By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - There'd have been buildup for Ohio State-Michigan, anyway - even more so because this is the 100th edition of "The Game."

Yet it can now hardly have enough hype.

Fourth-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten), defending national champion, is in sight of a second straight Bowl Championship Series title-game berth. Michigan (9-2, 6-1), ranked No. 5, is trying to avoid its first three-game skid in this series since losing four straight from 1960-63.

The winner of Saturday's game in Ann Arbor claims the outright Big Ten title. OSU hasn't won it outright since 1984; it has had five co-championships since. Michigan's last outright crown came in 1997.

The Buckeyes had a hard time hiding enthusiasm for this game Saturday, minutes after an overtime escape from Purdue.

"It's Michigan Week, and it's for all the marbles," tight end Ben Hartsock said.

This will be just the second time since 1977 that both teams rank in the top 5. The other was 1997, when then-No. 1 Michigan beat No. 4 OSU 20-14 in Ann Arbor.

The Buckeyes continue to be defined by their dramatics, including a 12-1 mark the past two years in games decided by seven or fewer points.

"If the Ohio State football team was Titanic," BCS guru Jerry Palm said, "the iceberg would sink."

Palm isn't just saying that because he's a Purdue grad miffed about his team's loss Saturday. He knows that three weeks ago, OSU was figured to have no shot at the Sugar Bowl, but will now likely be just a fraction behind Southern California in the race for No. 2 when the new BCS standings are announced today.

A few of the computer ratings that figure into the BCS formula weren't yet available Sunday. But Palm (of collegeBCS.com) and ESPN.com both predict that USC's lead on OSU - almost a point and a half last week - should be less than one-quarter of a point today.

OSU's strength of schedule was rated No. 14 to USC's No. 16 last week, but OSU's current No. 13th SOS rating is 24 spots ahead of USC. The Buckeyes gained nearly a full BCS point in that category in one week; Palm projects OSU to finish 19 spots ahead of USC in schedule strength.

"Ohio State could be ahead (of USC) next week if it beats Michigan," Palm said. "But I don't think that means anything in the long term. If they finish fourth in the polls at the end of the year, their (Sugar Bowl) odds aren't that good."

In other words, the help OSU still needs is a loss by Louisiana State, third in both Top 25 polls. LSU is at Mississippi and at home against Arkansas and could also play in the Southeastern Conference championship.

A victory Saturday by OSU means either the Sugar or Rose bowls. A loss, Palm said, would likely drop it from contention for the other BCS bowls, the Orange and Fiesta.

"There are other, more attractive teams like Texas and Tennessee which would be higher-rated," Palm said. "The only chance is if they lose and Michigan somehow goes to the Sugar Bowl, and the Rose takes them to replace Michigan."

Palm predicts a loss would mean either the Capital One Bowl (formerly Citrus) or Outback Bowl.

Michigan holds a 56-37-6 edge in the series.