In a few other threads, namely the Wisconsin and Illinois game thread, i've read, besides USC, this game will be our toughest or scares people the most(referring to either Wisconsin or Illinois or whatever game). Some say Wisky because of the night road factor and they are preseason #2 in the Big 10. Some say Illinois because it's a road game and they have played us tough there lately and beat us last year. Well, I say SCREW THAT. And i'm not going to even say besides the USC game...because that would be wrong too. THIS GAME WILL BE THE TOUGHEST GAME OF THE YEAR. And anybody that thinks because of RR being new, or the offense being completely rebuilt or other key losses on the defense that this game will be easy doesn't understand this game. And those who think that because it's at The Shoe, that chalks it up as an automatic W, it just isn't that easy.
This is the game that scares me the most. A bunch of young, dumb, michigan kids are going to come into Columbus, never having played or started in The Game before. Now...some may say that playing in the game before and having experience is important. But history of the series shows that sometimes younger players have big games in this rivalry. While others with experience playing in "The Game" don't always have their best performance. Sometimes being young, and dumb, will actually help you.
The moment the Buckeyes start looking at Michigan on the schedule, and just chalking it up as an obvious W, that's the moment we go backwards and start losing this game again.
I know A LOT of people think i'm nuts. But winning this game means more to me each year than ANYTHING else a season could bring. National Championship, Rose Bowl victory, Heisman Trophey winner...anything. None of those things will EVER come close to meaning as much to me as winning The Game. Just like in a season where we lose The Game, nothing else can hurt as much, or happen to even put a dent in that hurt.
Everything in the world of college football pales when compared to The Game.
This is why this game scares me the most out of any this year...and next year...and every year.