Earlier tonight HBO invited me out for a reception and screening of their new documentary Michigan vs. Ohio State: The Rivalry which premieres on November 13th… and I’ve gotta say, it’s just about perfect.

You get the feeling that the producers of the documentary might almost even be Buckeye fans - though the film tries to stay neutral during its 57 minute runtime, there are many scenes that seem to just bleed scarlet and grey.

The film opens* with “Bo Biafra” of The Dead Schembechlers trying to describe the historic matchup, concluding that you must more or less imagine the most epic moment ever and then “multiply it by a thousand.”

The Dead Schembechlers show up several times in the documentary. Biafra, credited as a “Buckeye Fanatic” onscreen, provides comic relief with his rants on his intense hatred for Michigan, and footage from last year’s infamous “Hate Michigan Rally” which the band played at, which had the good misfortune to be held hours after Bo Schembechler died. There is actually a rather poignant and well-done scene that talks about Schembechler’s passing and how Ohio State fans shared in Bo’s loss - concluding with a worker at the Newport adding “God Bless Bo” under “Hate Michigan Rally” on the venue’s marquee.

I could go on and on about it, but I won’t. We’ll have more on it in our Nov. 14th “Beat Michigan” issue, and you can see the flick for yourself (if you have HBO) after Nov. 13th.

*Incidentally, the film’s ending also ends on an Ohio State note, with an OSU marching band member playing the fight song before a number of subjects in the film tell their favorite OSU/Michigan jokes.

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