Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry More Than a Game

Nov. 18, 2006 — -- For most Americans, the date Nov. 18 does not bring to mind a major celebration like July 4 does.

But for the fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the University of Michigan Wolverines, it is the most important day this year. And this season, it's bigger than ever.

The Ohio State vs. University of Michigan rivalry has been called the greatest sports rivalry of all time. Forget Harvard vs. Yale, Army vs. Navy and Yankees vs. Red Sox. ESPN ranks Ohio State vs. Michigan ahead of all of them.

After 103 years, Ohio State vs. Michigan may also be the oldest sports rivalry. The two teams met for the first time in 1897. While both have historically been among the top teams in college football, this year, for the first time ever, the Buckeyes and Wolverines faced off ranked number one and number two in the country. That catapulted the historic match-up into the national spotlight.

For Ohio State and Michigan's devoted fans, the rankings made the game a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Gordon Loll, a Michigan fan and co-owner of The Arena restaurant in Ann Arbor, Mich., described the scene there before today's game as chaotic.

"Everyone was pretty fired up, like Christmas morning," Loll said. "Everybody woke up early in anticipation of the game. It was like we were selling PlayStation 3, or something."

Like many fans, Loll roots partly for Ohio State and partly for Michigan. While Ohio State has been perched above Michigan in the rankings this season, Michigan sits just atop Ohio on the map, so many families have split loyalties. Loll's mother is an Ohio State alum, while his father is a Michigan grad.

But sometimes, being a fan of both teams is not an option. When asked how he chose which team to support, Loll said fear was his motivation.

"I was more afraid of my dad growing up than my mom," he said.

For a famous rivalry, the Ohio State vs. Michigan one is is surprisingly genteel.

While words like "hate" and "despise" are commonly used to describe other rivalries, Ohio State and Michigan fans often speak with great respect about one another.