Extra points - Detroit News
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Extra points
By Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News
'Dog-gate' revisited
It has almost been a full year since "Dog-gate," but Michigan has not forgotten.
As the players entered Ohio Stadium before the game, they were stopped while bomb-sniffing dogs checked their bags.
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr called the security check "extremely disrespectful at best."
"They were just trying to get in our heads," Jake Long said. "We didn't know what was going on. They told us to drop our bags, and everyone was yelling at us."
Carr said there would be no retaliation Saturday.
"I think there is a difference between gamesmanship and respect," he said.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said last year's security check was just that -- a check.
No to Ohio
Michigan outside linebacker Shawn Crable has, after a slow start, become an important factor in the Wolverines' defense. Crable also is one of 11 players on the roster from Ohio.
And that decision by Crable didn't sit too well with some of his friends in Massillon.
"I lost a lot of people who were talking to me before that," Crable said. "They stopped talking to me. People had a lot of things to say behind my back about how I was going to drop out, (that) I wasn't going to make it."
For the defense
A.J. Hawk gets most of the attention at Ohio State, but Anthony Schlegel and Bobby Carpenter team with Hawk to form one of the most impressive linebacking groups in the country.
Hawk has 102 tackles, including a team-leading 12 for losses. Schlegel is second with 65, and Carpenter is fourth with 49 and a team-high eight sacks.
Grant Mason and David Harris lead Michigan with 72 apiece.
Catch this
Jason Avant has accounted for nearly half of Chad Henne's 2,033 passing yards. Avant has 900 receiving yards on 70 catches. He has scored seven TDs.
Level playing field
This is the 102nd meeting in the series, and the Wolverines lead 57-38-6.
In the last 50 games, however, the series is 24-24-2.
Big-play Wolverines
• Steve Breaston likes big numbers. He has the longest touchdown pass reception (52 yards against Iowa), punt return (72 yards against Eastern Michigan) and kickoff return (95-yard TD against Minnesota).
• Avant has the longest reception (54 yards against Notre Dame), but it was not a scoring play.
• Mike Hart has the longest run (64 yards against Michigan State), but that too did not go for a TD.
Coaching facts
• Carr is 6-4 against Ohio State (4-1 at home). He also is 15-5 against teams ranked in the top 10. The Buckeyes are No. 9.
• Tressel is 3-1 against Michigan. The Buckeyes are favored by three, and Tressel is 16-9 in games decided by six points or less.
To the air
• Henne has 44 career TD passes, fourth in Michigan history. John Navarre is No. 1 (72), followed by Elvis Grbac (71) and Rick Leach (48).
• Smith, a dual threat for the Buckeyes, has accounted for 23 TDs -- 13 passing and 10 rushing. He has passed for 1,640 yards and rushed for 508.
Key players - Detroit News
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Key players
By Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News
Mike Hart
Running back, Michigan
Hart, a sophomore, has missed the last two games after spraining his left ankle against Iowa. Michigan didn't need him in those two victories. But the Wolverines need him now. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel referred to Hart as "one of those electric guys." In six games, Hart has averaged 95.5 yards and 4.7 a carry.
A.J. Hawk
Linebacker, Ohio State
Hawk, a senior, has been described as tough, smart and relentless. He's a finalist for the Lombardi and Butkus awards. He leads the Buckeyes with 102 tackles, including 12 for loss. "Consistency is always a great measure of performance, and he certainly has done it for a long time," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "I'll be glad to see him leave."
Chad Henne
Quarterback, Michigan
Henne, a sophomore, is about to make his 23rd career start and his second in "The Big Game." He is 15-6 as a starter and has rebounded from a shaky start this season. His poise and ability to face the heat that most certainly will come from the Ohio State defense is absolutely key.
Matchups - Detroit News
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Matchups
Detroit News staff
Big Ten rankings in parentheses
• Ohio State running game (4) vs. Michigan run defense (4): TB Antonio Pittman has given the Buckeyes a boost in recent weeks. He has gained 100 yards or more in four of the last five games and has scored all five of his touchdowns in the last three games. QB Troy Smith can't be overlooked, either. He had 145 yards against Michigan last season and is averaging 56.4 yards this season. The Wolverines, too, have gained steam -- their last three opponents averaged 97 yards rushing. Gabe Watson has become a force at nose tackle, and LB Dave Harris has been consistent.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
• Michigan running game (7) vs. Ohio State run defense (1): This isn't just the Big Ten's best rush defense, it's the No. 2 rush defense in the nation (78.7). Michigan's backs will see plenty of No. 47 -- A.J. Hawk, who leads the team with 102 tackles. The return of TB Mike Hart gives the Wolverines a boost. It will be tough finding room to run, though.
