Is NU-Ohio State game a classic in the making?

The stars have aligned.

The tea leaves have done whatever they do to send clear messages to those who read them.

The numerology has become too obvious to ignore.

It's so clear what is going to happen at Ryan Field today:

Northwestern 54, Ohio State 51. Instant classic.

There are so many signs linking the 2008 Wildcats to the 2000 Wildcats, it's only fitting if Pat Fitzgerald's bunch acknowledges the bond by re-enacting perhaps the most exciting game in the school's history.

You know, Northwestern's improbable 54-51 win over Michigan in 2000. Those were the good, old days when the Wildcats were one of the few schools running this newfangled "spread" offense - and almost nobody could stop it.

For those who aren't Northwestern historians or merely late to the college football party, here's why the stars, tea leaves and numbers are suggesting 54-51.

• On Oct. 28, 2000, with a much-anticipated presidential election days away, Northwestern earned a stunning 41-35 win at Minnesota on Zak Kustok's 45-yard "Victory Right" touchdown pass to Sam Simmons as time ran out.

• On Nov. 1, 2008, with a much-anticipated presidential election days away, Northwestern earned a stunning 21-14 win at Minnesota on Brendan Smith's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown with 12 seconds to go.

Spooky, huh? Simmons and Smith even scored in the same Metrodome end zone.

But, wait, it gets eerier.

• In 2000, Northwestern closed out its season with an Alamo Bowl matchup against Nebraska.

• In 2008, according to CollegeBCS.com's current bowl projections, Northwestern ought to close out its season with an Insight Bowl matchup against - Nebraska.

Really spooky, right?

But wait, there's more.

• On Nov. 4, 2000, the No. 21 Wildcats welcomed No. 12 Michigan (which had just had a bye week) to sold-out Ryan Field for both teams' second-to-last regular-season game.

Despite surrendering 4 touchdowns on Michigan's first 4 possessions - and Damien Anderson dropping an easy go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:38 to go when the lights blurred his vision - Northwestern received one more chance when Michigan's Anthony Thomas fumbled after gaining the first-down yardage necessary to clinch the game.

Taking over at Michigan's 30-yard line with 46 seconds to go, Kustok completed NU's quick drive with an 11-yard touchdown slant to Simmons for the game's fourth and final lead change.

"I don't think I've ever seen a more courageous, inspirational performance," said then-NU head coach Randy Walker.

• That leads us to Saturday, when the No. 24 Wildcats welcome No. 12 Ohio State (which has just had a bye week) to sold-out Ryan Field for both teams' second-to-last regular-season game.

Clearly, something's in the air. All of these coincidences must be for a reason.

Just to be sure, I asked Northwestern assistant head coach Jerry Brown - the only full-time holdover from Walker's 2000 staff - to confirm these feelings.

Brown, a friendly sort, simply smiled at me in a bemused sort of way.

"I personally try not to draw any parallels," Brown said. "I think you learn in Coaching 101 that each team is of itself."

Nuts. So all of these signs are nonsense. But then Brown continued.

"You know, it's funny," he said. "After the game (at Minnesota) Saturday, I was talking with Zak Kustok.

"And I said, 'Zak, wasn't that you who threw that Hail Mary pass?' He said, 'Yeah, Coach.' And I said, 'I thought so. I've been pretty fortunate to have been part of two spectacular finishes at Minnesota.'

"Now and then, you know, I'll look back in a nostalgic kind of way."

There you go. Clear and obvious proof (or as close I'm going to get) that another 54-51 game is meant to be.

Don't say you weren't warned.