By: Rece Davis (ESPN.com) -
What if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it? Does it make a noise? In a related story, what if Ohio State and Michigan played Saturday and no one realized it?

OK, so maybe people realize they’re playing — at least people in Michigan and Ohio do — but I can’t remember a season in which this game has generated less buzz. Everybody believes their rivalry is the best. But in recent years, Ohio State and Michigan carried the trump card of national significance that transcended bragging rights. National championship game berths, BCS berths and lofty rankings were the spoils to the victors, valiant or otherwise.

This year, Ohio State is still playing for gold pants (charms given to Buckeyes players and coaches for wins over the Wolverines). Michigan is playing to perhaps keep Rich Rodriguez from needing asbestos pants. The Buckeyes have tickets to Pasadena. The Wolverines have workout logs. Finally.

With Michigan’s defense often treating opponents as if they carried H1N1 instead of the ball, you couldn’t blame the Buckeyes if they were feeling a little cocky.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said this week, “if there’s any inkling of overconfidence, it will get knocked out of their throwback uniforms on the first play.” That’s not coachspeak. That’s respect for a rivalry and the opponent.

While the stakes aren’t what they have been, this is still a must-see game every year for me. The Justin Boren subplot will be intriguing, too. The highly regarded offensive lineman made the unthinkable Michigan-to-Ohio State transfer and took some less-than-kind parting shots at Rodriguez’s program on his way out. He reportedly dressed as Rich Rod for Halloween, too. Take your eyes off the ball long enough to watch No. 65 for the Buckeyes and see how hard the guys in maize and blue go after him. Michigan certainly has larger worries than a disgruntled former player, but I’m sure the thought of Boren coming to his former (big) house and sticking it to his old mates is galling.

No matter what the records, Ohio State and Michigan always has some juice. It’s never just another game on the schedule. This is the 40th anniversary of perhaps the most memorable upset in series history, when Bo Schembechler made….

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