DaytonDailyNews.com

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Passing by the window of Schakolad Chocolate Factory on East Washington Street, a downtown stroller can see the shop's main prize. It's a real-size football carrying two University of Michigan logos made entirely of chocolate, as if Willy Wonka himself had created it.

But owner Scott Huckestein isn't selling.

"I think we had 21 people ask about it on Saturday," Huckestein said.

The football, one of many specialty items that Huckestein and his staff create for Wolverines football fans, is an incredibly tempting example of how much this city of 113,000 embraces its college football team in the fall.

Whether it's a gift shop with T-shirts in 23 languages, in case you happen to be rooting for Michigan in Poland, or the tattoo parlor that has inked everything from football helmets to wolverines on various body parts, almost every corner of Ann Arbor supports its second-ranked powerhouse, said those in the vibrant city center Sunday.

"There are an incredible amount of people involved," Huckestein said. "The team is so ingrained with the city."

In that respect, Ann Arbor — allegedly named for the two founders' wives, both named Ann, who enjoyed sitting under a wild grape arbor built by their husbands — is not unique in college sports. But the same that can be said about Columbus, Gainesville, Knoxville and other big-time college football cities rings true about this one about 40 miles west of Detroit.

And things are likely to get a little crazier this week, as No. 1 Ohio State prepares to host Michigan in a game between unbeatens for a spot in the national championship game.

"As you might imagine," said Cathi Duchon, the president and CEO of the Ann Arbor YMCA, "the football team is the focus."

That's why Duchon joins the local Rotary Club in closing meetings by singing the Michigan fight song and why she buys the special maize-and-blue M&Ms from the grocery store during the week of the Ohio State games. Her employees who are Buckeyes fans are welcome to wear OSU apparel — on Fridays.

On Main Street, $137.50 can purchase a wide-angle photo of the post-game revelry at Michigan Stadium following the Wolverines' 35-21 victory against Ohio State in 2003, the 100th game between the rivals. But there aren't any updated victory portraits, as the Buckeyes have won the past two and four of the five in coach Jim Tressel's tenure.

The feeling on Sunday, though, was total optimism about the Wolverines and coach Lloyd Carr.

"I think Carr is gonna out-think Tressel this time," said Jerry Fewr, who lunched at The Arena sports bar with one eye on the Detroit Lions game and the other on Michigan coverage in his Ann Arbor News (front page headline: "Here it is, a game of a lifetime"). "I think we're gonna kick their (behinds)."

Speaking of rears, Corey Cuc once had a Michigan fan walk into his Lucky Monkey Tattoo Parlour and ask for the team logo on his backside. He backed out before the job started, but Cuc said he still does a few "M"s per month."

"I just tell them they'd better be real fans to have this on their body for the rest of their lives," Cuc said.

No problem, because there are plenty of real fans around.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com