With all the troubles the Michigan football team has had in its last two games, a trip to Columbus may not be what the Wolverines need.
The Buckeyes are 10-0 overall and clinched a Rose Bowl berth with a victory over Indiana last weekend. They are ranked No. 2 in the country and haven't really been challenged all season.
Then again, that's an eerily familiar scenario for Michigan.
Last year, Ohio State was No. 2 in the nation and undefeated but lost to Michigan, 31-24, in Ann Arbor.
Two years ago, Ohio State had only one loss coming into Ann Arbor, and the Wolverines won that game 28-0.
In fact, the Buckeyes have won only twice in the past 10 meetings between the two teams.
None of that, however, is enough to keep Ohio State from being a 15-point favorite Saturday.
And, as far as center Rod Payne is concerned, the spread is probably justified.
"Coach (Lloyd) Carr tells us, 'You're only as good as your last performance,' which pretty much puts us at the bottom of Division I schools," Payne said.
Michigan lost to Penn State, 29-17, last Saturday and dropped a 9-3 decision to Purdue two weeks ago. The Wolverines turned the ball over 10 times in those two games.
It's those mistakes, according to senior co-captain Jarrett Irons, that knocked Michigan out of the race for the Big Ten championship.
"I think when we come out and don't make any mistakes, we're a great team," Irons said. "When we go out and make a lot of mistakes, we're a mediocre team."
On offense, Ohio State has been able to replace three of last season's top NFL draft picks, receiver Terry Glenn, running back Eddie George and tight end Rickey Dudley, without missing a beat.
On defense, however, the Buckeyes have nearly the same personnel as last year.
Only three players, freshman linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer, safety Damon Moore and tackle Winfield Garnett, weren't in the starting lineup for last year's Michigan game.
A game in which Michigan put up 484 yards of total offense, 381 on the ground alone.
So why doesn't Michigan expect to do the same this week?
"We're a different group," Payne said. "This year we're struggling. I know we were struggling last year, but we weren't coming off two losses."
Carr pointed specifically to the offense in terms of what has to change for Michigan to win Saturday.
"I think it's a different year," Carr said. "Certainly we're going to have to devise a way of moving the football and hitting some big plays, because Ohio State does gang up on the run."
Michigan's offense improved last weekend on its performance against the Boilermakers, but not in the area where it needed to most - turnovers.
Quarterback Scott Dreisbach was responsible for four of the Wolverines' five turnovers, including three interceptions, and took responsibility for the loss after the game.
That move may have upset Carr more than anything else.
"I got at him," Carr said. "I told him, 'Don't ever accept blame for defeat. That's my job.' We're 7-and-3, that's my fault, not his."
When it comes right down to it, however, this week is Michigan-Ohio State, and there are no givens accept for one: motivation isn't a problem, even coming off two losses.
"I told our players and coaches that if I have to pick them up, they're in the wrong program," Carr said. "This is Ohio State. This is the biggest game on our schedule."
Which war now?: Earlier in the season, Payne likened the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry to the Civil War. So what about Michigan-Ohio State?
"It's somewhere around a fight between the two groups that hate each other the most," Payne said. "Like the Capulets and the Montagues."
After a brief applause for his knowledge of Shakespeare, Payne admitted that he had just seen Romeo and Juliet.
"Is that your Michigan education?" a reporter asked.
"No, it was a date," Payne replied.