Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh knows every detail except the latitude and longitude of where he was when he understood the importance of the Ohio State rivalry.
“Nine and a half years old,” Harbaugh said. “The first game I went to was in 1973. Sat in the south end zone with my mom, my brother and my sister. It was a 10-10 tie at Michigan Stadium.”
Harbaugh, whose father Jack was a Michigan assistant coach then, said after seeing that game the yearly Wolverines-Buckeyes battle became the highlight of his year.
“It was even better than Christmas,” Harbaugh said.
Forty-five years later he still feels the same, maybe even more so this season. The ramifications of Saturday’s showdown between No. 4 Michigan and. No. 10 Ohio State (Noon, Fox) in Columbus seem more consequential than usual.
“Over the years, this game has just grown to become the biggest rivalry in college football,” said Jim Betts, 69, who played from 1968-70 at Michigan.
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, 54, learned about the rivalry early growing up in Ashtabula, Ohio.
“I know both universities (have) the respect factor,” Meyer said. “I didn’t say ‘like.’ But there is respect.”
Since Meyer became coach, Ohio State is 6-0 against Michigan. To continue the streak, the nation’s No. 2 offense, averaging 541.8 yards a game, must take down a Michigan team ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense (234.8).
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