Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry

Michigan logo

OSU logo OSU logo

The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is the intense rivalry between the University of Michigan and The Ohio State University football teams. It has attracted particular national interest over the last four decades as most of the games have determined the Big Ten Conference title and the resulting Rose Bowl match ups, and many have influenced the outcome of the national collegiate football championship. The game was ranked by ESPN in 2000 as the greatest North American sports rivalry.

The annual matchup between the two Midwest state schools has been held at the end of the regular season since 1935. In 1942 both schools played one more regular season game the week after their matchup in Columbus. Michigan played Iowa at home and Ohio State hosted Iowa Navy Pre-Flight. In 1986 and 1998 Michigan concluded their regular season with trips to Honolulu to play Hawaii. Since 1918, the game's site has alternated between Columbus, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has been played in Ohio Stadium since 1922 and Michigan Stadium since 1927.

During 1835-36, the State of Ohio and the Michigan Territory engaged in a brief and bloodless border dispute known as the Toledo War. Some have proposed that the football rivalry is a modern manifestation of this historical tension.

History

Early years: 1897-1949

The inaugural meeting between Ohio State and Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1897 resulted in a lopsided victory for Michigan, with the Wolverines posting a 34-0 win over Ohio State's Buckeyes. The first game foretold a long Michigan winning streak, with Michigan winning or tying every match from 1897 to 1912 and thereby compiling a 12-0-2 record before the contest was postponed for several years.

Ohio State became a member of the Big Ten Conference in 1912. In 1917, Michigan rejoined the conference after a ten year absence. In 1918, the teams played their first conference matchup, with Michigan prevailing 14-0 and lodging its eleventh shutout over the Buckeyes. In 1919, the Buckeyes (led by legendary halfback Chic Harley) won their first game in the series, defeating the Wolverines 13-3. The Buckeyes won the following two contests as well, to bring the series record to 13-3-2.

Harley's prowess spurred the university to campaign to build a stadium for Ohio State football. The stadium was completed in 1922, and the first of many historic games in Ohio Stadium took place on October 21, 1922, the day the stadium was dedicated in Columbus. In front of a record 71,000 fans, the Wolverines posted another shutout of the home team Buckeyes, 19-0. According to lore, there was a wager on the outcome of this game, and yellow flowers on a blue background still exist today in the upper part of the stadium's rotunda. Michigan won the next five games before OSU picked up the final two victories of the decade. At the end of the 1920s, the series stood at 19-5-2 in favor of Michigan.

Michigan won three of four contests between 1930 and 1933, claiming the national championship twice. Ohio State then ran off four straight shutout victories, outscoring the Wolverines 112-0 from 1934 to 1937, followed by Michigan winning three straight from 1938 to 1940. The 1940 game, won by Michigan 40-0, was the benchmark performance of what some consider to be the greatest Michigan team in history, and was the final collegiate game of the legendary tailback tandem of Tom Harmon and Paul Kromer.

In 1941, Michigan and Ohio State met for the first time with each team ranked in the AP Poll, which had started in 1936. The 14th-ranked Buckeyes played the 5th-ranked Wolverines to a 20-20 tie in Ann Arbor. Five more times during the 1940s, the teams were both ranked for their annual matchup. Michigan won five of the next seven games before playing to their second tie of the decade in 1949. The series record stood at 30-12-4 at the mid-century mark.

“The Snow Bowl” and Woody Hayes: 1950-1968

The 1950 contest, colloquially known as the Snow Bowl, is perhaps the most famous game in the rivalry. Eighth-ranked Ohio State, coached by Wes Fesler, was scheduled to host the game on November 25 in Columbus amidst one of the worst blizzards on Ohio record. The Buckeyes, who led the Big Ten, were granted the option to cancel the game against Michigan, which would have, by default, given the Buckeyes the Big Ten title outright and won them a trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. Ohio State refused, and the game was set to be played. Amid howling snow and wind, in what was probably the most literal example of a "field position" game, the teams exchanged 45 punts, often on first down, in hopes that the other team would fumble the ball near or into their own end zone. Despite failing to gain a single first down, Michigan capitalized on two blocked punts, recovering one in the end zone for a touchdown and booting another one out of bounds for a safety. Michigan gained a 9-3 victory, securing the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl berth. Heavy criticism of Fesler's play calling led to his resignation and the hiring of Woody Hayes as his successor.

