2017 is the 75th anniversary of Ohio State's first national championship season. To honor the achievement, this series will post articles from the Columbus Citizen Journal on the day they ran in 1942.

In Today's paper:

• Don Hawk compares the conditioning of both teams and gives an update on the Buckeyes' health. 
• Getchell shares a gem.
• Williamson and the experts make their picks.
• Sorry Hove, Lew Byrer won't be with us today because he wrote about bowling and the Red Birds.
• Time to make friends and drink wine. 

Conditioning, one of Coach Paul Brown's magic keys to gridiron superiority, will be a two-edged weapon on Saturday when the Bucks meet their old rival, Michigan, before a packed crowd at Ohio Stadium.

Brown's Bucks, who have earned the reputation in the Big Ten of being a "second half" team, able to finish strongly after taking punishment through an entire game, will be up against a squad groomed by a man who also worships at the altar of physical perfection---Fritz Crisler.

The Ohio team as a whole, never sitting or lying down on the field and never taking a drink of water during a pause, is opposed by a squad filled with strong 60-minute men who can last through the hardest of football games.

A sign of strength is that the players didn't drink water during the game...different era, different time.

Used 16 Players

Against Notre Dame last week, Crisler used only 16 players, the 11 starters, four substitutes, and Jim Brieske, who went into the game to kick the extra points. Ends Phil Sharpe and Elmer Madar, tackles Al Wistert and Bill Pritula, center Mervin Pregulman, fullback Bob Weise, and quarterback Capt. George Ciethaml played the whole game without relief.

The Fighting Irish tried in the second half to wear these men down by sending in a flock of substitutes from their vast reserves but whenever a player had to be taken out because of exhaustion he wore a Notre Dame uniform.

Buck halfbacks particularly carry a heavy load Saturday as Coach Brown denied point-blank the rumor that Tommy James would be ready for at least a limited service against the Wolverines.

Really Injured

"James has a shoulder that's really sore," Brown said. "Besides, even if we did decide to use him, he wouldn't be much help. When he runs from left halfback position, he carries the ball in his right arm and that's the sore one. A bump or a grab at the ball might mean a fumble that would be costly."

James watched the practice session last night from the training room where his injured shoulder received all the treatments Trainer Ernie Biggs could remember and then ended up with a cast covering the sore spot.

Meanwhile, on the practice field, his teammates concentrated their workout on the offensive side of the game and brought both the running and passing attacks to nearly game-polish after a short workout on defense against Michigan plays as shown by (a) squad of freshmen.

There goes the hope that James will play in The Game.

Work Overtime

The order of the day called for another long, hard session and the electric lights were brought into action for the second night in a row.

George Slusser ran in the second-string left halfback berth behind Paul Sarringhaus while Loren Staker was behind Leslie Horvath at the opposite halfback position. Both men know how to play both positions, and will be on call for service in either spot this week.

Durtschl In Shape

One other partial solution of the backfield problem that has been largely overlooked by Buck observers is the possibility that Bill Durtschl's knee may have recovered sufficiently that he might see some action in Saturday's contest. It is almost sure that he will be able to see at least some heavy action.

Big Bill Willis, early season starter at left tackle, who has been out of the starting lineup for the last two games returned last night with his injured ankle apparently healed.

The rest of the Buck lineup is expected to be the same as that which started against Illinois.

Getchell brings his best with this week's cartoon.

Williamson is known for his ratings, but he also uses them to predict games. How does he see The Game working out?

There will be appreciably fewer games than usual this week because a lot of the teams are resting up for Thanksgiving week battles. Most of the games this week are of the nature of "loose ends." Some dozen contests are traditional grudge affairs between respective opponents who have been at each other, hammer and tongs, for many years.

What are probably the two biggest encounters of the week involve those spotlighters of the season: Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

Picks Michigan

A battle royal will be fought in Columbus, Ohio, when Coach Paul Brown's surprising Buckeyes of Ohio State entertain Coach Walter Crisler's Wolverines of the University of Michigan. The System picked Michigan last week over Notre Dame against concensus (sic) and was right. The System favors Michigan again this week.

Oh well, old boy Williamson doesn't like Ohio State in The Game. What about the other experts?

Here are what the "experts" have to say about the Ohio State-Michigan game Saturday: 

Lew Byrer, Citizen sports editor: "Ohio State by a touchdown in a hard-fought free-scoring game."

Leo H. Petersen, sports editor United Press: "Michigan over Ohio State in a high-scoring game that might produce the Big Ten champion."

Paul B. Williamson, rating expert: "Michigan has a shade but it figures to be a close game."

Looks like the homer is the only expert giving Ohio State a chance in this game.

Today's Old School Alcohol Ad

The wine industry took to the paper to get more imbibers. The wine makers also want you to buy War Bonds and Stamps.

For friendliness
serve WINE 

When friends drop in these evenings set out simple sandwiches or thin slices of fruit cake and serve with them small glasses of glowing, mellow Port wine. For wine, you'll find, is the moderate beverage fro quiet comfortable evenings spent with friends. Wine Advisory Board, San Francisco.

Remember your pledge

BUY WAR BONDS AND STAMPS