SHOW the WAY When It’S Time to Lead a Team, J.T
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BuckeyeXtra Section G • The Columbus Dispatch • BuckeyeXtra.com GAMEDAY+ PAGE G10 SHOW THE WAY When it’s time to lead a team, J.T. BARRETT has always stepped into the breach JONATHAN QUILTER DISPATCH ALSO INSIDE GAME 12 Hunter: Take it easy on Bo-Woody analogies / G3 at Michigan Amid comments, Elliott focuses on Michigan / G5 NOON, ANN ARBOR, MICH. • Rudock shows toughness as Wolverines QB / G8 TV: ABC (CHANNEL 6) BUCKEYEXTRA SPONSOR G2 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH GAMEDAY+ BUCKEYEXTRA.COM ! OSU/at Michigan TODAY’S GAME Kickoff: Noon, Michigan Stadium TV: ABC (Channel 6) Radio: WBNS-FM/AM (97.1, 1460) CONTACT US (107,601), Ann Arbor, Mich. Announcers Announcers Ray Stein, Sports Editor Forecast: 41 degrees, cloudy Brad Nessler (play-by-play) Paul Keels (play-by-play) Phone ...........614-461-5236 Line: Pick ’em Todd Blackledge (analysis) Jim Lachey (analysis) Email [email protected] Holly Rowe (sideline) Marty Bannister (sideline) Sports...........614-461-5234 For the latest on the Buckeyes, visit BuckeyeXtra.com. Plot twists add intrigue to The Game By Bill Rabinowitz THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH his year’s Ohio State-Michi- gan game was Talways going to be a special one. It still is, but partly for reasons different than it seemed a week ago. Until last week’s upset loss to Michigan State, Ohio State hadn’t lost since the second game of 2014, a span of 23 games. After running back Ezekiel Elliott criticized the play-calling following Sat- urday’s game, the Buckeyes were hit by questions about whether that revealed deeper fissures. So this Michigan game tran- scends whether Ohio State can somehow put itself back in position for a championship. (The Buckeyes will need a Penn State win over Michigan State for that.) It is just as much a test of their resilience and char- acter. “I have a lot of confidence in our guys,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. “This is a very invested team. They had something happen that hadn’t happened in 400-some days. They got hit right in the gut. It’s my job, our coaching staff’s job and our leaders’ job, to make BROOKE LAVALLEY DISPATCH Braxton Miller, right, is one of only two current Buckeyes to have lost to Michigan, a 40-34 defeat in 2011. sure there is focus and atten- tion to detail.” When the season started, today’s game looked to be sig- ing 9-2. A season-opening loss said, “I said the one thing that’s early in 2014. Now they are “If we lose our last two nificant for two reasons. First, it at Utah and the botched-punt really going to make me feel facing scrutiny. games, yeah, of course that would be Ohio State’s last ob- disaster against Michigan State better is getting that fourth pair Left tackle Taylor Decker said would be a failure,” defensive stacle on its way to the Big Ten are the only blemishes. of gold pants.” it was crucial for the Buckeyes end Joey Bosa said. title game and expected spot in Michigan’s ascent and Ohio It won’t be easy. After under- to set aside the Michigan State The Buckeyes are deter- the College Football Playoff. State’s loss has created an unfa- achieving seasons, Michigan game. mined to make amends for last Second, it would be the first miliar dynamic. For the first saved its best for Ohio State the “We can’t dwell on that, be- week. Even in the midst of his meeting between Meyer and time all season, the Buckeyes past three years. The Buckeyes cause if we dwell on that we’ll postgame comments last week, Jim Harbaugh. As soon as Har- are not double-digit favorites. have little doubt that Michigan go up there and lay an egg,” he Elliott sought to reassure any- baugh was hired as Wolverines After OSU opened as a slight will summon their best against said. “And we can’t do that. We one who thought the Buckeyes coach last December, the ex- favorite, the game is now a pick them. just simply can’t go up there would lose their edge after pectation was that the rivalry ’em. The question is whether and do that.” losing. would return to the fever pitch Braxton Miller and Joel Hale Ohio State will — if anyone can If Ohio State beats Michigan, “Oh, we’re hungry,” he said. it had when Woody Hayes and are the only Buckeyes playing figure out what the best truly is the Michigan State debacle “I’m personally not going to let Bo Schembechler stomped today who have lost to Michi- for this enigmatic Buckeyes might be looked back on as an anyone slack off, back off. This