Jim Tressel can't imagine Ohio State and Michigan not playing each other every year. But he can imagine playing the Wolverines at a different time of the season.
Jim Tressel and Rich Rodriguez will once again renew acquaintences in the season finale for Ohio State and Michigan this year. But when the Big Ten breaks into divisional play, the date of the classic football rivalry could change significantly.CHICAGO -- The Ohio State-Michigan game isn't going away. On that everyone in the Big Ten agrees -- the Buckeyes and Wolverines must play every year.
OSU coach Jim Tressel explained Tuesday, however, exactly how he could understand if the game moved from the end of the regular season when the Big Ten splits into two divisions for 2011. Ohio State has finished the regular season against Michigan every year since 1943.
"In my lifetime, it has been at the end of the year, so that's what I know," Tressel said. "But if you have 106,000 or 109,000 there and the place is berserk, I don't care when it is. It could be in July and you'd enjoy it."
No one knows for sure how the divisions will be broken down, though that could be announced in about a month. There are various theories about whether Ohio State and Michigan should be in the same or opposite divisions. Avoiding an immediate rematch, against any team, in the Big Ten championship game is high on Tressel's list, regardless.
So his suggestion is that teams play divisional games for the last three games of the regular season to ensure that a cross-division matchup wouldn't be immediately repeated. It's a reasonable point, but it would require an Ohio State-Michigan shift if the teams aren't placed in the same division.
"It wasn't always the end of November, if you go back in history," Tressel said. "It wasn't always when it is now and it's not always going to be when it is now. That's the way it is. But they'll figure it out. I think change is exciting."
Tressel understands that part of the allure is the buildup to the game and the idea that each week both teams are trying to improve in order to be at their best for their rival.
"It does maybe give you a chance to get better by the end of the year," Tressel said. "But if you have to be good in October, we're playing somebody in October. So it could be Michigan."
Martin to transfer: Tressel said sophomore Jermil Martin of Glenville is planning to transfer and Tressel said he understands. Martin got caught between playing tailback and fullback, with the depth chart deep at both positions.