When Thanksgiving break approaches, many families book their flights and hotels for tropical vacations like Punta Cana and Florida; however, some families have different interests. Some families enjoy going to the movies, out to dinner or even going to a sporting event.

During the fall, football is talked about frequently among friends; especially college football. One of the greatest rivalry games to take place every year is the Ohio State Buckeyes against the Michigan Wolverines. This rivalry has been going on since 1918. Every year, the game begins at noon and switches between Columbus,Ohio, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, every year.

Both teams have beautiful stadiums in breathtaking locations. Ohio State’s stadium, also known as the Horseshoe due to the shape of the stadium, has an astonishing environment due to rabid fans and long-standing history. Although Ohio State has been victorious the past four years against Michigan and its head coach Jim Harbaugh, the games are usually close and full of late-game excitement. This year my family and I traveled to visit my brother and HHS graduate Scot Levonaitis. HHS graduate and current Rutgers student Kyle Zackeru traveled with my family.

“The atmosphere was crazy,” Zackeru said. “It made me realize how much football means to the state of Ohio. If I had a chance to go to one game every year, I would definitely go to this exciting game.”

Many coaches come and go for both teams but the rivalry is still heated between the two teams. This past weekend, Ohio State made a statement during the game. The final score was 62-39 with the Buckeyes on top. Although the score might not sound close, it was a tough battle between the rivals.

The fans of the the two college teams can get out of hand at points but overall, the atmosphere is family friendly with exciting moments. The stadium becomes very loud and rowdy when third down approaches or the home team scores. It really shows how much people care about football in Ohio.

While some families enjoy grabbing some precious sun rays before winter begins, the Levonaitis family bonded over football and a collegiate rivalry spanning 100 years.