Today the storied gridiron tradition of the OSU vs. Michigan game continues. For the first time in over half of a century, both teams come into the game limping after a loss.
A win guarantees a least a trip to the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes, if a few more teams lose, the BCS Title Game is still a possiblity. But for now, it's time to take care of business in that smelly town of Ann Arbor.
Go Bucks.
Well it is time. Tonight at 8:00 EST on FOX the BCS National Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Florida Gators will get underway. This game makes me very nervous. But heck...I'm nervous when they play Indiana. But this game feels different than the last time the Buckeyes played for the National Championship. In 2002, the Buckeyes were the underdog - this year, people are predicting a blowout by OSU. A recent internet poll on ESPN shows that nearly 70% of those responded expect OSU to win big. "Not so fast, my friend" as Lee Corso is famous for saying. I think there's motivation for an under-dog. Just ask Boise State. There is definitely more pressure on the Buckeyes to prevail. One thing in which Buckeye Nation can take comfort - Jim Tressel. Coach 
Tressel will have this team ready to play. He has a proven record in bowl games and of course that state up north.
I believe this will be a very close game and the Bucks pull out a squeaker and win 34-27 in regulation. I will guarantee one thing....I will be a nervous wreck!
My title Red vs Blue has nothing to do with politics (as in red states vs blue states). Instead, it has everything to do with the greatest rivalry in college football, if not all of sports. Scarlet and gray vs maize and blue - Ohio State vs Michigan. 
This will be a game for the ages. Every college football fan in America will be watching ABC at 3:30 PM on Saturday. Two unbeaten conference rivals squaring off to determine who goes to the national championship in Arizona.
On paper, both teams match up pretty well against each other, only that Michigan's secondary may be a bit suspect and that Troy Smith seems to have the Wolverine's number. But traditionally the team not favored tends to play the role of spoiler when the national championship is at stake.
But I'm going to go out on a limb and say that OSU wins by two touchdowns, 31-17. Michigan will come out with the blitz early with their highly touted defensive line and linebackers, but Heisman front-runner Troy Smith's ability to scramble and pass will expose the suspect secondary of Michigan. Linebackers and safeties will be forced to play back and Antonio Pittman and Beanie Wells are going to have good days running the ball.
OSU's well disciplined defense will do what it has done all season and take the ball away at least twice. Laurinaitis and company have this AMAZING statistic in their favor: OSU's D have forced 26 turnovers and scored a whopping 121 points off those take-aways. On the other side of the ledger, the Bucks have only coughed the ball up 12 times and allowed a grand total of ZERO points off those miscues. Incredible.
One thing is for sure, the game will live up to the hype and you will likely be able to watch it again on Sunday as an Instant Classic on ESPN Classic.
Go Bucks!
As we (we meaning all of Buckeye Nation) prepare to thrash Illinois today, here's a good read for you. The following article was in the 10/31 Columbus Dispatch on a rally held at St. John Arena where OSU Football Coach Jim Tressel, OSU players and other shared their faith. Pretty awesome.
PLAYING AND PRAYING
Thousands flock to hear Tressel, Buckeyes speak about God and the gridiron
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Kevin Kidder
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
It had all the aura of a Buckeye football rally: a packed St. John Arena, a band belting out Hang on Sloopy, game highlights playing on huge projection screens.
Then members of the team, including Coach Jim Tressel, started quoting Bible verses.
Thunderous applause rained down on them.
Some members of the Ohio State football team took to the stage last night to share their spiritual side at "The Main Event," a rally designed to tell fans how Christianity affects their lives and their football.
In addition to Tressel, it featured seniors David Patterson, Joel Penton,Roy Hall and Stan White Jr. Other players joined them on stage throughout the 90-minute event.
Thousands of fans filled St. John Arena to the rafters, as player after player told stories amid humorous video clips and tapes of past glories on the gridiron.
After watching a clip of himself shaving his bald head and slurping up cereal, Hall talked about his mother, and how she had been in an abusive relationship while he was growing up. He was "not able to understand how she could keep going on," Hall said.
"Once you understand that God is behind everything, it gives you strength," he said. "I just want to say one more thing: I love you, Mom, and go Bucks!"
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