A great big thank you ...

 ... to that school up north, as Woody Hayes used to call it.

Yes, that's right, you goofy folks wearing buckeye necklaces and the like, it's time to stop singing (as you love to do) that you don't give  damn for the whole state of Michigan. Because it appears as if the whole state of Michigan -- or at least the University Of -- has done you a solid.

See what happened yesterday out in Pasadena?

Yes, that's right, boys and girls. Your Ohio State Buckeyes knocked undefeated No. 1 seed Oregon out of the College Football Playoff -- and not just knocked the Ducks out of it, but knocked them out of it. A couple of months after losing by a point to Oregon in Eugene, the Bucks floored the Ducks early and never let 'em off the mat, winning 41-21 in a Rose Bowl that wasn't even that close.

I mean, Ryan Day's troops were up 34-0 before Oregon knew what hit it. It was pretty much finished by halftime, when Ohio State led 34-8. Anyone who says they saw that coming ... ah, let's face it. Nobody saw that coming.

In any case, it's on to the CFP semis against Texas, which needed two overtimes to beat an Arizona State team at least some of us (OK, so, me, ahem) were saying was going to be six flavors of dangerous. But a pick in the second OT saved the Longhorns, and now they get an Ohio State team that hasn't been the same since a then 6-5 Michigan team walked into Columbus and beat the Buckeyes -- again -- on Thanksgiving weekend.

And when I say Ohio State hasn't been the same since?

I mean that in a good way.

That's because the Buckeyes have been an enraged terror since, utilizing the best receiving corps in the nation to warp supposed SEC superior Tennessee 42-17 in the first round, and then make Duck flambe out of previously invincible Oregon. Two games; two wins by an average margin of 22.5 points. The Bucks are now the clear favorite to win the national title -- and it seems obvious they have Michigan to thank for the wakeup call.

Which must be killing everyone in the great state of O-HI-O. 

And it probably doesn't sit well with everyone in the great state of Mich-I-Gan, either.

Imagine, after all, some UM fan wrapped in his/her maize-and-blue fleece watching his/her most bitter rival playing for the national championship. And realizing that their underdog Wolverines whupping the Buckeyes for the fourth straight year was the start of it all.

Great, we woke 'em up, you can imagine them thinking. Now why the hell did we go and do THAT?

And meanwhile, down in Columbus, Ohio State fan wrapped in his/her scarlet-and-gray fleece is having a tough time getting his/her words out.

Thanks for this, Michi- ... Michi- ... Michi- ...

Dammit!