Jim Tressel

Here is video of OSU coach Jim Tressel's press conference from Thursday:

A focused Jim Tressel wasn’t in the mood to give lengthy answers to questions at his Thursday press conference as visiting Ohio State prepares for its 106^th meeting against rival Michigan on Saturday (noon, ABC).

The OSU head coach is usually fairly laid-back during his informal meeting with reporters each Thursday. However, with the outright Big Ten championship on the line and with the Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) trying to extend their winning streak over the Wolverines (5-6, 1-6) to six games, Tressel appeared extremely focused this week on the task at hand.

The first question posed to him was about the health of his team. And Buckeye fans will be pleased with his answer.

“Everyone will be ready,” Tressel said. “That’s an easy one. The trainers spent less time in our staff meeting than they’ve ever spent this week.”

At left tackle, fifth-year senior Jim Cordle will start against UM, but sophomore Mike Adams will “probably” play in a reserve role according to Tressel.

Also, sophomore J.B. Shugarts will start at right tackle.

“Yes, but Marcus (Hall) will probably play some,” Tressel said.

Ohio State sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been nursing an ankle injury which has limited his running opportunities the last two weeks. However, Tressel says that Pryor is healthy.

“Yes, very,” he said.

But is the QB 100 percent?

“Yeah,” Tressel said.

In other words, this appears to be the healthiest the Buckeyes have been all year.

“Yeah, we’re as healthy from a readiness (standpoint) for guys to play in the game,” Tressel said. “I don’t know if after 12 straight weekends if you did a poll on our team – or Michigan’s – that any of them would tell you they’re as healthy as they’ve ever been. But everyone on both teams will be ready to go.”

Michigan says that senior tailback Brandon Minor is doubtful for the game with a shoulder injury. However, Tressel and his staff are preparing for everything. They know Iowa’s Adam Robinson wasn’t supposed to play last week either.

“That’s the first I’ve heard that,” Tressel said about Minor being listed as doubtful. “Our assumption is that everyone will play. It’s too much fun and that adrenaline is a powerful healer.”

Wolverines have edge in all-time series

Michigan leads the all-time series over Ohio State 57-42-6. However, that’s a misleading statistic because Michigan was 13-0-2 in the first 15 games (1897-1918) while OSU was still in the process of building up its program. It wasn’t long before that when OSU was trying to decide if it wanted to be called Ohio A&M or Ohio State.

Since that time period, the series has basically been even.

Tressel was asked if the rivalry has lost some luster with OSU dominating this decade (Tressel is 7-1 against the Wolverines) and UM dominating the previous decade (former OSU head coach John Cooper was 2-10-1 against Michigan).

“I think when it’s this game and it’s passed the test of time, I don’t think anyone can question (the magnitude of the game),” he said. “I saw a statistic somewhere that from the mid 1920’s until now, the record is even. So, that’s a pretty long time and that’s some pretty significant data. (Ohio State didn’t win in the first 15 games) and it wasn’t probably a rivalry yet. It hadn’t passed the test of time.”

A reporter pointed out that the dislike between the people of Ohio and Michigan even dates back to the War of Toledo (1835-36). But Tressel wasn’t in the mood for a history lesson.

“My perspective of it is totally a football one and it’s been a great rivalry,” he said. “I don’t know that there’s been a dislike. Neither one of us would have this opportunity if it weren’t for the other. So, I wouldn’t call it a dislike.

“Now, the (Toledo) war, I was a phys ed major, so I don’t know much about that war.”

As for the 2009 Wolverines, they are on the verge of missing a bowl game for the second straight year. However, Tressel thinks they are a better team than their record indicates.

“They’ve had some incredibly tight ballgames,” Tressel said. “There have only been a game or two – that I can think of – when you’re in that last five minutes of the game, it was totally decided. You think about their game last week (at Wisconsin), it was 28-24 late in the third quarter (in a game UM lost 42-24).

“So, they’ve just had some tight ballgames and have not won as many as they’ve lost. But if you watch the end of that Notre Dame game for instance, they’ve had some battles and I think you get better with battles. No matter how they come out, you get better with battles.”