Between 1951 and 1968 under Hayes, the Buckeyes won 12 of 18 contests, including a 1957 victory in Michigan Stadium, the first game in the series attended by over 100,000 fans. In 1958, Ohio State had a 20-14 lead towards the end of the game. On the final play, Michigan fullback Gene Sisinyak ran the ball from the one-yard line for what might have been a game winning touchdown, but Ohio State defensive tackle Dick Schafrath hit Sisinyak, forcing a fumble. In the 1968 game, Ohio State won 50-14, outscoring its foe 29-0 in second half and attempting a two-point conversion attempt on its final touchdown. When asked why he went for two points with an already insurmountable 48-14 lead, Woody Hayes is rumored to have said, "Because I couldn't go for three." The victory gave top-ranked Ohio State the Big Ten title for the first time in seven years en route to an AP national championship. The Buckeyes had also narrowed the series margin to 37-24-4.

“The Ten-Year War”: Woody Hayes vs. Bo Schembechler 1969-1978

On November 22, 1969, Hayes led his top-ranked Buckeyes into Michigan Stadium against Bo Schembechler, a first-year head coach who had once been an assistant under Hayes at OSU. The Buckeyes brought a 22-game winning streak into Ann Arbor, but behind an inspiring 60-yard punt return by Barry Pierson that set up a Wolverine touchdown in the second quarter, and a defense that intercepted Ohio State six times (three by Pierson), the Wolverines won a defensive battle (both teams were scoreless in the second half) for a 24-12 upset.

The contest was the first in the famous “Ten-Year War” between Hayes and Schembechler, which pitted some of OSU’s and UM’s strongest teams against one another. Four times between 1970 and 1975, Ohio State and Michigan were both ranked in the top five of the AP Poll before their matchup. The Wolverines entered every game during those years undefeated and won only once, a 10-7 victory in Ann Arbor on November 20, 1971. The Michigan graduating class of 1975 shared or won the Big-10 championship every season, yet went to the Rose Bowl only once, in 1972. They only lost or tied with Ohio State during the regular season in that period.

In 1973, both teams entered undefeated, with the winner guaranteed a trip to the Rose Bowl. The rivals played to a 10-10 tie in Ann Arbor on November 24, and the athletic directors of the other Big Ten institutions were forced to vote on the Big Ten representative for the bowl game. In a secret ballot, Ohio State won the vote, to the outrage of Michigan athletic officials and fans. It was rumored that Michigan State University voted for Ohio State, although a more likely reason why the Buckeyes won the secret ballot was the injury suffered by Michigan starting quarterback Denny Franklin in the UM-OSU game. It was unclear if Franklin would be ready to play in the Rose Bowl, and the Big Ten ADs may have felt Ohio State would therefore have a better chance to win the bowl game. Schembechler argued that Michigan was robbed of its on-field achievements, and for months afterward, Ohio State newspapers were flooded with angry Wolverine letters and threats of lawsuits.

During the “Ten-Year War,” Ohio State and Michigan shared the Big Ten title six times. Between 1976 and 1978, Michigan won the game each year, and Ohio State failed to score a touchdown in each of those contests. Woody Hayes was fired at the end of the 1978 season as a result of an incident involving a Clemson player at the Gator Bowl, which ended the "War". The 1978 game was won by Michigan, 14-3, giving Schembechler a record of 5-4-1 against Hayes. At the end of the Hayes tenure, the series stood at 42-28-5.

