Roadtrip to Columbus

I heard one smart thing to do is remove anything related to UM from your car. Maybe even put an OSU bumper sticker on for the weekend.

to get tickets through the University. The Ticket Office offers a lottery for all away tickets so apply for that and hope for the best. If you don't get them there and you know you want to go, try to get them relatively early as game importance drives the price up. I would advise against sitting with the students if you want to cheer like a normal person. I agree with removing anything Michigan from your car. I stayed with a friend at OSU (I know how could I?!) and he had me remove my Michigan license plate. Park anywhere you can find a spot. Get there early and do be afraid to walk tho I would advise against walking through campus (we had full beer cans chucked at our heads). People tailgate everywhere and walking to the stadium is an experience in itself. Good luck. It is an experience worth having.

of Purell.

Wearing a Michigan jersey down there is practically an invitation to violence (however mild).

These are easily acquired and limit how much of the tear gas gets to the back of your throat.

My buddy and I went to the game down there in 2006. Columbus definitely sucks ass, but most of the shitiness can be avoided. We both flew in from out of town but flew into Detroit (because tickets into the rinky-dink airport in Columbus cost a fortune). As far as tickets go, I am probably the last person to ask since I bought mine online at the last minute because it was such a big game and therefore paid through the nose (well worth it, in my view, but you can probably get a much better deal than we did). We drove down Friday night and stayed in an OK side of the road hotel about 30-45 minutes outside Columbus (booked in advance). This allowed us to minimize our time in that hell-hole of a town, which was a positive. We got to campus pretty early and watched Gameday. We were pretty blatant M supporters (see photo). Our rental car also had Michigan plates but we didn't experience any trouble because of it (besides getting shouted at when leaving, and OSU fans will pretty much drunkenly shout at anything). Try to park in an edge-of-campus lot if you can (close enough to have some semblance of security and far enough away that your car won't be tipped over or set on fire). The people are extremely hostile, but as long as you don't engage and avoid problem areas (bars, campus, etc.) you shouldn't run into any real trouble (just profanity and limp-dick threats). There are a ton of piece-of-garbage OSU fans (really, there is no way to exaggerate how many assholes you will encounter), but there are at least as many actual human beings in attendance who you should definitely interact with. If shit goes down, you want a little support from the natives and we had numerous helpful/positive interactions with OSU fans. Travel in groups, be aware of your surroundings, and don't act like an idiot and you should be golden. Also, people don't fuck with you when you hang out with Amadou Ba (see picture). For tailgating, we hung out right around the U-M alumni association event. I recommend this one 1,000% as it will allow you to actually relax. Bring cups and talk to the locals about open container enforcement. Where we were you were money if you had it in a red cup but a can or bottle meant an instant ticket. Be even more cautious if under 21 (Columbus PD did not seem to regret busting anybody in a Michigan jersey). With a little planning you can actually have a halfway decent time going to a game in Columbus. Just know where you are going and keep your head on a swivel. Also, hiding your M gear or disguising yourself as an OSU fan is for mgopussies. Have fun and GO BLUE!

1. Unless you and your friends are physically quite big, you will probably want to avoid wearing much, if any, UM gear. 2. You do not want your car to advertise you are a UM fan either. 3. To avoid the OSU campus as much as possible, try to park on the west side of the Olentangy River (the stadium is just east of the river). OSU's basketball, baseball and indoor football practice facilitys are on the west side so there's a decent amount of parking over there but you'll still want to get there early. 4. It's a fun experience but be careful.

I haven't been down there, but I wonder if it'd be worthwhile to rent a car in Toledo, if it's in your budget.

I have never been down there for The Game, but I was down there both years on the weekend before their SEC pounding, and the year after as well for something else. I did not hesitate to wear Michigan stuff, and I didn't receive much int he way of verbal abuse. People just stared more than anything. To be fair though, I wasn't exposed to the public too much and it wasn't Michigan gameday, so that's not really representative of the town probably, but I wouldn't doubt most of the stories you've heard. One time I was walking around town and it seemed that just about everybody I passed was some combination of drunk and high. This is the middle of a Saturday, mind you. Columbus really isn't that great a town... I will also be heading down to The Game this year, but I have the benefit if having a fellow student attendee with family in Columbus, so the parking, lodging, and transportation to the stadium are taken care of.

I once wore my Breaston jersey to the MSU tennis courts (the main place to tailgate, at the time) when MSU was hosting OSU. It was a jackass thing to do, and I was sorta asking for it, but it was worth it and I survived.

My younger brother and I will be going to Columbus this November. I'm thinking we'll probably cover up our M Gear while walking around Columbus then show our true colors once we're inside the shoe. Neither my brother nor myself are big dudes so our personal safety is a concern.

Is to avoid instigating them. They are a rabid fan base, that has deep routed insecurities. There are very few football arguments that carry much current weight. Just be a Michigan Man and be polite, and you should avoid most issues. The problems I have had there have related to our arrogance or intoxication - or a refusal to just walk away from a situation. That said be smart.

My friends and I are going this season, too! We went a couple years ago fully decked-out in M gear and no one really said anything to us...until we got to High Street. High St. is like their State Street or South U--and it was full of drunk OSU students who were not very happy to see us. The worst thing they did was shout things at us about our record that season, so it wasn't so bad. The worst part was probably after the game, when security had to break up some mass mobs of unnecessarily overly-exuberant students attempting to leave the stadium chanting assorted anti-M things. My advice: win or lose, get the hell out of the Shoe and Columbus as quickly as possible. It would also help if you drove a car with a non-Michigan plate (not just UM, a plate from the state.)

I may be having a pre-game gathering this year for the OSU-Michigan game. (Friday before the game in the north end of Cbus) If I do end of having it I'll post something on here closer to time and you are welcome to come. It will be paid for at least in part by what I sell my employee tickets for this year to The Game. It brings me great joy that OSU pays for my season tickets to Ann Arbor each year :) Columbus is not a bad place to be a Wolverine fan even on The Game weekend as long as you know where to stay clear of. Ironically, the OSU students will bark but not bite...its the dumb*ss uneducated hilljacks that travel to the big city that stir sh*t up.

Live in Columbus. Often in years past, if the game is expected to be competetive, OSU will actually set up a designated parking lot for UM fans with state troopers watching it. I've had my car egged , so I now subscribe to the magnetic bumper stickers as they are easy to remove. If you want to buy scalped tickets, wear OSU gear. Scalpers in columbus will NOT sell to UM fans. Believe me, Ive tried and only been successful once. OSU fans take football fandom way more seriously/aggresively. They are proud of making opposing fans uncomfortable and intimidated. They know their reputation prevents floods of opposing fans in their stadium (like we all saw in the Big House this past November) Ive worn my UM gear every year Ive gone and Ive never been actually attacked, but I do have OSU friends I roll with. Had beer sprayed on me , yelled at, pushed around in gang mentality as I sang The Victors walking out.. I'll be doing my best to secure tickets , and if I do, anyone who wants to roll with us is welcome to..