EDGE: OHIO STATE
• Ohio State passing game (10) vs. Michigan pass defense (2): Smith is not known for his arm, but he isn't shabby. He has terrific receivers in Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr., but Michigan's secondary has gained confidence in recent weeks. Ohio State has a balanced offense but has spent the last few games establishing the run.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
• Michigan passing game (7) vs. Ohio State pass defense (1): Michigan has a talented group of receivers and quarterback, but the passing offense has not always clicked this season. QB Chad Henne must have his best game of the year against an aggressive defense. SS Donte Whitner has 60 tackles, most among the Buckeyes defensive backs, and he leads the team with six interceptions.
EDGE: OHIO STATE
• Ohio State offensive line vs. Michigan front seven: Ohio State's line, anchored by C Nick Mangold, has helped rejuvenate the running game. But Michigan's front seven has been aggressive and intense the last four games, unlike the early part of the season. The Wolverines will rotate players frequently to stay fresh against the Buckeyes. EDGE: MICHIGAN
• Michigan offensive line vs. Ohio State front seven: Facing this defensive front is a tough task for any offense. Michigan has been battered and bruised all season, and its most important cog, RT Jake Long, left last week's game with an injury. Michigan has not played a defense this fast, this anticipatory, this aggressive all season. Ohio State's linebackers are, arguably, the best in the nation.
EDGE: OHIO STATE
• Special teams: A healthy Steve Breaston means plenty to Michigan in the return game, which has, in recent years, played a big role in the rivalry. Breaston averages 12.9 yards on punt returns and 26.9 yards on kick returns. Ohio State, however, has two strong returners -- Ginn is the primary weapon, but Holmes is every bit the threat Ginn is. Josh Huston has made 85.7 percent of his field-goal attempts for Ohio State, while Garrett Rivas has made 74 percent.
EDGE: OHIO STATE
• Prediction: It has been a wonderful run for the Wolverines, who were 3-3 before winning the last four. But Ohio State's defense, particularly against the run, is too stifling and dominating. Michigan's defense will challenge Ohio State's offense, which has gained confidence the last few weeks against mediocre defenses.
OHIO STATE 17, MICHIGAN 10
Watch out for: Ted Ginn, Jr. - Detroit News
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The Big Game: 2-Minute Drill
Watch out for: Ted Ginn, Jr.
By Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News
Getting to know ... Ted Ginn, Jr.
Position: Flanker/return specialist
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 175 pounds
Class: Sophomore
Birth date: March 12, 1985
Hometown: Cleveland
High school: Glenville
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith ripped the Michigan defense apart last season to lead the Buckeyes to a stunning upset.
But look no further than Ted Ginn Jr. as to who puts the most fear into the Wolverines.
Ginn, with his track background and 4.3 speed in the 40-yard dash, is a game-changer.
As a freshman last season, Ginn scored eight touchdowns on 55 touches. He returned four punts for scores, including an 82-yarder that all but knocked out Michigan in the third quarter.
"He has speed, which creates problems for the kickoff team, the punt team," Michigan receiver Carl Tabb said. "But to be honest with you, one man doesn't make or break a unit.
"If you look at the kickoff-return team that Ohio State has or the punt-return team that Ohio State has and ask, 'Does Ted Ginn make that team?' ... you are neglecting the other 10 people on that team because without those 10 people, Ted Ginn would not be a name that you would know. With that being said, we have to focus not only on Ted but on the actual unit because if we overlook any one person on any team, that could be detrimental to our team."
Ginn presents too much speed to be overlooked. He was the national champion in the 110-meter high hurdles as a junior in high school and has been timed at 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash.
This season, Ginn leads the Buckeyes in all-purpose yards (134.5 avg.). He has scored on a punt and kickoff return and is third in the Big Ten in punt-return average (12.3), just behind Michigan's Steve Breaston (12.9), and second in kick returns (33.8).
"One thing about Teddy is he has fun playing the game, and when you have fun playing the game, you play it fast," coach Jim Tressel said. "The people that are uptight playing the game, you know, they don't play it quite as fast and I think what Teddy brings to the game is a fun, fast-playing guy that believes every time he touches it, he can go the whole way. I think he just brings excitement."
Stating their differences - Detroit News
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Oh, how we hate Ohio State - Detroit News
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Oh, how we hate Ohio State
Maize & Blue aim to make blasted Buckeyes red with embarrassment
By Bob Wojnowski / The Detroit News
ANN ARBOR -- Uh-oh, here they come again, loaded for beer, spittin' passion. According to my sources in law enforcement, Buckeyes began streaming across the border at midweek, clogging rest areas and hourly rate motels. At this very moment, local convenience stores are calling for emergency supplies of Slim Jims and pickled eggs.
Perhaps you've seen them around town, their eyes as glazed as their doughnuts. If so, approach with caution, because these are not the beaten-down folks of a few years ago, back when Michigan regularly drummed Ohio State in a rivalry we truly love, and occasionally fear.
The Buckeyes are back. That's a statement, and also a warning. They've beaten the Wolverines three of the past four years and are favored to do it again Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
Listen. Nothing in the sports world matches Ohio State-Michigan for high stakes, unfiltered intensity and pure pageantry. I mean, there's no greater spectacle than when the Ohio State marching band clambers onto that field and desperately tries to spell out script O-H-O-I.
