Quinn Ewers was raised in Texas and this is his third season as the starting quarterback at the state's flagship university. He's a Texan through and through.

But Ewers also started his college career at Ohio State. And even though he spent just one semester in Columbus, the Buckeye in him still comes out when one topic is broached. He can't help himself.

So what are your thoughts about the Michigan game, Quinn?

"It's going to be an awesome environment. The place is going to be rocking, especially with all the hype just because it's an early game and they're coming off the national championship," Ewers said at SEC media days this summer in a clip that went viral online.

"Yeah, the Team Up North," he added with a wry smile.

Ah yes, the Team Up North. Famed Ohio State coach Woody Hayes refused to reference Michigan by name, so that's how Buckeyes players and coaches refer to their biggest rival. Ewers has declined to let the word "Michigan" leave his mouth a time or two since he arrived at Texas. Former Ohio State cornerback Ryan Watts, who finished his career at Texas from 2022-23, did the same while talking to media members in Austin.

Following Saturday's 52-0 season-opening win over Colorado State, Ewers was asked if he'd continue to refer to Michigan as the Team Up North.

"It's just a little funny joke," Ewers replied. "The Team Up North, it's always funny. But I'll say it: 'Michigan.'"

Michigan. Team Up North. On Saturday, it will be just semantics when No. 4 Texas travels to Ann Arbor for a marquee matchup between two of college football's winningest programs. Texas and No. 8 Michigan, the defending national champion, are both 1-0.

Despite combining to play 2,768 games in their history, Texas and Michigan have only met once. Nearly 20 years ago, UT used a late field goal to beat the Wolverines at the 2005 Rose Bowl.

"I'm so excited that I'm in that opportunity to get to play in the Big House (and) represent the great state of Texas across my chest, and just to know that opportunity presents itself when both of these blue blood programs are top 10 in the country," safety Michael Taaffe said. "When college football is at its best is when Texas and Michigan and teams like USC and Georgia and Alabama and Clemson are at the best. That's how it looks like this season's going to go, and it's so cool to see that Texas and Michigan are at the top right now. We respect the heck out of them and it's gonna be a fun game."

Back in 2014, Texas and Michigan announced they had agreed to play a home-and-home series. As Texas coach Steve Sarkisian pointed out Monday, Michigan was initially supposed to visit Austin first, but the site of this year's game was a part of UT's Big 12 exit plan. Royal-Memorial Stadium will now host Michigan in 2027.

Texas will make its initial trip to Michigan Stadium, which is affectionately known as "The Big House." Opened in 1927, Michigan Stadium lists a capacity of 107,601. Excluding games in which attendance was limited by pandemic restrictions, Michigan claims a streak of 316 when it comes to having 100,000 fans at a home game.

Ewers was a backup on the Ohio State roster during the 2021 season, but he did get to travel to Michigan. He was asked Monday what he'd tell his teammates about playing in the Big House.

"I mean, man, I didn't play," he joked about the Buckeyes' 42-27 loss three years ago.

OK, so what will you tell your teammates about the Big House and the environment?

Ewers said "it's a great atmosphere. They've got passionate fans, and it was a cool experience for me to get to go up there and kind of see how that rivalry is. They're passionate fans, and it's going to be a good time."

On Monday, UT edge rusher Barryn Sorrell said the idea of playing in a stadium with a "pretty rowdy environment" was exciting. Wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. acknowledged the history of the Michigan program. Linebacker David Gbenda said he associates The Big House with Michigan legends like Charles Woodson and Jabrill Peppers.

"I love college football. Even as a kid or watching Michigan play, them taking the field and all jumping up and hitting the 'Go Blue' sign, I love that," Sarkisian said. "There's all these little things along college football at different teams, different stadiums that are the pageantry of the game. The Big House is one of those things. The Michigan helmets, them taking the field is one of those things."

Texas shouldn't expect to see much burnt orange in the stands in Ann Arbor. UT received an allotment of 4,000 tickets for the game. This summer, athletic director Chris Del Conte promised on social media that Michigan will receive the same amount of tickets when the Wolverines visit Austin in three years.

"There's gonna be over 100,000 people that want us to play bad, and there's going to be about 100 of us that want us to play good," Sarkisian said. "We need to lean into that 100 and making sure that we're as strong as we can be."

Saturday's game

No. 4 Texas (1-0) at No. 8 Michigan (1-0), 11 a.m., Fox, 1300, 98.1, 105.3 (Spanish)

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas vs. Michigan at the Big House: What the players think