Erika Keller
Every November as the leaves finish their color transformation and the smells of Thanksgiving edge around the corner, there is another ritual that takes place.
A ritual that has lasted over 100 years, and the importance of which is clearly known to those who live in the states of Ohio and Michigan.
According to the Bowl Championship Series rankings, Ohio State, the No. 7 team in the nation, has the best chance of winning this year's Buckeyes-Wolverines matchup.
But if you look at the history of arguably the most heated rivalry in sports, and who has more determination and the drive to win this game, then Michigan has the advantage, hands down.
The Wolverines hold the advantage in the all-time rivalry with a 57-38-6 record. Michigan has had to overcome an obstacle of a season after losing sophomore running back Mike Hart mid season.
He is questionable for Saturday's game, but for Michigan's offense to be effective they need him healthy and playing at full speed.
Along with Hart, Michigan also has sophomore quarterback Chad Henne, who should step up his game and be hard to stop the next couple of years.
He probably won't be the next Matt Leinhart, but he will be a great asset to the Wolverines in the coming years.
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, in his 11th season as head coach, has a steady record of 6-4 against Ohio State, and it's going to continue.
Nick Santos
Forget the Texas game, forget Penn State, forget the Big Ten championship game, this is it, this is for all the marbles: Ohio State and Michigan, baby. It's rivalry time.
Although Ohio State's offense got off to a slow start this year, in the last four games they have been scorching the field scoring 40 points or more in each contest.
Further more, quarterback Troy Smith is finally figuring out how to utilize star wide receivers/kick returners Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr.
In the previous four games, Smith hooked up with Holmes on 15 passes for 284 yards and with Ginn on 14 passes for 277 yards, including a 138-yard game against Illinois.
But that's not why they are going to win Saturday.
On the other side of the ball Ohio State houses the most rabid, hard-hitting linebacking corps in college football.
Bobby Carpenter has turned into quite the pass rusher this year, recording eight sacks and 10 tackles-for-loss per game.
Couple him with the madman leader of the group A.J. Hawk, who is credited for a whopping 120 tackles already this year, and you have something that resembles a pack of wild dogs foaming at the mouth.
But that, isn't even going to be the reason that Ohio State is going to win Saturday.
The real reason is, drum roll please, the man in the sweater vest, that's right: head coach Jim Tressel.
Tressel, in his fifth year as OSU's football coach, already has a reputation as a Wolverine-killer, amassing a 3-1 record against Michigan.
Have no fear Buckeye faithful, the man in the sweater vest will lead us to another glorious victory over the heathens. We shall prevail.
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