve both been undefeated. One of those times came last year, when Michigan ran away with a victory in Columbus. This is the first time two 11–0 teams will play each other in Ann Arbor, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
This is pretty much what everybody predicted. Maybe some people had Ohio State or Michigan slipping up at one point before this weekend, but for the most part, Michigan and Ohio State have done exactly what the world expected them to do. It's been a collision course from day one. Everybody knew coming into week one that this would be a huge game, but considering the storylines that have broken over the last month, this has become the biggest game in the history of the rivalry. I feel like we say that every year, but there is something different about this one. Next year, the Big Ten is going to look different. Michigan and Ohio State will always be massive rivals, but the landscape of college football will definitely change. This may be the last game of its kind in this rivalry that we see for a long time.
Losing this game was something that Michigan fans became accustomed to for a long time. Before 2021, many of us forgot what it felt like to beat Ohio State. Getting over the hump and winning the last two years has been euphoric. Another win for either of these teams in this rivalry Would be remarkable, but a loss would be among the most crushing in either of these program's histories. I don't feel the need to recap everything that's broken about the sign-stealing stuff. People much smarter than me on this website and others have done a better job of breaking it down. I can only give the fan perspective.
If Michigan loses this game, an entire generation of people will invalidate everything they've done up to this point. The 2021 and 2022 Big Ten championships won't come with an asterisk, but eyebrows will be raised every time somebody mentions those accomplishments. I'm not even saying it's fair, but I am saying it's true. For Ryan Day in Ohio State. It's the last chance to debunk the stereotypes that have plagued the program over the last two years. It's their opportunity to prove that they're tough, can be more physical than Michigan, and that this conference still runs through Columbus. Losing to a team that doesn't have its head coach on the sidelines would be one of those checkpoints in the rivalry that people will discuss for years to come. It's one of those Trump cards that you never get over.
The Michigan/Ohio State game has always had high stakes, but this is about as evenly matched as I can remember these teams being. What's going to happen on Saturday? I truly don't know. Something random and wild always happens in this game. Last year, there weren't many people who thought Michigan could beat Ohio State in Columbus without Blake Corum, let alone beat them by three touchdowns, but that's exactly what they did. In 2018, nobody thought that Michigan's dominant defense would get demolished the way that it did by Dwayne Haskins and Company. This game changes people. It turns no names into legends. I'm nervous, and I'm sure every other Michigan fan and Ohio State fan is nervous, but this is a moment in time for college football. This is Michigan/Ohio State in its final form. This is the ultimate version of "The Game."
