In what's touted to be one of the most intense clashes in their storied rivalry, the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines are gearing up to host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in what promises to be a heated showdown. With the game set for Saturday at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor at noon, anticipation and expectations are running sky-high. The spread favors Michigan by 3.5 points, indicating a closely contested battle between the two undefeated powerhouses in the Big Ten. Surprisingly, the odds place the teams on almost equal footing, showcasing the unprecedented balance between these longstanding rivals. Cowboy Channel+

The Ohio State Buckeyes had a solid trio of tailbacks against the Indiana Hoosiers, but the best one was No. 3 running back Chip Trayanum.

more with three total TDs, while Smith caught two balls for 106 yards — both long touchdowns.

Hoosiers resulted in the Buckeyes needing to hold on for a 52-49 victory in Bloomington. Miller threw for over 200 yards and ran for nearly 150 more

but it isn’t weird watching him score a long touchdown. While this one was of the catch-and-run variety, Smith made a name for himself at Ohio State as a tremendous deep threat, and caught more than his fair share of TDs during his four years in Columbus

Here is another thing that added salt to that wound — not only did Michigan wind up trouncing Ohio State 31-3, but Ohio State announced the morning of the game that John Cooper had signed

The native of Westlake, Ohio had major contributions in two painful Ohio State losses, in 1985 at Ann Arbor (27-17) and 1988 in Columbus (34-31). The first loss was when Kolesar was a true freshman, and caught a 77 yard touchdown pass from Wolverines QB Jim Harbaugh (yes, I remember watching him play in college).

All three of the players could have played for Ohio State, but chose not to, and instead went to the Buckeyes’ biggest rival. Think about having a romantic crush, and not only is your love unrequited, but you find out that

ABC wanted Notre Dame-Michigan instead. Ohio State fans should be insulted.ESPN/ABC Chose Notre Dame Over Ohio State This Week/Season