3 most important games in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry

"The Game" has lost some of its luster - at least on the national stage in the past few years, as Ohio State has dominated Michigan, winning 13 of the last 15 meetings. This year though, college football's most storied rivalry takes center stage, with both teams in the top three of the College Football Playoff Rankings.

If the Buckeyes win, it will be an appealing choice for the playoff committee, even if Penn State wins the division. Meanwhile, a Wolverines win would clinch the Big Ten's East division and move them on to the conference title game in a rematch with Wisconsin.

With this becoming a playoff play-in game of sorts, the rivalry will draw huge national attention. However, what this game represents to Michigan, in particular, makes it among the three most important games in series history. Here's a closer look at this and the two other most important games in a series chalked full of them.

2016: No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 2 Ohio State

This game is important because it has huge playoff implications and would determine the Big Ten East division winner should Michigan State knock off the Nittany Lions. What's more, this game is mainly important for the Wolverines because they must set the trend back in their favor.

While wins over Colorado and Wisconsin have given Michigan some legitimacy, until it beats Ohio State there will always be some doubt surrounding the Wolverines. To establish the program as one of the nation's elite, Jim Harbaugh's squad must accomplish this final feat, and it won't be easy.

The game is in Columbus against a hungry Buckeye team that might be one win away from earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. Urban Meyer’s teams play best when having something to prove and they want to show they still own the Wolverines. This dichotomy in motivation makes this an intriguing game in this series, where Ohio State wants to stay on pace as one of college football's best teams, while Michigan wants to find a way to get over the hump and back to prominence.

1973: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Michigan

Both teams entered this contest undefeated, meaning there was a Big Ten title berth, a Rose Bowl berth, and a possible national championship on the line. A record crowd at the time of 105,233 people showed up to the wet conditions at Michigan Stadium to witness a defensive battle that finished in a 10-10 tie.

The result confounded matters for the Big Ten conference, who only sent its conference champion to a bowl game each season. To solve this problem, each athletic director in the conference cast a vote, with Ohio State earning the majority. This caused a huge backlash from Michigan faithful, including legendary coach Bo Schembechler, who thought his undefeated team earned the right to play in the Rose Bowl against USC. Instead, the Buckeyes went to Pasadena and beat the Trojans 42-21.

What makes this even more compelling is the fact the game was in the middle of the "Ten Year War," creating more tension between the hostile rivals. The result of the 10-10 tie also had far-reaching consequences for other Big Ten teams, as the conference allowed four of its members to play in bowl games starting in 1975.

2006: No. 2 Michigan vs. No.1 Ohio State

The "Game of the Century" also pitted undefeated Michigan against undefeated Ohio State. The hype for this game was extraordinary, with the winner earning a spot in the BCS title game.

"It was one of those moments when you knew and you could feel that everybody in the entire country was watching you," said Doug Datish, the starting center for Ohio State in 2006, according to Brian Bennett of ABC News. "You could feel the enormity of it."

Troy Smith, a name that still makes those in Ann Arbor grit their teeth, threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns, cementing his claim to the Heisman Trophy. Though Michigan traded punches with the Buckeyes, it was unable to land the final blow, losing 42-39 in a game that lived up to the billing, to a point.

What happened after the contest pales the game slightly. Ohio State advanced to the BCS title game, where Florida embarrassed the Buckeyes 41-7. Michigan advanced to the Rose Bowl and lost to USC 32-18. Therefore, while it is arguably the most important game in the series' history and possibly the Big Ten's, the postseason results puts a damper on the outcome in hindsight.