Wolverines
DREW SHARP: BCS rematch will spoil rivalry
Squash talk of OSU/U-M sequel
October 28, 2006
We're already on the clock.
ESPN's "College GameDay" pregame show already is counting down the days, hours and minutes to Nov. 18 and the inevitable confrontation between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan.
The winner goes to the Bowl Championship Series title game. And the loser goes to...
Well, that's an interesting scenario.
There's precedent with Oklahoma losing the Big 12 championship game in 2003 and nonetheless finishing in the top two spots in the final BCS poll. But the Sooners were the only unbeaten team among the major conferences prior to their loss, providing them sufficient cushion from a steep drop in the computer rankings.
It's unlikely that the OSU-Michigan survivor would be alone among the unbeaten. They'll need a tumble from either Southern Cal or West Virginia, and quite possibly a second loss from rising Texas.
And, quite frankly, I hope there isn't a rematch because it cheapens the significance of Nov. 18 if there's the chance they could meet again on a neutral field six weeks later.
This will be the biggest OSU-Michigan confrontation since Bo and Woody prowled the sidelines. It will be a weeklong celebration of college football tradition at its best because you have, arguably, the greatest rivalry in sports with an added dimension of drama and passion.
Why spoil that with thoughts of a rematch?
It's a challenge for Michigan coach Lloyd Carr keeping everyone's thoughts on the week ahead instead of on Nov. 18.
"I think we're just excited to play again this week," he said earlier this week, "because those rankings are impacted by what you do with every opportunity you have. I don't mean to downplay it, but I'm not going to stay in here and talk about it because everything is predicated on what you do this week."
But the buildup can't be avoided because neither the Wolverines nor Buckeyes face anyone with any semblance of a pulse prior to that fateful day in Columbus.
Want more evidence of the gross disparity between the relevant and the garbage this year in the Big Ten?
When was the last time you had three conference games in the same week with a point spread of three touchdowns or more?
Let the countdown continue.
Sticky picks: Comparing snapshots from the last two years revealed some foreign substance on the Mystic One's fingertips this year that wasn't there before. Accusations flew that he's getting some illegal performance enhancement in punching out the picks on his keyboard.
Nothing changes, however, when immediately told to wash his hands before finishing his picks (4-1 last week against the spread, 13-2 the last three weeks and 29-11 overall for the season).
Hoping to remedy himself from this sticky position is the all-seeing, all-knowing, famed seer, sage, soothsayer and former Kenny Rogers manicurist ... The Great Boodini.
Northwestern (plus-30) at Michigan: Lloyd Carr insists he's not thinking ahead to the Ohio State game Nov. 18, but his claims fall on deaf ears when it's confirmed that he's demanding the arrest and incarceration of all people wearing sweater vests.
Pick: Michigan.
Michigan State (minus-7) at Indiana: John L. Smith chews out his players on the sideline for their aggression and execution in taking a 35-point second-half lead on the Hoosiers, insisting that's not how he taught them to win.
Pick: Michigan State.
Minnesota (plus-27) at Ohio State: There was a time when Gophers coach Glen Mason wanted the Buckeyes' job. There are many in Minnesota who wouldn't mind Mason taking anything available that takes him out of town.
Pick: Ohio State.
Illinois (plus-21 1/2 ) at Wisconsin: The Illini protest a clump of dirt on the palm of one of the Badgers' mountainous offensive linemen. The complaint is dismissed when game officials confirm that the foreign substance was merely remnants from his morning breakfast.
Pick: Wisconsin.
Penn State (minus-3) at Purdue: Looking for something to do during their bye week, the Nittany Lions' defensive unit offers its assistance to the defensively challenged Boilermakers. Purdue rejects the overture, citing that the Boilers are already more than comfortable surrendering yardage in chunks.
Pick: Penn State.
Contact DREW SHARP at 313-223-4055 or [email protected].
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