J.T. Barrett (16) has the Ohio State offense running wide open. (Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Normally, when a team clinches a championship with games still to play in the regular season, there’s a tendency to turn its attention to the postseason.
That won’t be a problem this week at Ohio State.
The Big Ten East Division champion Buckeyes face archenemy Michigan on Saturday (noon ET, ABC) at Ohio Stadium in the 111th edition of the storied rivalry.
Ohio State (10-1, 7-0) clinched the division title and a trip to the conference championship game for the second straight year with its 42-27 victory over Indiana last week. The Buckeyes will face West Division champion Wisconsin or Minnesota in Indianapolis in Dec. 6.
“We are very pleased to represent the Big Ten in the championship game, but we put that aside now because this is our rivalry game,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said.
The game lacks the national luster usually associated with this matchup because of Michigan’s struggles.
The Wolverines (5-6, 3-4) are nearing the end of another down year, needing a win just to become bowl eligible. Embattled coach Brady Hoke could be on the way out — win or lose — after four rocky seasons at the helm.
The apparent mismatch doesn’t diminish the stature of the game for the Buckeyes, who have hopes of not only winning the Big Ten title but being selected as one of four teams for the first College Football Playoff.
Meyer, who refers to the Wolverines as That School Up North, expects them to hit the Buckeyes with their best shot — just as underdog Michigan did last year before Ohio State escaped with a 42-41 victory after quarterback Devin Gardner’s two-point conversion pass was intercepted by safety Tyvis Powell with 32 seconds left.
“We just make a huge deal out of rivalry games,” Meyer said. “I want the players to take ownership in the program, part ownership in the game. This is not another game. This is The Game.”
The Buckeyes talk about his game throughout the year, And this week, there’s extra emphasis. LL Cool J’s “It’s Time for War” is playing nonstop inside the football facility.
In last year’s game, a fight broke out during the second quarter and Ohio State guard Marcus Hall and H-back Dontre Wilson were ejected. Hall also was suspended for the Big Ten championship game, which the Buckeyes lost to Michigan State.
“That’s not the way we play the game and I think a lot of lessons were learned,” Meyer said. “We went without one of our key linemen in the championship game the following week and we played a game without two or three good players.”
Meyer warned his players not to get into any scuffles on the field this year. There’s too much to play for Saturday and down the road.
“(Meyer) said he wants the game to be very intense, but if anybody throws a punch they’re dismissed,” Ohio State linebacker Curtis Grant said. “He pretty much put it out there. There’s no telling what will happen if we get in a fight this year.”
In spite of the Wolverines’ subpar record, Meyer anticipates a hard-fought battle simply because it’s Michigan.
Asked what he expects Saturday in the Horseshoe, Meyer said, “Their best game. There are great players there.”
SERIES HISTORY: Michigan leads 58-46-6, but Ohio State has dominated the rivalry in recent years, winning 11 of the last 13 meetings and the last six games between the teams in Ohio Stadium. Urban Meyer is 2-0 against the Wolverines as Ohio State’s coach. The Buckeyes’ last Big Ten loss came against Michigan in 2011.
NOTES: Junior Noah Spence hasn’t played all season because of a suspension, but Bucknuts.com reported that the All-Big Ten defensive end would have his appeal heard by the Big Ten this week.
Coach Urban Meyer told reporters that he didn’t have any information on Spence’s status.
“I think there is an appeal. I’m not involved in the appeal. I think there is,” Meyer said. “I can’t confirm or deny it because I don’t really know the specifics of it. I think there is.”
Spence last played in the 2013 Big Ten championship game. He was suspended before the Orange Bowl after testing positive for ecstasy.
— Running back Ezekiel Elliott had his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season against Indiana with 107 yards on 13 carries, highlighted by a 65-yard touchdown run. Elliottt has 1,061 yards — the 30th 1,000-yard rushing season in Ohio State history. Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller both ran for more than 1,000 in 2013.
— H-back Dontre Wilson’s foot injury forced the Buckeyes to rely more on freshman Jalin Marshall and he has responded in a big way. Marshall’s four touchdowns rallied Ohio State past Indiana last week.
