The Ohio State Buckeyes have been the dominant entity in the Big Ten in recent years, and that extends to the team's famed rivalry with the Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State has claimed 11 of the last 12 contests against Michigan, and with that, it may seem odd to consider that the 2016 edition of the game could be the "game of the year" in college football.
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However, an ESPN roundtable of reporters answered a variety of questions earlier this week and two of the panelists chose UM-OSU as the game they were most looking forward to on the schedule. First, Edward Aschoff espoused this:
The SEC folks will probably egg my house for this, but I'm pumped for Michigan-Ohio State. I love tradition, and few games in sports are bigger than this one. Plus, Michigan is actually relevant and that Jim Harbaugh guy is going to make this rivalry really pop. I can't wait for him to get under Urban Meyer's skin before a game with playoff implications. Harbaugh is itching to erase last year's colossal failure against the Buckeyes with an absolute battle in Columbus, Ohio.
Then, Heather Dinich had this to say when choosing "The Game":
Jim Harbaugh has to win at more than just Twitter. This is the game to prove the program is more than publicity stunts, that it is ready to be a national contender again. The Wolverines have to be at their best late in the season with road trips to Michigan State, Iowa and Ohio State. If Harbaugh goes 0-2 against Urban Meyer, he'll need more than 140 characters to appease his enamored fan base.
Both panelists referencing Jim Harbaugh should come as no surprise, as the entertaining head coach has brought a new level of interest to Ann Arbor since arriving prior to the 2015 season. More importantly, though, the Wolverines have a talent level (especially on defense) that the program has not achieved in some time, and this looks to be something of a "rebuilding" year for Ohio State after massive defections toward the NFL.
Still, the 2016 match-up between two of the top programs in college football will take place in Ohio Stadium, and that inherently levels the playing field, even with many thinking that Michigan has the better roster this season. Harbaugh and the Wolverines have generated real hype in advance of the 2016 campaign, but with a massive road block at the end of the year, there is plenty left to prove.
