COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Game is set between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan this Saturday with everything on the line for both teams. With the magnitude of the game, there are a lot of emotions surrounding the build-up.
What You Need To Know
- The Buckeyes take on the Wolverines in The Game this Saturday at noon
- This is the fifth time in history the two teams have met with both being undefeated
- Players were asked about how they would keep their emotions at bay during the week, they said it's a build-up to Saturday
- The Buckeyes haven't beaten Michigan since 2019
The Game, one of the greatest rivalries in sports- whatever you may call it- this year’s matchup features some of the biggest storylines in recent history. But how do these players make sure to stay locked in? Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka and Linebacker Cody Simon say it’s about the slow build-up to game day.
“You got to try not to spiral out of control too soon, it’s a slow build until the ball hits the foot and you can kind of let everything go at that point," Egbuka said. "We’re going to work on staying locked in and staying focused this week to make sure we put our best foot forward on Saturday.”
“Kind of slowly build to this moment," Simon said. "But it’s the reason you come here. There’s nothing else really to it other than to win this game.”
Quarterback Kyle McCord has been known to say he doesn’t get nervous for games- even in games as big as this one. He says it’s all in the prep.
“The only time you’re nervous is when you’re not sure if you put in the preparation in or not," McCord said. "So during the week Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I think that’s when you really win the game during the week.”
Head Coach Ryan Day said regardless of the emotion in play before a big game like this with so much on the line, it’s important to play with the right intensity.
“You have to play with emotion, you can’t let emotion play with you," Day said. "I think that’s important. You have to have your emotions in check, which isn’t easy in a game like this. Because we all know the magnitude of it all.”
The Buckeyes haven’t beaten the team up north since 2019, meaning many players haven’t earned a pair of gold pants. For the junior class- including Marvin Harrison Jr., TreVeyon Henderson, JT Tuimoloau and Emeka Egbuka, it’s about cementing a legacy.
“We all go in there and debate in the locker room who has the best class and who has the best team and probably number one question you have to ask is did you beat the team up north?" Harrison Jr. said. "That’s a deciding factor of where your class ranks as far as legacy-wise. I think it definitely matters.”
For cornerback Denzel Burke, his emotions are palpable for the biggest game of the season.
“I’m very emotional," Burke said. "I’m trying not to get out of character, but this game means a lot for us. We’re going to get it done for the state of Ohio.”