The Ohio State football team does not need to beat Michigan to go to the Rose Bowl – that will be sewn up Saturday if the Buckeyes drop Iowa in the Horseshoe – and Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez has not fully resurrected the UM program.

Still, The Game is usually compelling theater and that’s why ABC has gobbled up the matchup with designs on airing it to a national audience.

Ohio State officials announced today that the Nov. 21 broadcast will begin at noon Eastern and will farm out to all outlets. Of course, the OSU-Michigan affair will close out the regular season for both teams.

The Buckeyes (8-2, 5-1) moved up to No. 10 in this week’s Associated Press poll after putting a 24-7 shiner on Penn State in State College Saturday. Michigan (5-5, 1-5), meanwhile, is going in the other direction. The Wolverines lost at home Saturday to Purdue, 38-36, and have won just one game since Sept. 26 – an Oct. 17 blowout of Delaware State. Michigan travels to Wisconsin this weekend.

Ohio State’s home meeting with Iowa on Saturday will be televised by ABC on a regional basis and there will be mirror coverage on ESPN. The broadcast begins at 3:30 Eastern.