'For 365 days, I have heard them talk.' Ohio State football sets up Michigan game
All Ohio State wide receiver Kamryn Babb could think about heading into the Michigan game Saturday was the number 365.
"Three hundred and sixty five days we have been waiting for this moment, for this opportunity," Babb said at Saturday's Skull Session. "We got one word that we live by on this team, and that's fight. Every single day for 365 days, we're going to fight. We've been working in the dark, we've let them talk. Whoever else on the outside talks. But one thing's for sure, that this team right here, I wouldn't want to go to war with any other guys than right here."
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Brian Hartline's focus was also what happened one season ago, looking back to the Buckeyes' 42-27 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor: Ohio State's first loss against the Wolverines since 2011.
And for the past year, Hartline, Ohio State's wide receiver coach, said all he's heard is "talk" from Michigan.
"Three hundred and sixty five days since that God-forsaken day at the Team Up North," Hartline said. "For 365 days, we've heard them talk. For 365 days, I had to watch them attack our head coach, attack our quarterback and attack Buckeye nation.
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"Instead of getting loud and trying to respond on social media, we got quiet. We circled a date on the calendar Nov. 26, 2022. And we went to work. And we knew what we did in the dark, what we do, what we did in the quiet will someday come to light. Today is that light."
When it was Ohio State coach Ryan Day's turn to speak, he mentioned the timer in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center counting down the days until the Buckeyes play Michigan each season.
And for him, it's been too long since the Wolverines have played in Ohio Stadium, a venue Michigan hasn't won in since 200.
Day: It's been four years since The Game's been in Ohio Stadium," Day said. "Four years since they had to come into our place and play us. Well that ends today. Let's make sure they understand what a hostile environment Ohio Stadium is."
College football rankings 2022
Here's a look at the College Football Playoff's fourth ranking of the 2022 season.
Georgia (11-0)
Ohio State (11-0)
Michigan (11-0)
TCU (11-0)
LSU (9-2)
USC (10-1)
Alabama (9-2)
Clemson (10-1)
Oregon (9-2)
Tennessee (9-2)
Penn State (9-2)
Kansas State (8-3)
Washington (9-2)
Utah (8-3)
Notre Dame 8-3)
Florida State (8-3)
North Carolina (9-2)
UCLA (8-3)
Tulane (9-2)
Ole Miss (8-3)
Oregon State (8-3)
UCF (8-3)
Texas (7-4)
Cincinnati (9-2)
Louisville (7-4)
Ohio State football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10
Sept. 10: Ohio State 45, Arkansas State 12
Sept. 17: Ohio State 77, Toledo 21
Sept. 24: Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21
Oct. 1: Ohio State 49, Rutgers 10
Oct. 8: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20
Oct. 22: Ohio State 54, Iowa 10
Oct. 29: Ohio State 44, Penn State 31
Nov. 5: Ohio State 21, Northwestern 7
Nov. 12: Ohio State 56, Indiana 14
Nov. 19: Ohio State 43, Maryland 30
Michigan football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Michigan 51, Colorado State 7
Sept. 10: Michigan 56, Hawaii 10
Sept. 17: Michigan 59, UConn 0
Sept. 24: Michigan 34, Maryland 27
Oct. 1: Michigan 27, Iowa 14
Oct. 8: Michigan 31, Indiana 10
Oct. 15: Michigan 41, Penn State 17
Oct. 29: Michigan 29, Michigan State 7
Nov. 5: Michigan 52, Rutgers 17
Nov. 12: Michigan 34, Nebraska 3
Nov. 19: Michigan 19, Illinois 17
Nov. 26: Michigan vs. Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio, noon
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football sets up Michigan game at Skull Session
