There's a chance Mike McCray II will be wearing some Ohio State gear in the near future. A year ago, that would have been expected. After all, his father was a linebacker on Ohio State and McCray always rooted for the Buckeyes growing up.
But that was before he switched allegiance to the enemy after committing to Michigan in March. So when the two Big Ten schools link up for "The Game" on Nov. 24, McCray will be rooting against Ohio State for the first time.
If Michigan loses, though, McCray will be forced to wear Buckeyes colors the following Monday at school. That's the terms of the friendly bet McCray has with Cam Burrows, his Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio) teammate and fellow ESPN 150 recruit -- and an Ohio State commitment.
Although the two were friendly Wednesday when they each received their jersey for the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game as part of the American Family Insurance Selection Tour, the teammates will be on opposite sides next month with a little wager on the line.
If the Wolverines win, Burrows, the first commitment of the Buckeyes' 2013 class, will have to wear a Michigan shirt.
"I'll probably buy one that makes fun of Ohio State," said McCray, who added he had to convince a "scared" Burrows to accept the deal.
Burrows is not too worried, though.
Ohio State is undefeated and has won eight of the last 11 games against Michigan (the 2010 win was vacated).
"I'm pretty confident he's gonna be wearing the scarlet and gray," Burrows said.
The two are saving the smack talk for next month, though. Right now their attention is focused on defending Trotwood-Madison's first state title, and Burrows and McCray will need to work together to make sure the Rams even make the playoffs. Currently sitting at 6-2, another loss would likely end a chance to defend their Division II crown.
Neither Burrows or McCray are the talkative type, but both took on a leadership role this offseason. How well those two have been able to lead Trotwood-Madison will be under the microscope the next two games, which could be their last.
That is how Burrows is approaching it, and he wants the rest of the team, which is loaded with underclassmen, to follow suit.
"We just need to approach it like it's the last game they're going to play, especially for the seniors," Burrows said. "It might be the last two games they ever play in."
Burrows and McCray are at least guaranteed one more game no matter how Trotwood-Madison's season ends. Both will play in the Under Armour game in early January. They will be the first two players from Trotwood-Madison to play in the contest. The day after the game, Burrows will leave for Columbus as he is an early enrollee.
The two have played together since seventh grade, and McCray said it is a fitting end to their careers as teammates before officially joining one of the game's fiercest rivalries on opposite sides.
"I'm looking forward to having a good experience and play my last football game with Cam," McCray said.