Greatest game ever until the rematch

Let’s play two.

When it comes to this weekend’s epic clash between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan in Columbus, Ohio, any result other than a rout spells rematch.

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr came closest to summing up the magnitude of tomorrow’s ’Shoedown during his weekly press conference earlier this week:

“We’ve played this game now, Michigan vs. Ohio State, for 102 years, and this is the first time in over a century of playing that both teams are ranked 1-2. … It may be a long time before that happens again. It’s a dream to not only coach in this rivalry but to be able to play a game like this is very, very special.”

Frankly, not even Carr’s comments do this edition of the game justice.

This is college football’s Big Game. Please, no meaningless Pac-10 tea party (Stanford-Cal) deserves the superlative yet simple nickname. This isn’t croissants in Cali before a little good-natured contact. This is brauts, beer, blankets and blood on the banks of the Olentangy River.

This is the rivalry in the college game. It’s Woody vs. Bo. Script Ohio vs. “Hail to the Victors.” Auburn-Alabama is too often irrelevant. Miami-Florida State is still a historical pup. Scarlet and Gray vs. Maize and Blue is an ancient battle that routinely adds a stroke or two to the title picture.

In fact, in its “End of the Century” package a few years ago, ESPN ranked Ohio State-Michigan as the ultimate rivalry in sports history, just ahead of Ali-Frazier, North Carolina-Duke and Chamberlain-Russell. So tomorrow when Ohio State (11-0) and Michigan (11-0) meet for the first time in history as unbeaten squads ranked Nos. 1 and 2, the sports world could be looking at the greatest game in history.

… Unless, of course, the teams have to do it all over again seven weeks from now.

That’s right, it isn’t just possible that the Buckeyes and Wolverines could meet again in the BCS national title game Jan. 8. Mathematically, it’s likely.

And why not? If tomorrow’s game is close, and they always are in this rivalry, how far could any coach, computer formula or Harris pollster drop the loser? Beneath a Southern Cal team that lost to unranked, unheralded Oregon State? Surely not.

Beneath a Florida team that lost to two-loss Auburn and scraped by Vanderbilt and South Carolina? Nah.

Beneath Notre Dame, a team that was embarrassed on its own field (47-21) by Michigan in the only game the Irish have played thus far against an elite team? No chance.

Beneath Rutgers or Arkansas? Probably not.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines have proved beyond any doubt they are the two best teams in the game this season, so it seems ludicrous to give any other pretender a shot at the spoils.

“I think the winner of this game will be the national champion no matter what happens with the BCS bowls,” said Bob Davie, the former Notre Dame coach who will be in the broadcast booth for ABC in Columbus. “The only way the winner of this game might not be the national champion is if we get a rematch.”

There is, of course, some recent precedent for such a rematch. In 1996, Florida State sacked Heisman winner Danny Wuerffel six times en route to edging Florida 24-20 in Tallahassee only to have to face the Gators again in the Sugar Bowl when one-loss Nebraska stumbled against Texas in the Big 12 championship.

After the victory in Tallahassee, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden famously commented: “I hope there’s no way Florida can go to the Sugar Bowl. If they go, I ain’t going. A bowl is supposed to be some kind of a reward. To go to a bowl and draw Florida of all people, I don’t need that.”

Bowden knew what coaches have long known — that it’s extremely difficult to beat the same team twice in the same season. And in the Sugar Bowl, Wuerffel and coach Steve Spurrier’s high-octane offense dismantled the Seminoles 52-20.

“Of course, it’s not fair,” famed Michigan coach Bo Schembechler said earlier this week on the possibility of a rematch. “Once you beat a team, it’s over. I would not be in favor of [a rematch] under any circumstances.”

It’s a safe bet that Bo will change his tune if Ohio State nips Michigan tomorrow, say 27-24, on a last-minute field goal. And Carr was smart enough to remain neutral on the subject.

“I’ve got enough to worry about with this game,” Carr said. “Whatever comes after is part of the system and will be what it will be.”

What it should be, of course, is a done deal — a champion crowned early tomorrow evening at the Horseshoe and no further BCS mess. But since Fox demands a Jan. 8 show, the nation should favor a redux in the desert over an unworthy opponent.