Records aside, there's plenty riding on Michigan-Ohio State football game

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel on Saturday's game: "It’s a big game for everyone involved.” (Photo: Associated Press)

The Ohio State football team has a Big Ten championship and BCS bid locked up. Michigan is reeling from six straight conference losses and steaming toward a second consecutive losing season.

But Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel shuddered at a reporter’s suggestion Tuesday that circumstances have taken some of the shine off Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State game (noon, ABC-TV).

“This rivalry has been going on long before the last 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 years,” Tressel said. “It’s been going on for I think 105 games or so, so no, I don’t think it’s lost any of its luster. I’ll bet you there’s about 110,000 people there excited about it on Saturday.”

Ohio State (9-2 overall, 6-1 Big Ten) has dominated the series lately, winning 5 straight and 7 of 8 against the Wolverines. Last year’s 42-7 OSU victory was the most lopsided the rivalry’s seen in 40 years.

“I would probably differ with your thought that this not a big game,” Tressel said. “Kids come to places like Ohio State and Michigan and Penn State to play in games like this, to play in venues like this, to be on stages such as this. It’s a big game for everyone involved.”

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said he hasn’t considered what the repercussions of another loss to Ohio State would be for him and his program.

“Obviously, you don’t want to lose, and I don’t think you can be a revisionist and look at the history,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been several years since we beat the Buckeyes, so that’s always a sore point for us and for our fans and everybody who follows our program. But you just got to look at what’s immediate and what’s going on right now. I’m very excited about the future, and one loss is going to upset us, but it’s not going to deter the process we’re going to continue to make.”

Rodriguez said a win Saturday would change the tone of the season for his 5-6 team.

"From a selfish standpoint, it’ll allow us as coaches and players to feel good for the first time in a long time and let our seniors feel good," Rodriguez said. "More than anything it would just let our guys have some enjoyment for a change."

Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.