It’s November 2016. Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh is holding his hands a foot apart after that day’s game in Columbus, Ohio.

“That short,” Harbaugh said. By that much, he argued, Ohio State quarterback J. T. Barrett was short of a first down when he rushed on fourth-and-1 in the second overtime. The referees had ruled it a first down, though, and the No. 2 Buckeyes won on the next play, 30-27, holding off the No. 3 Wolverines — again.

On Saturday, in Columbus, the teams will meet for the 114th time. The stakes are again high: A victory would send either No. 4 Michigan (10-1) or No. 10 Ohio State (10-1) to the Big Ten championship game, where a win over No. 20 Northwestern (7-4) could mean a College Football Playoff spot.

Saturday’s game will also serve as a referendum on the tenures of Harbaugh, the former Wolverines quarterback who in his fourth season has yet to fulfill his big promises, and Ohio State’s Urban Meyer, who was suspended for the first three games of this season and has lately appeared to show symptoms of stress on the sideline.