It’s been building all week. The Big Game.

Ohio State knew coming into this season that November was going to be a key to success. Sure, there were other games this month to point to, but none bigger than this one.

Two of the most tradition-rich programs you will find. There’s been success, rebuilding, more success, recruiting battles.

The opponent has a wily coach with a Southern drawl, media charm and the heart of a killer. Make no mistake he doesn’t just want to survive. He wants to win and win big and win his way. He’s not happy with the way his team is playing. His fan base is growing impatient.

The Buckeyes, meanwhile, have been outside of the top 10 of the national polls of late but they are climbing and expected to venture to one of the most storied and recognizable venues in all of sports and win this game. That’s pressure, especially when you can go back just a few years in time and remember the heartache, remember the huge matchups in this series of the past that certainly did not go Ohio State’s way.

National television cameras will be pointed on both teams. The stakes are high. It’s a pride game more than anything yet much is on the line. The pundits will be watching – and you just know they won’t be kind to the loser.

Maybe there shouldn’t be this much put on a game played before Thanksgiving, maybe neither team will be up to its lofty standard, but the viewing public still thirsts to see it, still wonders if Ohio State really is an elite outfit.

The Buckeyes made the postseason party again last year only to lose in heartbreaking fashion. Could this be a setup for the same script? Could Ohio State be just good enough to return and stub its toe again? We’ll have to wait and see.

First there is the Big Game, and it’s almost here.

You’re probably at the edge of your seat waiting to see how Ohio State will handle this challenge.

The question lingers: Will the Buckeyes be victorious against … North Carolina?