COLUMBUS, Ohio — It was 10 years ago that Troy Smith started in his first Ohio State-Michigan game, totaling 386 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-21 Buckeyes victory. A decade later, the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner will see his name and number enshrined inside of Ohio Stadium, during a halftime ceremony at this year's edition of The Game.
It's a fitting tribute for Smith, who built so much of his storied Ohio State legacy in three games against "That Team Up North." But as Smith reaps the rewards of his success in one of college football's most historic rivalries, the Buckeyes' current quarterback will be just midway through his first showdown with the Wolverines, a game which will go a long way toward establishing the legacy that he'll one day leave in Columbus.
That's not to say that J.T. Barrett hasn't already made a name for himself in his redshirt freshman season, as he's already managed to rewrite the Ohio State record book just 11 games into his college career. As of last weekend's win over Indiana, Barrett already owns the school's single-season touchdown passes (33) and total offense (3,509) records, and his next touchdown will break Drew Brees' Big Ten mark of touchdowns accounted for in a season (42).
More than that, Barrett has led the Buckeyes to a 10-1 record and has Ohio State on the cusp of a potential spot in the first-ever College Football Playoff. But in Columbus, one game matters a little more than the others, as Smith learned a decade ago.
"Being and growing up in Ohio definitely buys towards having an understanding of which game is the best game of the year," Smith said. "It's a different feel."
While Smith has memories of The Game dating back to his childhood in Cleveland, Barrett didn't spend his formative years in the Buckeye State. Rather, the Wichita Falls, Texas, product grew up watching the Red River Rivalry, rooting on his formerly beloved Longhorns against Oklahoma.
But upon arriving in Columbus, it didn't take long for Barrett to understand what the Ohio State-Michigan game was all about. Redshirting a season ago, Barrett witnessed one of the most memorable confrontations in the history of The Game, a near bench-clearing brawl that left three players ejected.
"It was kind of an on-the-fly type deal," Barrett said of his education in the OSU-Michigan rivalry. "There was a lot to learn. It's a deep hate for those guys, not just the players but more from the fans. It was a lot.
"I knew it was big, but coming from Texas, it was Texas-Oklahoma. I went to that game, and it doesn't have anything on The Team Up North and Ohio State."
Of course Barrett can say the right things now, but watching The Game on the sideline is one deal and actually participating in it is a completely other challenge. How Barrett responds when he takes his inevitable first hit will go a long way toward determining the Buckeyes' success on Saturday, as Ohio State strives for its 10th consecutive win.
Urban Meyer knows this, which is why he's admitted to altering his approach with Barrett for the week. As opposed to players who have already participated in The Game, the third-year Buckeyes head coach has admitted to taking a "cautious" approach with Barrett, in hopes of not putting too much on his plate.
"[Offensive coordinator] Tom Herman and I have talked about that," Meyer said. "How you coach J.T. Barrett is going to be much different than a veteran...the good thing is he's a very focused guy that prepares well."
True to his nature, Barrett has insisted that he'll stay even-keeled on Saturday. Perhaps more importantly, last year's 42-41 Ohio State victory in Ann Arbor taught him that he can't afford to take the Wolverines lightly, even as the Buckeyes enter Saturday's showdown as a three-score favorite, per Odds Shark.
"It's always like that when you play a rivalry game, a high-emotion game like that. That's a part of the rivalry," Barrett said. "You really don't know what you're going to expect, but you try to control your emotions and execute the game plan. At the end of the day, that's the team that wins."
For nine of the last 10 years, that team's been the Buckeyes, Smith's 3-0 record paving the way for Terrelle Pryor's 3-0 mark and Braxton Miller's 2-1 record in the Michigan game. Saturday will mark Barrett's first stab at establishing a legacy of his own in The Game, but per the wisdom of Smith, he appears to already be on the right track.
"The first advice is stick to the game plan," Smith said. "Don't try to be somebody that he's not. Obviously, we've gotten a chance to see the transformation and the growth behind J.T. Barrett this whole season. I'm pretty much blown away."
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Ohio State Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com and recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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