Michigan-Ohio State: I Am As Excited As I Have Been in a Long Time

Michigan is 5-6. They have lost four straight, and have flat out sucked at times.

Their defense has struggled to stop anyone, and let's face it (most of you already have), it will be very hard to beat the Buckeyes in 2009.

OSU has owned us as of late, and they have a very good team this season. Their defense hasn't given up a run exceeding nine yards in a number of weeks, and they seem to be flat out hitting the ground running for the most part.

However, this team isn't invulnerable nor invincible. Terrelle Pryor has struggled to have a truly breakout game, they are too conservative, and their offensive line isn't the best we have seen this season by any means.

The Buckeyes defense has struggled at times, last week at home for example. A freshman quarterback pushed them to the limits in their own house, a week after he stunk it up against Northwestern.

The same Iowa team that Michigan took to the limits and had on the ropes at Kinnick, took OSU to their limits in the Shoe. You are never quite as good as they say you are and that is the case with Ohio State.

You are never quite as bad either, as with these Michigan Wolverines. Michigan has lost some games recently, albeit close ones. Michigan came back and took Sparty to overtime.

The defense stepped up when they had to and allowed the offense to find it's rhythm. Tate Forcier didn't have his finest moment against the Hawkeyes, but Michigan still only lost by two in a game that was decided with 46 seconds left.

Michigan got a raw deal at Illinois if you ask me, Carlos Brown scored on third and goal from the one yard line. If you don't believe me, go check out the tape.

Then, of course Danny "The Great White" Hope went and pulled out all the stops to beat the Wolverines going for an onside kick in the third quarter. Tough breaks.

As for Wisconsin, yeah they ran the ball well, but keep in mind they outmanoeuvred the Buckeyes to the tune of over 200 yards of offense in the Shoe. On top of all that, Tate Forcier has exceeded a 150 passer rating in three straight games!

These aforementioned items aren't what excites this author the most. What excites me the most is the emotion that this game will demand of the players involved.

I expect a hungry group of players on both sides, particularly for Michigan, There are group of seniors that are playing their last game in the Big House, and will play through broken bones to get out there and win.

At the risk of sounding sentimental, Brandon Graham has the spirit of Bo on him right now. I have seen it in his eyes. He knows that he'll play for a lot of things in the future, but this may be the last time he'll ever play for a team. The team! The team! The team!

Screw the contracts and the endorsements. This Saturday, you can forget about all the fortune and fame. It's all about the team! It's all about Michigan Football.

I expect that Graham and Steve Brown, along with Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown will play their hearts out and their asses off.

Believe it or not, Graham will spend much of the day in the backfield, and he will harass Terrelle Pryor like he has never been harassed. Take a tip from Purdue.

Another story is that of Justin Boren, which may be the single most emotional and inflammatory piece of this puzzle. Boren transferred from Michigan to Ohio State, and this will be his first time playing against his old school.

He is stepping onto the field at Michigan Stadium for the first time in two years. I hope he gets the welcome he deserves! Quite frankly, I know he will.

In conclusion this is going to be one of the most competitive, fiery contests in this rivalry in a long time if you ask me. Expect this game to get nasty, and expect Michigan to pull out all the stops.

You can call me crazy, but I for one have no anxiety about this game. The only thing I have is extreme excitement, and a newfound hatred for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Hail To The Victors and Go Blue!