“You’re a terrorist if you’re not excited about this game,” a friend told me as #2 Michigan vs. #1 Ohio State on November 18th, 2006 approached.
I was in fact excited about the game, in which both teams entered undefeated, I was just mocking the EXTREME HYPE that the media was creating for it. (I know the media over-hyping something?! Who knew, right?!) “The Game,” in Columbus like this year’s meeting will be, was actually extremely exciting and very entertaining. The Buckeyes won it 42-39, the day after Bo Schembechler died.
Now, a decade later, the hype for the next meeting between #2 Ohio State and #3 Michigan football could be even MORE HYPED
It’s 35 days and counting until noon on November 26th, 2016 and this match-up, unlike the one ten years ago, will take place in the era of social media instant gratification, and 24/7 news cycle information overload.
Ten years ago, you did not have dozens of sports only cable networks. Twitter and Instagram did not exist yet to amplify the contest. We’ll focus on the Ohio State side in an upcoming article, for now we emphasize the Michigan football side.
The Buckeyes still have to get past a visit to Penn State tonight, as well as #8 Nebraska, who we would define as “this year’s Iowa.” I can’t think of a better, more succinct analogy. Michigan does not have the Cornhuskers on their schedule this season. The Buckeyes, like the Wolverines, have already both taken care of the actual third best B1G team, Wisconsin.
Thus, no more major roadblocks remain to prevent these two traditional powers from both being undefeated come November 26, and playing a de facto college football playoff game. If both are 11-0 heading into that clash of the titans in the making, then even the loser (as I channel my inner Tom Petty) could and should make the playoff as well. No reason to leave out an 11-1 Ohio State or Michigan football team, given what we’ve seen in some of the conferences this year other than the SEC and ACC.
Big Blue kept it rolling today with a seriously ho hum 41-8 victory over Illinois in front of 111,103 fans in the Big House. Michigan was favored by 39 in some sports books heading into the Homecoming meeting, and thus they failed to cover the spread.
Bummer.
It was a very dull game that was well over by the second quarter, and supplemented the narrative of the 2016 Michigan football season: 63-3 over Hawaii, 51-14 versus Central Florida, 49-10 thrashing of Penn State, the notorious and ridiculsous 78-0 utter destruction of Rutgers.
After the game, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh sported a pair of glasses that he revealed he must wear now all the time, according to his eye doctor. A reporter asked if it was a nod to Ohio State legend of all legends, Woody Hayes and here’s what he said:
Jim Harbaugh now "a full time glasses" person. Says he tips his hat to Woody Hayes, Malcolm X and Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" for look pic.twitter.com/M52bp4uEou
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) October 22, 2016
Yes, Harbaugh gave a hat tip to the premier figure on the opposite of college football’s premier rivalry.
Indeed Harbaugh is getting ready for the big game. He also tipped his proverbial hat to Malcolm X and Michael Douglas’ character in “Falling Down.”
This Michigan football team leads the nation in six major categories- scoring defense (they gave up 8 today, which is even better than their 10.8 points per game allowed average heading in), total defense, pass defense (117.3 yards per game), sacks, first downs allowed and third down defense. Opponents convert just 12 percent of their third down chances against the Maize and Blue. Between the Rutgers, Hawaii and Colorado games, the Michigan defense allowed just two third down conversions. no one has converted more than three third down opportunities in a single game against UM, and Illinois went just 2-10. The Illini lost the yardage battle today 561-172.
Michigan is also second nationally in both pass efficiency defense and tackles for a loss.
It’s rather impossible to beat someone when you can’t convert third downs on them! Not many people can really score much either. Michigan football also leads the nation in three and outs forced, as they force opponents into those 56.2% of the time.
They’ll travel to Michigan State next week, then host Maryland, at Iowa, and then Senior Day versus Indiana before potentially the biggest and of all the big ones.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.