This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Over the past 11 weeks, Ohio State and Michigan dutifully crunched their way through the dinner salad and appetizer portions of the 2006 season. Now they can clear their plates and feast guilt-free on the big juicy steaks.

It's time for the main course.

Saturday marks the 103rd meeting between the teams, but the first time it features No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the rankings. It's a rivalry matchup that offers a spot in the BCS title game as dessert.

No. 1 Ohio State already has disposed of a No. 2, with a 24-7 whupping on Texas back on Sept. 9. Since then, the season has occasionally veered down an unpredictable path, with the rise and fall of Texas, the fall and rise of USC, the mishmash of the SEC and the persistence of the Big East to be taken as a serious football league.

OSU and Michigan have had their scares - Ohio State eeked past Illinois 17-10 and Michigan, which started the season at No. 14 and ascended to the No. 2 spot in mid-October, beat Ball State just 34-26. Still, both teams have remained consistent, avoiding not only the losses, but the near-misses that have plagued others in the title hunt.

Saturday's winner is a virtual lock to play in the BCS championship game Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., but the loser might very well end up there as well. A close game could prevent the loser from slipping too far down the polls and, though unlikely, set up a rematch in January.

The Buckeyes probably would have a better chance than Michigan of taking that path, since the voters would be a little more sympathetic to the team that has held the No. 1 ranking.

In 1993, prior to the BCS system, Florida State was No. 1 when it lost to No. 2 Notre Dame 31-24. The Irish were upset the following week and voters moved the Seminoles back in the championship hunt. FSU won out and went on to beat Nebraska 18-16 in the Orange Bowl to win the national title.

Neither Michigan coach Lloyd Carr nor Ohio State coach Jim Tressel would talk about the possibility, though Carr did admit he is clueless as to how the BCS system works.

"How it all fits together is not perfectly clear, but we do have a system and it will take care of all the questions," he said. "The losses of the four ranked teams last week add to all kinds of speculation and interest, and I think that is good for the game. I'm part of the system, so whatever the system dictates is what it is."

The scenario of a rematch is something to think about, as is this: Saturday is the regular season finale for OSU and Michigan, meaning one (or both?) will have more than six weeks off before playing for the national championship.

Even without the rankings, this game is known as one of college football's best rivalries, and seems always to determine a conference title, and often has national championship implications.

"This is one of the real reasons why guys come to Ohio State or go to Michigan," Tressel said. "It's to be a part of great historical programs and traditions. All of that tradition is even larger than all the other things people are talking about with this game."

Ohio State has dominated in recent years, winning four of the past five meetings. Last year, Troy Smith had one of his signature games against the Wolverines, leading the Buckeyes in a 25-21 comeback with two drives in the final eight minutes.

In that game and other pressure situations, Smith has earned a reputation for being one of the best players in the pivotal moments. The leading Heisman candidate is 24-2 as a starter, 9-1 against ranked teams and 2-0 against the Wolverines.

He is known for his winning ways and his leadership qualities. One more win, and he'll simply be known as a legend.

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* LYA

WODRASKA

can be reached at lwodraska

@sltrib.com.

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