Buckeyes seek to continue dominance

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Ohio State has been dominating Michigan in a rivalry with a long history of being lopsided.

The eighth-ranked Buckeyes (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) have won five straight and 12 of 13 against the Wolverines (8-3, 5-3) going into their 114th meeting on Saturday with 110,000-plus watching at the Big House.

Even though Ohio State is widely expected to win again, that doesn’t diminish what is known as The Game to those participating in it.

“Every game is close. It’s not like it’s a 60-3 blowout-type game,” Ohio State’s fifth-year senior center Billy Price said. “Last year was decided by a pivotal call, a pivotal touchdown. A couple years ago it was 42-41.”

Since the series started in 1897, it has been marked by either team enjoying stretches of success.

The Wolverines began the rivalry with 13-0-2 mark. From 1951 to 1968, Ohio State was 16-7-1 and didn’t let “That Team From Up North,” win in consecutive years.

The only era in which both teams took turns winning

was during “The Ten Year War,” from 1969-78 when Woody Hayes went 5-4-1 against his former player and coaching pupil, Bo Schembechler.

Before the Buckeyes began their current run, they had lost 11 of the previous 16 games.

Here are some things

to watch in the 114th Ohio State-Michigan game:

Motivating factor

The Urban Meyer-led Buckeyes seem to have more to gain than Michigan has to lose even if Jim Harbaugh is winless after three years in the rivalry. Ohio State needs to beat the Wolverines, and No. 5 Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game next week in Indianapolis to stay in the College Football Playoff mix, where they are ranked ninth. Michigan isn’t expected to win, or even to keep the game close as a double-digit underdog.

Still bitter

It has almost been a year since No. 2 Ohio State beat No. 3 Michigan 30-27 in a double-overtime instant classic that still stings the Wolverines. On a fourth-and-1 from the 16 in the second overtime and trailing by three, Meyer went for it and J.T. Barrett ran for a first down and the spot stood on video review. Harbaugh said it wasn’t a first down, holding his hands about a foot apart to show how short he thought it was of the marker, and added he was bitterly disappointed with the officiating in the postgame news conference.

“Everyone knows we definitely won that game,” Michigan running back Karan Higdon said this week.

Meanwhile, Barrett has 35 career wins, one from Art Schlichter’s record for the most by a quarterback in school history, and 35 Big Ten records.