It’s Thanksgiving weekend, which means it’s Rivalry Week all across the country.

No. 3 Texas takes on No. 20 Texas A&M, with the winner advancing to the SEC Championship Game, 9 teams have a chance to reach the Big 12 title game, and Notre Dame looks to solidify itself in the College Football Playoff bracket with a win at USC.

But nothing hits quite like The Game in Big Ten country.

Michigan and Ohio State clash Saturday in Columbus. Revenge is on the mind of the No. 2 Buckeyes with the unranked Wolverines having won the past 3 meetings. And while Michigan doesn’t have a trip to the B1G title game or berth in the College Football Playoff at stake, it would love nothing more than to spoil the Buckeyes’ chance to make the Big Ten Championship Game.

Can it happen? Ohio State is a 19.5-point favorite, via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Like they say, anything can happen in a rivalry game.

You don’t think Ohio State coach Ryan Day knows what’s at stake?

“We’ve got to have that edge,” Day said this week. “And we will because we know what’s at stake. We felt what it’s like to not win this game. It is bad. It’s one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life, quite honestly. Other than losing my father and a few other things, like it’s quite honestly, for my family, the worst thing that’s happened. So we can never have that happen again. Ever. And that’s been the approach all season.”

Obsessed much?

Day knows all too well what this game means for himself and this program. Despite their No. 2 ranking in the latest Playoff rankings, the Buckeyes already have a blemish. OSU fell 32-31 at Oregon in mid-October, dropping Day to 1-7 against top-5 teams. The words “hot seat” were attached to his name coming into the season, because that’s just how high annual expectations are in Columbus — and how poorly losses to Michigan resonate. A loss to a 5-loss Michigan team would be lethal. So it’s paramount the Buckeyes break their No. 2 ranking hex.

The 3 losses to Michigan the past 3 seasons all came when the Buckeyes were ranked 2nd.

2021 (Ann Arbor): No. 5 Michigan 42, No. 2 Ohio State 27
2022 (Columbus): No. 3 Michigan 45, No. 2 Ohio State 23
2023 (Ann Arbor): No. 3 Michigan 30, No. 2 Ohio State 24

Worse yet for Buckeyes fans, last year’s win by the Wolverines eventually led to Jim Harbaugh’s squad claiming a national championship — its first since 1997. Each of the past 3 victories helped Michigan land in the B1G Championship Game in Indianapolis and earn subsequent Playoff berths.

But as we’ve seen, this Sherrone Moore-led Michigan squad is much different than last year’s version.

The Wolverines have struggled to consistently move the ball through the air all season until finally showing signs of life in a last week’s home win last over Northwestern to make the defending national champions eligible for a bowl. Quarterback Davis Warren set career-highs with 26 completions and 35 passing attempts for 195 yards (his 2nd-highest total) with a touchdown and an interception. It was a bright spot in a season that has been very trying.

“We all know what that game means. It’s a reset,” Moore said. “It doesn’t matter what your record is. It doesn’t really matter what you’ve done before. That game’s different.”

But did you see what Ohio State’s defense did to Indiana last week?

The Hoosiers had a paltry 15 points and just 151 total yards, and star quarterback Kurtis Rourke was sacked 5 times and had 68 passing yards — 68.

While Warren and the Wolverines’ offense might have momentum, IU’s offense had been a juggernaut most of the season and were completely flummoxed by the Buckeyes, who have the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense (10.7 points per game) and total defense (241.7 yards per contest), led by linemen Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau and safety Caleb Downs.

Making matters worse for the Wolverines is the questionable status of 2 of their best players. All-American cornerback Will Johnson may miss the game, while star tight end Colston Loveland left the win over Northwestern with an apparent injury. Johnson has missed the past 4 games due to a toe injury and has a pair of interceptions that went for pick-6s on the year.

If Johnson can’t play, the Wolverines again will have a makeshift secondary. That will be a tall order against Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard, who leads the conference in passer rating (180.5), completion percentage (74.0) and touchdown passes (26). The dual-threat also has 7 rushing scores. He has a bevy of playmakers surrounding him — including running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson as well as receivers Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate — and has completed 80% of his passes on 6 occasions this season. No other Buckeyes quarterback has accomplished that feat.

Ohio State last defeated Michigan in 2019. (They didn’t play in 2020.) This Saturday will be 5 years to the day. While all of the pressure will be on the Buckeyes, they do have the talent advantage. But this rivalry has also seen its share of upsets.

Moore said there’s been a different energy in Schembechler Hall and on the practice field this week.

“I mean, you can feel it. You can feel the energy,” he said. “It’s not something you can really describe. It’s just different. It’s a different energy. It’s a different moment. We all understand what it’s about and what it feels like to be in The Game.”

Ryan Day wants to experience what it’s like to win it again.