Ohio State-Michigan 2013: Know Your Enemy

Woody Hayes. Bo Schembechler. Jim Tressel. Lloyd Carr. Urban Meyer. Brady Hoke.

Archie Griffin. Desmond Howard.  Eddie George. Braylon Edwards. Troy Smith. Charles Woodson.

18* National Championships. 10 Heisman Trophies.

*I guess we'll include Michigan's "claimed" titles.

These coaches, players, and accomplishments have made Ohio State-Michigan the best rivalry in sports, and this season could be more historic than all 109 that have preceded it.

As we wrap up our Know Your Enemy series, we take a look at the team most likely to derail Ohio State's dream, the Michigan Wolverines.

Ohio State-Michigan: Date, Kickoff Time, and TV schedule

Traditionally, the two programs have met at 12 p.m., with the game being broadcasted by ABC. The only meeting of recent memory to not be played at noon was in 2006 meeting, when the top ranked Buckeyes beat the second ranked Wolverines, 42-39 (though the teams occasionally met at 1 p.m., too). It is likely that, like last season, ABC's broadcast team for The Game will consist of Matt Millen and Sean McDonough, with Holly Rowe patrolling the sidelines at or around noon the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Ann Arbor is a what?!

What current Michigan player will win the Denard Robinson Memorial Award, aka the September Heisman Trophy?

For the fifth consecutive year, Michigan will have a Heisman Trophy winner...that is, if the season ended after the first month of play. With Robinson off to play a made up position in the NFL, it's up to Devin Gardner to have a strong September before regressing to the mean with authority. Starting the season off with cakewalks against Central Michigan, Akron, and UConn makes it even more likely that the redshirt junior signal-caller will put up video game-like numbers. Sportsbooks have Gardner's chances at the actual trophy at 25/1, but odds on the fictional piece of hardware is even.

Did you know Michigan's colors aren't technically Maize and Blue any longer?

When Michigan signed an 8 year, $80 million contract with Adidas in 2007, the apparel company was unable to use the color "Maize" because it was trademarked by Nike.  Adidas was forced to create a new school color, which they named "Sun".   However, if you watched the basketball installment of The Game last season or UM's Outback Bowl battle with South Carolina, a more appropriate name for the disgusting color would have been "Highlighter".

So anyways, just how good will Michigan be in 2013?

The Wolverines are coming off of a 8-5 season that ended with the aforementioned hard fought loss to the Gamecocks in the Outback Bowl. The game is widely remembered for this hit by Jadaveon Clowney, which will be played in Sportscenter's Top Plays for years to come:

Team 134, a self evident nod to the 134 year old Michigan football program, is many's favorites to win the Legends Division, but will be heavily challenged by Nebraska and Michigan State. In fact, the Spartans have won the Paul Bunyan Trophy four of the last five years. The Wolverines travel to East Lansing, but play host to the defending division-winning Cornhuskers.

With Gardner under center, Michigan has improved at the position most critical to its success. When called upon when Denard Robinson went down with an injury more than midway through last season, Gardner completed 60% of his passes and threw 11 touchdown passes. In 4 games as a starter, Gardner was 3-1.

On defense, the Wolverines will be without All-American linebacker Jake Ryan for the early portion of the season. Fortunately for the UM D, he should be back in time for the start Big Ten play. Ryan, whose motor reminds me as much of former Buckeye A.J. Hawk as his hair does, is the unquestioned leader of the defense and, if he was healthy for the whole year, could more readily challenge Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Though Michigan is expected by most to finish second or third in the Legends division hunt, if some chips fall their way, it isn't out of the question for them to head into the 110th edition of The Game with some real momentum, and in a best case scenario, possibly with a divisional championship already sewn up. Of course if the Buckeyes reciprocate and handle their respective business, that could set us up for two OSU-Michigan meetings in the same season for the first time ever.

So uh, how many wins until the Buckeyes even up and eventually pass Michigan in the all-time series between the two schools?

The Wolverines currently own an all-time win/loss/tie record of 58-44-6 against the Buckeyes.  With the possibility of two games against each other this season, Ohio State would not be able to tie Michigan until the 2025 campaign at earliest. The Buckeyes have never led the all-time series. In fact, it wasn't until the 16th installment of The Game that the Scarlet and Gray even won a game against their most hated rivals. Since 1930, the series is dead even, with each team possessing a 39-39-4 record.

*Ohio State vacated its wins from  the 2010 season due to NCAA infractions, therefore, the 37-7 victory does not count towards the all-time record.

For those attending the game, where would Brady Hoke suggest you eat?

Who cares? Bring your own food and drinks. Woody is rolling over in his grave at even the thought of you spending your hard earned money in That State Up North.

So what happens if the Buckeyes and Wolverines meet a second time a week later in the Big Ten Championship?

While Ohio State and Michigan have never met in the Big Ten's short lived championship game, there's a reasonable chance they do so for the first time ever this season. With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers to the conference in 2014, the Buckeyes and Wolverines will be realigned to play in the same division, making this year the last chance of a non-playoff rematch game between the two arch rivals.

If they face off only a week after their regularly scheduled meeting in Ann Arbor, it would mark the 23rd time that the Big Ten title would be decided on the field between the two schools. It's hard to imagine 'The Game' being any bigger that it already is. However, just think how crazy a half scarlet and gray, half sun and blue Lucas Oil Stadium would be with a Big Ten title (and possible a national championship game) berth on the line for one or both sides.

The Big Ten Championship Game is December 7th at 8 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.

So if they play twice, is Ohio State going to win both of them or...?

In a GIF,