Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh knows all the details, except for the latitude and longitude of where he was when he understood the l & # 39; importance of the rivalry between the states of Ohio.

"Nine and a half years," said Harbaugh. "The first match I attended was in 1973. I sat in the south zone with my mother, my brother and my sister. It was a 10-10 draw at Michigan Stadium. "

Harbaugh, whose father, Jack, was then assistant coach of Michigan, said that after attending this match, the annual Wolverines-Buckeyes battle had become the highlight of his year.

"It was even better than Christmas," Harbaugh said.

Forty-five years later, he still has the same feeling, maybe even more this season. The ramifications of Saturday 's clash between No. 4 Michigan and the. No. 10 Ohio State (noon, Fox) in Columbus seems more consistent than usual.

"Over the years, this game has become the biggest rivalry of college football," said Jim Betts, 69, who played from 1968 to 1970 in Michigan.

54-year-old Ohio State coach Urban Meyer learned about the rivalry growing early in Ashtabula, Ohio.

"I know both universities have the respect factor," said Meyer. "I did not say" like "But there is respect."

Since Meyer became a coach, Ohio State is 6-0 against Michigan. To continue the series, the country's No. 2 offensive, averaging 541.8 yards per game, must defeat a Michigan team ranked No. 1 in the country in total defense (234.8).

As One-Loss Power Five, the Wolverines and Buckeyes both understand that they must win on Saturday, then beat Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game for the chance to play in the playoffs.

And as if that were not enough, this year's game has secondary intrigues to add more spice.

"I think it will be the last match of Urban Meyer (Ohio coach) in the shoe I think he's going to retire," said fan Jeff Hamms, who will attend his 39th match of the Ohio State-Michigan.

Meyer, 54, was uncomfortable during training and said earlier this season that a congenital arachnoid cyst enlarged on his brain had caused him headaches that had put him kneeling in a match against Indiana.

In sports TV shows in Michigan, one may wonder if Harbaugh can finally beat Ohio State as a coach. He beat Ohio State as a Michigan quarterback. He is 0-3 against the Buckeyes since coming to power on December 16, 2014.

"Regarding the fans, I would say that there is a decent amount, not a majority, that considers this match a referendum on Harbaugh," said Mike Stone, host of the 97.1 The Ticket morning show. "If they lose that match, there will be a segment that says," It's still a failure because it did not defeat the Ohio State. "

But according to Stone, the majority of Michigan fans see the importance of the game as an opportunity to qualify for the first time in the Big Ten Championship. "Then, if they do business there and play in the playoffs, they'll bring the program back to the level of their reputation."

Karan Higdon (1,104 yards), Michigan's most successful forward, caused a sensation this week when guaranteed a win against Ohio State. But Harbaugh said Tuesday during the Big Ten conference call that Higdon was under the guarantee.

"What Karan was saying was that he was confident, believed in his team, his teammates, his coaches," Harbaugh said. "It's real.It's authentic.I thought the reporter was pretty silly with his" You guarantee? Do you guarantee? Do you guarantee?

Coaches do not like display boards, but fans are interested in them during Michigan-Ohio State Week.

Betts lives in Michigan but grew up in Cleveland. He goes to Millicent's niece's house in Galena, Ohio, 22 km from Columbus for Thanksgiving. His brother, Greg, is a supporter of Michigan, but his wife's family, Shelley, applauds the Buckeyes.

"We have suffered a lot of abuse in recent years. So we hope this year will be different to end the family quarrel, "Betts joked.

Brian Fogle, 50, owner of a landscaping business in Columbus, has one of the largest collections of Ohio State memorabilia. It includes a leather jacket signed by over 300 of the Ohio State's top players. He ignores statistics and hype this week.

"It's a war," Fogle said. "It does not matter where the teams are ranked."

What matters is how much fans appreciate this rivalry. "It's getting pretty wild," Fogle said. "I remember that in 2002, we were walking up High Street at nine in the morning and I could only see streams of scarlet and gray. I remember saying, "This is where I want to be."

Hamms said he was nervous about this game and that he was never about the Michigan-Ohio State match. He is worried because Michigan looks impressive since losing to Notre Dame in their opening game. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, often have trouble winning.

Due to the drama surrounding Meyer's future, Hamms said, "This is the biggest game that Urban Meyer has ever coached, at any level, for all schools, including the national championship."

It's fair to say that this game is important to many, including Harbaugh.

"For us, it's as big as it gets," Harbaugh said. "It's the most important thing in our football lives."

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