COLUMBUS — All the talking is nearly done ahead of perhaps the most anticipated game in the history of the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan. On Tuesday, head coach Ryan Day met with the media for his weekly press conference to preview the showdown in Ann Arbor, with many of the talking points surrounding the exterior factors at play rather than schemes, game plans, or execution on the field.

While the game will feature two undefeated teams playing for a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game and a spot in the College Football Playoff, two storylines that would make for a most intriguing matchup in normal years, the 2023 season has been anything but normal.

The alleged sign-stealing scheme at Michigan, which is still under investigation by the NCAA and has already resulted in a three-game suspension for head coach Jim Harbaugh, has added a layer of drama so thick that it could be easy to lose sight of the real factors that will determine who survives Saturday’s collision. The abhorrence the two programs hold for each other is very real, but Day warned on Tuesday his team can’t let it get in the way of what is necessary to win.

“You have to play with emotion, you can’t let emotion play with you,” Day said. “I think that’s important. You have to have your emotions in check, which isn’t easy in a game like this because of the magnitude of it all. But it’s something we identified in the offseason and we’ll talk about this week.”

Day, personally, has been dragged into the Michigan scandal with currently unfounded reports of family ties to a private investigation firm that allegedly lit the fuse on the investigation. In general, the illegal sign-stealing allegations call into question the advantage Michigan may have gained in its last two wins over Ohio State, two losses Day has felt the brunt of as his record against Michigan fell to 1-2.

At every turn since the initial reports came out regarding the allegations against Michigan, Day has deflected all opportunities to weigh in on the matter, and Tuesday was no different. Asked how he’s not taking Saturday’s game personally, Day instead chose to reiterate the ways in which Ohio State must approach the game in order to be successful.

“Not that it’s easy, but the only thing that matters is this game, this team, and preparing,” he said. “The rest of it doesn’t matter, so that’s what we have to do. We have got to stay disciplined enough to stay focused on that. It goes back to the conversation about emotion and letting the emotion of the game and everything get in the way. We can’t do that, and every year you learn more and more about this game and the preparation for it. So we’re not going to let any of that stuff get in the way in terms of distraction. We’re just going to focus on this team, this season, and preparing as best as we possibly can.”

Asked directly if he felt the rivalry is still rooted in respect, a once common observation from coaches on both sides of the game through the years, Day referenced the approach his former boss, Urban Meyer, took when discussing the nature of respect in the rivalry.

“I was taught that the way you respect the rivalry is to work it every day, whether it’s in the weight room, whether it’s game planning, talking to your players, periods in practice during the spring, periods in practice in the preseason, and that’s it,” Day said.” So we do, we respect the rivalry and are certainly excited to play on Saturday.”

As for whether or not he respects Harbaugh, a question that Harbaugh was also asked in his press conference on Monday and chose to sidestep, Day deflected once more.

“I think with everything going on and the things that are out there, we’ve just kind of stayed away from all the distractions and just focused on our team,” he said. “And I think our guys have done a good job of it. When you talk to our guys, and I’ve talked to them a couple of times about what’s gone on this season and going into the game, but they’re focused on the game, they’re focused on this season, they’re focused on their preparation, and we’re just going to continue on that.”

Regardless of all the noise surrounding this year’s edition of The Game, the two teams will ultimately have to settle the score on the field. For Day, what happens on Saturday figures to be a defining moment in his tenure at Ohio State. Despite his team’s shortcomings over the past two years, the importance of beating Michigan has never been lost on him and has only continued to grow with each passing season.

“I think every year you just learn more and more (about the rivalry),” he said. “I guess this will be my sixth time in the game. You learn quickly when you’re here, but each year you learn more and it has more of a significant impact on you as a person. I think all of our guys, when they come here, whether it’s a coach or a player, they’re here for one reason and that’s to win this game. And every year that you’re here, you learn about that more and more.”

Day added, “My youngest daughter doesn’t know any place other than Ohio, so this means the world to me and my family.”

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56