Bragging rights, bowl placements at stake

Michigan-Ohio State. During the week before this tilt of college football superpowers, the hype machine is in full force, spouting off about each school.

There is usually a lot to spout about during this weekend, as the Wolverines and Buckeyes are used to aiming high on the national scale. Very rarely do these teams meet without one of them harboring Big Ten or national title hopes.

Tomorrow is one of those rare times. For the first time in five years, the Michigan-Ohio State matchup has no bearing on the Big Ten championship. That was already claimed by Wisconsin last weekend against Iowa.

But as the Buckeyes enter Michigan Stadium tomorrow, there will still be a lot at stake.

"It's a one-game season," Michigan guard and co-captain Steve Hutchinson said. "It's Michigan-Ohio State. It's for bragging rights."

For Michigan, the game is for a lot of money. With their sixth consecutive win over the Buckeyes in Michigan Stadium, the No. 10 Wolverines (5-2 Big Ten, 8-2 overall) can secure a BCS bowl bid.

The Orange Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl and their millions of dollars await the Wolverines if they take care of business tomorrow. That proves to be motivation enough for Michigan.

"We are playing to see where we are on New Year's Day," safety Tommy Hendricks said. "We need to win to go to a New Year's Day bowl, which is big for us."

Something that would be big for the Buckeyes is going to any bowl. After finished second in the country two of the last three seasons, the Buckeyes have fallen like a rock this season, sporting a 6-5 record.

If Ohio State doesn't win today, the Buckeyes will spend the holiday season at home for the first time since 1988. That alone leaves the Wolverines wary of their rivals to the south.

"Being an underdog in this game means nothing," coach Lloyd Carr said. "They are playing for a bowl, so you know they will come out ready."

Carr already has learned about taking a wounded Ohio State team lightly. In 1987, the Buckeyes were finishing a lackluster season that would eventually get coach Earle Bruce fired. They were big underdogs coming into Michigan Stadium but emerged with a 23-20 win.

That happened to be Ohio State's last victory at Michigan Stadium.

"We were huge favorites in this game," Carr said. "We went up 13-0 in the first half, but they came back to beat us. It just shows how competitive this game is."

The Wolverines fully realize the ramifications of today's game. Michigan, smarting from a 31-16 beating at the hands of the Buckeyes last year, know how important the game really is.

"I didn't fully understand the rivalry until we lost to them last year," Hendricks said. "I felt so bad because I didn't play my best game and I don't want to feel that way again."

While Ohio State doesn't possess a lot of the components that it rode to a 11-1 record last season, it does have quite a bit of talent. The Wolverines acknowledge the skill of the Buckeyes and respect how the Buckeyes won last year.

"You have a lot of respect for guys that beat you like that," quarterback Tom Brady said. "Games like this are the reason you come to Michigan."

So it doesn't matter if this year's Michigan-Ohio State game isn't as high on the national scale. Helmets will be butting and pads will be cracking tomorrow at Michigan Stadium.

"You can throw the records out when you play this game," Hendricks said. "When Ohio State plays Michigan, records mean nothing."

11-19-99