But let me be honest with you, just this once. I'm concerned some people take the rivalry a bit too far. (Not me!)
For the purposes of this column, I loosely define "some people" as "drunken Buckeyes."
You might recall Ohio State once had a fine coach by the name of John Cooper who won lots and lots of games. But astute Buckeyes fans noticed he was 2-10-1 against the Wolverines and demanded he be fired.
Cooper was replaced by Jim Tressel, who somehow is 3-1 against Michigan's Lloyd Carr despite wearing the geekiest sweater vest you've ever seen. We're never sure if Tressel is coaching football or teaching fifth-grade math. Put a sweatshirt on, man.
Almost immediately, Tressel swiped some of Michigan's trademark arrogance without even asking. When he arrived, he began counting down the days to Ohio State's first visit to Ann Arbor. Then he had the audacity to win that game. Later, he hired, er, signed a running back by the name of Maurice Clarett and won a national title.
Quickly, the Buckeyes' obsession returned, and things really got nasty last year in Columbus (city slogan: "$#@& Michigan"). Before the game, in an incident I'm not making up, bomb-sniffing dogs were set loose on Michigan's equipment truck. Michigan coaches and players were searched before security let them in, confident they weren't hiding a creative game plan.
It was stupid and patently disrespectful, and Ohio State officials knew it, once it was explained to them what "patently" meant. I have no idea what retaliation Michigan is planning, although I've heard rumors of rubber gloves and needle-nosed pliers.
Maybe it's time for the Wolverines to crank up the gamesmanship before Carr gets turned into Cooper before our eyes. The Buckeyes long have treated this rivalry more rabidly than the Wolverines, going back to the days when Woody Hayes refused to mention Michigan by name, calling it, according to my memory, "that far superior school up north."
I'm not sure why this passion deficit exists, but it does. Maybe Michigan fans simply have other distractions in their lives, like dealing with Michigan State fans or running major corporations.
Now don't get me wrong. The Wolverines relish the rivalry and are hardly blameless in fostering ill will. While Buckeyes take pride in making Ohio Stadium the noisiest, most profane place imaginable, Michigan fans have been known to violently shush people. Michigan officials even introduced this week something called "Values for the Victors," a sportsmanship initiative designed to squelch bad behavior, on the field and in the stands.
(Note to our Buckeyes friends: This has nothing to do with your visit this week. Noooo. Nothing at all. Please drop the broken beer bottle and step away.)
(Note to everyone else: When they're riled, it's best to Taser them in the buttocks.)
I know, I know. I sound like a biased whiner. Hey, it's my job. But for more evidence of poor behavior, I found numerous stories of Texas fans complaining about mistreatment in Columbus, after the Longhorns beat the Buckeyes this season. Ohio State's president (yes, they have one) even apologized. One of Ohio State's own, tight end Ryan Hamby, said he received hate e-mails after dropping a potential touchdown pass in the game.
Speaking of that, to stem the deluge of perky messages from Buckeyes fans, the address at the end of this column will accept e-mails only from those who affix 37-cent stamps. So don't even try to send one without the postage! Also, before you ask, I'm not nearly limber enough to put my head where you think it belongs.
I'm here to study the Buckeyes, not denigrate them. Remember, this whole Michigan-Ohio battle started way back in 1835 when the states actually fought over Toledo, true story. Ohio won but took Toledo anyhow. In exchange, Michigan got the Upper Peninsula, Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard and four free passes to Cedar Point.
It's really not surprising that so many Ohio youngsters, such as Heisman Trophy winners Woodson and Howard, dream of coming to Michigan. This year's Michigan roster lists 11 kids who escaped Ohio, while Ohio State has one from Michigan. We won't mention his name in case his family doesn't know.
To be fair, when the Buckeyes got sick of losing, they did turn to quarterback Craig Krenzel, from Michigan's Utica Ford High, to lead them to that completely untainted national title. See, we can help each other, once we understand each other. That's why I'm here, to educate.
For instance, in case Ohioans didn't know, these are the three biggest industries in Michigan:
• Making automobiles.
• Pretending to fix the roads.
• Repossessing automobiles.
In case Michiganians didn't know, these are the three biggest industries in Ohio:
• Giving out speeding tickets to Michigan drivers.
• Recycling tobacco tins.
• Fixin' their trucks.
There. Doesn't it feel like we're getting along better already?
As for the game itself, well, it's still huge, even though Michigan spent the first half of the season playing patty-cake with opponents. Now, if Michigan wins and Michigan State does its big brother a favor and somehow doesn't lose by nine touchdowns to Penn State (ha, good one!), the Wolverines (7-3) become Big Ten champs.
After years of Wolverine dominance, we do find the Buckeyes (8-2) and their newly frothing passion fascinating, if a bit startling. But historically, this rivalry is more about the underdog than the bomb-sniffing dog. For the sake of neighborly peace, it'd be best if Michigan restored order.
Pick: Michigan 23-20.
BUCKS!
