Sunday, November 12, 2006

The Game of the Century - Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Everybody is talking about it. The next "Game of the Century". Querying Google News for "Game of the Century" currently brings up 165 results, although some appear to be discussing chess and less well-known non-American football. A couple weeks ago, I referenced Wikipedia to see what they had to say about the Game of the Century. There were eight different games listed as the "Game of the Century", but no mention of the storied Michigan/Ohio State University rivalry. I decided to follow in the footsteps of my personal hero, Stephen Colbert, and edit Wikipedia with my own version of the truth, adding a ninth entry to the GOTC article:

2006 #2 Michigan vs. #1 Ohio State

This yet-to-be-played matchup will take place on November 18th, 2006, and has frequently been billed as the "Game of the Century". Ohio State has been ranked #1 in all major polls for the entire season. Michigan started the season ranked #14 in the AP Poll, but jumped up to #6 after week three with a dominating 46-21 road win against then #2 Notre Dame. Michigan took over the #2 ranking in all three major polls (AP, BCS, Coach's poll) in week ten, after USC stumbled against unranked Oregon State. Ohio State's biggest win of the season was a dominating 24-7 win on the road against then #2 Texas. This past week, both teams, perhaps caught looking forward to their head-to-head matchup, struggled against unranked opponents, as Michigan pulled out a 34-26 win over Ball State, and Ohio State held on for a 17-10 win over Illinois.

November 18th will mark the first time Michigan and Ohio State have entered the season-ending matchup in the storied Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, which ESPN ranked as the greatest sports rivalry in a 2000 poll [1], where both teams are undefeated, and ranked #1 and #2 in the nation. [2]. The last time the two teams were undefeated when they met was in 1973, where the game finished in a 10-10 tie.

Footnotes

  1. ^ http://espn.go.com/endofcentury/s/other/bestrivalries.html
  2. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/stewart_mandel/10/04/mandel.mailbag/index.html

My revision to the Wikipedia entry on the Game of the Century lasted about a week, and then somebody took it down, suggesting that despite the fact that the game has been frequently billed as the Game of of the Century, it is not in fact, the Game of the Century. You can still view my version of the truth in the Wikipedia History.

Technicalities

I continue to follow the media's lead in referring to the upcoming Michigan/OSU matchup as the Game of the Century, despite my wife's insistence that, technically, we cannot declare a Game of the Century when we are only seven years into the current century (or six, if you discuss the matter with one who vehemently declares that there was no year zero, and the millennium should have been celebrated on January 1st, 2001.)

Technically, in that case, I should be free to declare November 18th as the Game of the Century, since the Wikipedia's most recent Game of the Century occurred in 1993, well before the dawn of the twenty-first century. Technically, they should decide on one "Game of the Century" for the twentieth century from the nine offered, and allow my entry to stand as is.

Facts

As I mentioned in the wiki entry, ESPN ranked Michigan/Ohio State as the #1 rivalry in all of sports. Michigan and Ohio State have never met as undefeated opponents ranked as #1 and #2 in the nation. This is the first meeting in the storied #1 ranked rivalry in all of sports where teams are ranked as #1 and #2 in the nation. How can anybody not be excited for this matchup? How is this not the Game of the Century? How am I going to get any sleep this week?

Let the hype begin :)

Then there was 1 (Game) - ChicagoSports.com

Border Battle Reaches Uncharted Territories

Wolverines can finally focus on Ohio State (ESPN)

Let the Hype Begin (Sports Illustrated)

It's finally official: OSU-Michigan will be No. 1 vs. No. 2 (Sportsline)

Nothing Stands Between Ohio State and Michigan (ESPN)

Buckeyes/Michigan: Ready to Rumble (Toronto Star)

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