Nine wins, one loss.

That was Jim Tressel’s record against that school up north. No coach in the storied history of Ohio State football was so successful against Michigan before, and no coach will likely be that successful again.

As enjoyable as it is to reflect on those numbers, for good or bad, Tressel’s days on Ohio State’s sideline are over and a new chapter in the rivalry is about to begin.

The first game of this chapter will feature two new head coaches on the sidelines for the first time since 1929.

The coaches may be new, but Luke Fickell and Brady Hoke each have deep roots with their respective programs and an understanding of The Game that outsiders just can’t comprehend.

Under their leadership, the bad blood between the two teams is currently boiling, and I can’t recall looking forward to The Game with so much anticipation this early in the season in my lifetime.

After several seasons of lackluster excitement that came from expecting to crush Rich Rodriguez’s pathetic squads, what follows is an in-depth look at why we will witness a revival of the intensity that has defined the greatest rivalry in sports for over 100 years.

Redemption

First things first, the anticipation for the 2011 season in general is currently through the roof.

After months of uncertainty and seemingly continuous bad news, the opportunity to once again experience an actual football game will be a relief to players and fans alike.

In Buckeye lore, it is generally accepted that a win over that school up north is the only thing necessary to call a season successful (thankfully, we have never had to determine if that is actually true or not).

In a year where every win represents a form of redemption for players and fans, there can be no greater atonement than another glorious victory over the Wolverines.

Woody Hayes once said that there is nothing that cleanses the soul like getting the hell kicked out of you. At this point, consider Ohio State’s soul scrubbed.

And while I don’t disagree with Woody’s sentiment, I’d like to channel George C. Scott for a moment by adding that kicking the hell out of someone else, especially the Wolverines, will be wonderfully therapeutic at well.

Brady Hoke, Buckeye enemy #1

Everyone in Ohio knows them, the Buckeye born Michigan fans that choose to root for that school up north simply to be different and for the attention. They are like the Goth kids of college football, trying so desperately to be unique, but as every Ohio State fan knows all too well, they are all the same.

Yes, Brady Hoke is one those people. Born and raised in Ohio, he grew up rooting for Michigan despite no connections to the school whatsoever.

If that weren’t bad enough, Hoke has taken to referring to the Buckeyes simply as “Ohio”.

While I must admit that this is slightly obnoxious, the intended barb is entirely misdirected (it no doubt upsets our friends in Athens much more than any Ohio State fan) and ultimately harmless.

Talk is cheap, but the “Ohio” thing reinforces the fact that from birth, Brady Hoke has gone out of his way to antagonize and be obnoxious to Buckeye fans. It takes a special kind of character- or lack thereof, to purposefully act like such a… well, like such a Wolverine for your entire life.

Speaking of a lack of character, Brady Hoke has done a masterful job benefiting from Ohio State’s trouble this offseason, seemingly in a less than honest manner more often than not.

From the beginning of his tenure in Ann Arbor, Hoke hit the recruiting tail in Ohio with a line about players being disrespected if they lacked an Ohio State offer. Unfortunately, this tactic worked on multiple occasions.

Once the NCAA hit the fan, Hoke took his negative recruiting skills to the next level, feeding the premature idea to Ohio players like Kyle Kalis that they shouldn’t be punished for crimes they didn’t commit.

Obviously, this tactic has worked as well… at least for the time being. Not surprisingly, Kalis’ flip to the dark side has caused a stir, even amongst his own family.

At best, Hoke seems to be a clairvoyant seer of the future who is familiar with the punishment that the NCAA will hand down to Ohio State next month. At worst, he is an unscrupulous opportunist lying through his teeth to 18 year olds.

It will be interesting to see what happens on August 12^th when the punishment will finally be known for certain.

If the punishment is as minimal as Buckeye Nation hopes (possible scholarship reduction, no postseason ban), or even if they are merely less than the tales of doom Hoke has apparently been spinning to prospects, it is reassuring to know that this summer will likely be Hoke’s high water mark for poaching players from Ohio.

First because Hoke will rightfully develop a reputation as a liar in Ohio (and elsewhere, for that matter), and second because every day Ohio State moves away from this offseason of uncertainty is a day that the Buckeyes will improve.

Either way, Michigan’s recruiting practices under Hoke are creating some serious bad blood right now that will have ramifications on the field not only this season, but for years to come.

I am sure people will jump to Hoke’s defense and say that he is not recruiting like a scumbag and blatantly lying to recruits, but the bottom line is that true or not, he is playing with a fire that will motivate Ohio State and its fans for years.

I am reminded of a story from my football playing days.

In the week leading up to a game, one of our players had his car window smashed in a parking lot. The story got around that a player from the 0pposing team was responsible.

I will never know if someone from the other team actually smashed the car window or not, but we believed it at the time, and with revenge on our minds, that Friday night we beat a team that was clearly better than us 35-7.

Is Brady Hoke blatantly lying to players about exaggerated future punishments to cash in on Ohio State’s current misfortunes? We may never know for sure, but people think that is what he is doing, and he doesn’t even have the better team.

Luke Fickell

If there is anyone that can take advantage of Brady Hoke’s transgressions (real or perceived) against all things Buckeye, that man is Luke Fickell.

Born and raised in the shadow of the Horseshoe, Coach Fickell’s Buckeye pedigree is strong. He has fought Wolverines on the wrestling mat, on the football field as a player, and on the sidelines as an assistant coach.

Say what you will about his head coaching experience, Fickell’s experience battling Wolverines is extensive.

There are many reasons to want to crush that school up north on November 26^th (I covered some of the larger reasons here), and like any true Buckeye, Coach Fickell understands what will be on the line that day.

With Coach Fickell on one sideline and Coach Hoke on the other, The Game this November will be one to remember. On top of that, it will set the tone for the new chapter in the series.

I can’t wait.