Every live sporting event has things that figure into the outcome of the game that simply don’t have much to do with the players or coaches. This game is no different.

Home field advantage is an obvious aspect to the game and there is something to it. I like to break home field into discrete segments, venue, crowd, “my own bed,” and playing surface.

With respect to the venue, it doesn’t get any better than playing in Ohio Stadium aka The Horseshoe. Seating 100,000 plus Scarlet and Gray clad fans, it is one of the toughest places in the nation to win on the road. Texas did it last year, Wisconsin did it in 2003, but there aren’t many other examples this millennium. Why is it tough to play? The crowd is engaged and LOUD. Like being right next to a jet engine without hearing protection. Say goodbye to audibles on the line of scrimmage and say hello to false start penalties.

Don’t underestimate the difference and quality of rest when you are able to be in your home and familiar environment. Admittedly, in big college football both teams tend to stay in hotels on the night before a game, but it’s the same hotel yada yada yada, you get it.

The playing surface of the ‘Shoe has been an issue this year, it’s been more like dirt painted green than grass. After the second turf transplant 3 weeks ago, we’re all hoping for a better (more grass, less dirt) surface. If the surface is good, then there is no advantage. If the surface is bad, then the Bucks get a slight edge as they’ve played 2/3 of their games on a sloppy field this season.

One wildcard that will affect both team is the weather. The NOAA forecast for The Game is Partly cloudy, with a high near 49F. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. So I don’t think weather will come into play for this game. But it is Ohio in November, you just don’t know what the weather will be until you experience it.

The media hoopla and hype around this game are bigger than I ever dreamed or expected. I’m obviously excited about the game, but I’ve got to say, if I hear one more story about the Dead Schembechlers punk band, one more “Michigan’s defense is awesome story”, one more “Troy Smith Heisman” story, I’m going to puke. It doesn’t matter how the game goes, people are going to feel let down in the end. This is one place I think there is home field disadvantage. This crap has been going on 24×7 in Columbus, in Ann Arbor, not so much. It can’t help but to have a negative impact on focus when 1,100 credentialed media descend upon a relatively small group of players and coaches. I’m sincerely hoping the players and coaches minds are on the field and that they don’t read their own press until after the game.



The final area that bears mention in this piece is officiating. The quality and consistency this year has been, shall we say, bad. Instant replay has seemed to only make things worse. I can’t understand how the TV crew manages to show angles to those of us at home that we can clearly see and judge and that the referees can’t or won’t. Since this phase of the game has been bad and normally the home team gets the benefit of the doubt (i.e., there are 6 or so refs and 100,000 angry fans who might tear you to shreds) I think this is part of home field advantage. This is mitigated somewhat by the coaches. Tressel doesn’t often get in the refs face, he’ll ask for clarification, but he’s not a screamer or whiner. Look in the dictionary for the definition of whiner and you’ll see a picture of Lloyd Carr in a ref’s face. I believe Carr’s approach is more effective in the game time situation and that progressively you see “make up” calls as a result of his lobbying. Now personally, I prefer Tressel’s approach, but one can’t deny the effectiveness of what Carr does. Is it enough to negate the advantage, maybe.

In the end, I do think home field advantage is going to be worth at least 3 points on the scoreboard at the end of this whole game. But unlike “regular” home games, home field has some negatives to it too (did I mention every friend and family member asking each player and coach for tickets?)

1 day to OSU/Michigan
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 11-0 Next up: Michigan 11/18
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