along opposite sidelines. gan, which last defeated Ohio team. aberration — simply a bad day game means the world to us Harbaugh’s arrival has reju- State in 2011. The other seniors Because of the media atten- against a good opponent that and everyone in Ohio. venated Michigan, which had have a chance to complete a tion following the loss and played superbly. “It’s going to look like a dif- been in decline since it lost to career sweep, earning them a Elliott’s comments, the Buck- If the Buckeyes lose today, no ferent team and a new team. Ohio State in 2006 in a battle of fourth gold-pants trinket. eyes know all eyes are upon second-tier bowl victory would I’m excited to see how this • the No. 1 and 2 teams in the “Talking to my parents after them. Ohio State has been on change the view that Ohio team rebounds from this loss.” polls. the (Michigan State) game,” an almost unprecedented roll State’s season was a disap- [email protected] The Wolverines are a surpris- senior linebacker Joshua Perry since losing to Virginia Tech pointment. @brdispatch ! THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH GAMEDAY+ BUCKEYEXTRA.COM G3 ‘Ten-Year War’ comparison is more hype than reality college sports, if not all of State beat both OSU and sports. Not since Hayes Michigan this season, and was fired for punching a the Spartans beat the Clemson linebacker near Buckeyes in the Big Ten the end of the 1978 Gator title game two seasons Remembm er Last Winter? Bowl have both schools ago. Wisconsin won the had coaches of Hayes’ and league title in 2011and ’12. Schembechler’s stature at Even if OSU and Michigan Commentary the same time, and there’s again become dominant, CColdold HHouseouse an edge to Meyer and their placement in the Bob Hunter Harbaugh that adds to the East Division means that //////////////////////////// comparison. one or the other will play a HHighigh UtilityUtility BBills?ills? It’s always fun to imag- team from the West for the In case you haven’t ine a trip back to the good conference title after the noticed, the media will old days, and it’s even rivalry game. Whether we force-feed you a juicy better if we can envision like it or not, some of the Don’t Wait - CALL NOW! story line until your belly some especially nostalgic oomph has been removed feels ready to explode. period reforming in the by that setup. In today’s ravenous, present, materializing Even the coaching com- 614-529-2440 tidbit-starved, 24-hour, before our eyes. As much parisons are unlikely to seven-days-a-week news as Michigan fans enjoyed hold up. In today’s college 1-888-894-1024 cycle, content providers the Wolverines’ period of football pressure-cooker, Visit our website: USAInsulation.net believe that the viewer/ dominance in the 1990s, there is a decent chance listener/reader can never and the OSU faithful has that either Meyer or Har- get enough of a good savored the Buckeyes’ baugh won’t be coaching angle: You will see it, hear ruling the series since Jim his team in five years, EARLY BIRD SPECIAL ENDS SOON! it and read about it until Tressel arrived in 2001, much less 10. your ears bleed and your many have been con- Hayes hated Michigan Don’t be left in the cold AGAIN! eyeballs fall out. cerned about the state of in ways that neither Meyer WHOLE HOUSE INSULATION So it is with the Jim the rivalry. Harbaugh’s nor Harbaugh could un- Harbaugh vs. Urban hiring was good news on derstand. Meyer and Har- Meyer reincarnation of that front. baugh have no shared the “Ten-Year War.” From Finally, after almost 40 coaching history; Schem- the day Harbaugh was years, there are two bechler was an assistant officially named coach at coaches who have both on Hayes’ staff before Michigan — Dec. 30, 2014 the resumes and the tem- Schembechler became —just about everybody peraments to play the head coach at Miami $500 OFF envisioned a rekindling of roles that Woody and Bo University. with this ad the rivalry with Ohio State created for them. Starting That led to the job at as it was defined during today in Michigan Stadi- Michigan, which led to a the days of Bo Schem- um, the war will begin famous story that Dis- bechler and Woody Hayes. anew. patch Washington corre- The narrative was as But will it? spondent Jack Torry re- predictable as the ripped There is no doubting called this week. caps, stomped watches that Harbaugh has done a “One the Monday eve- and broken down-mark- terrific job of making ning before the 1975 Feeling ers that Hayes left in his Michigan football relevant Michigan game, Kaye wake, especially after the again.