Ohio State-Michigan rivalry spills into police escorts' squadrons

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Not all Columbus police officers back the boys in blue -- blue and maize, that is.

Columbus police escorts have a lot on the line for the Ohio State-Michigan game. While they share the same mission -- to protect and serve the players and staff -- when it comes to what team they're rooting for, that's a different story.

According to Sergeant Isaac Bridges, the supervisor of the Columbus Police Motorcycle Unit, there are bragging rights on the line. 

"It starts the beginning of football season, and it doesn't stop until about the spring," Bridges said. "There's one in every group, you just can't get away from them."

Officer Stephen Warric is one of "them." He's a lifelong Michigan fan.

"I grew up in Michigan, probably about the mid-eighties or so," Officer Warric said. "My dad went to college there, got his master's there. So I kind of transitioned over there from the Big 12 and I've been a Michigan fan ever since."

But Bridges, a lifelong Buckeye fan, is confident in Saturday's outcome and ready to rub it in.

"The rest of the officers in the shop are going to have our opportunity to really bag on the two Michigan fans here, because we clearly know Ohio State's going to win," Bridges said.

Warric is one of only a few police escorts holding out hope for "That Team Up North."

"I actually joined the Columbus Police just because they had a motor unit," Warric said. "It was like a lifelong dream to be on the motorcycle unit and then to get the opportunity to escort the Michigan Wolverines was like a dream come true."

Warric said he'll be sporting a Michigan helmet as he escorts both teams, which Bridges wouldn't be caught dead in. Instead, he'll be wearing a custom Buckeyes helmet. 

"Every 'M' gets crossed out with scarlet tape," Bridges said. "His helmet may come up missing for a while."

Despite the friendly rivalry and the outcome of the game, the mission remains the same. Officer Warric said for those fans who hate on him for wearing his Michigan helmet, his job at the end of the day is to protect and serve every team he escorts. According to the officers, they treat every team the same way they treat their own.