The War's aftermath - Bo vs. Earle Bruce, 1979-1987

Earle Bruce took over for Hayes and led the Buckeyes to a 5-4 record against Schembechler's Wolverines between 1979 and 1987, perhaps the most balanced stretch of the storied rivalry, during which neither team won more than two consecutive games. Bruce was fired in the week before the Michigan game due to a poor season record, but was allowed to coach anyway, and the inspired Buckeyes won an upset over the heavily favored Wolverines. After the game, Bo Schembechler told Bruce, "I always mind losing to Ohio State but I didn't mind so much today." After 1987, the series stood at 46-33-5 in favor of UM.

John Cooper era: 1988-2000

The thirteen games during John Cooper's tenure as Buckeye coach were dominated by Michigan. The most notorious matchups took place in 1993, 1995 and 1996, each years in which Ohio State entered the game without a loss. Schemblecher coached Michigan through 1989, then turning over the reins to one of his assistants, Gary Moeller (1990-94). Another Schembechler (and Moeller) assistant, Lloyd Carr, coached the team from 1995 through the 2007 season.

1993 - Blanked at the Big House

The Buckeyes had posted a 9-0-1 record heading into the game, with at least a share of the Big 10 title wrapped up. They were looking to claim the Big 10 title outright, and rolled into Ann Arbor to face a Michigan team that had already absorbed a disappointing 4 losses. The No. 5-ranked OSU team, however, suffered a surprising 28-0 loss. A circus catch by UM's Mercury Hayes for a touchdown started the scoring. Running backs Jon Ritchie, Che Foster, and Ed Davis all added touchdowns. After the game, Coach Cooper said: "This is one of the most embarrassing games I've ever been involved with." "They outplayed us on offense, on defense, and in the kicking game. If you'd told me we would come up here and get beat 28-0, I'd have probably stayed home."

1995 - Tim who?

In 1995, #2 Ohio State was led by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George and future NFL stars Orlando Pace and Terry Glenn. The Buckeyes had reeled off 11 straight wins, and appeared ready to defeat a Michigan squad that had dropped crushing contests at Northwestern, Michigan State, and Penn State. Glenn insisted there wasn't anything special about the Wolverines: "Michigan's nothing," he said. Perhaps inspired by this insouciant dismissal, the Wolverines manhandled the Buckeyes at the line of scrimmage from the very first play. Michigan senior running back Tim Biakabutuka amassed 313 yards rushing in Michigan's 31-23 upset.

1996 - Buckeyes frustrated again

The Buckeyes, again, had high expectations entering the 1996 contest in Columbus. They had won their first 10 games, and were ranked No. 2 in the nation as they entered the finale with 8-3 Michigan. When Ohio State jumped to a 9-0 halftime lead, knocking Wolverine starting redshirt sophomore quarterback Scott Dreisbach out of the game in the process, the OSU crowd sensed a special finish and perhaps a rise to No. 1, but Michigan stunned the Buckeye faithful in the second half. Two field goals by senior kicker Remy Hamilton and a 69 yard scoring strike from junior Brian Griese to sophomore receiver Tai Streets, gave the Wolverines a 13-9 victory. Streets became free when Buckeye star cornerback Shawn Springs slipped on the play.

Michigan ends its National Championship drought

In 1997, Ohio State traveled to Ann Arbor with a single loss and a #4 ranking, while the Wolverines, undefeated, sat atop the AP Poll. Spearheaded by the play of eventual Heisman winner Charles Woodson, who ran a punt back for a touchdown, intercepted a pass in the Michigan end zone, and caught a 37 yard pass that setup freshmen runningback Anthony Thomas's touchdown run. The Wolverines prevailed 20-14. (The Wolverines would thereafter win in the Rose Bowl, 21-16, over Washington State and gain a share of the national championship, its first since 1948.)

To the end of the century

Michigan lost the 1998 contest in Columbus, 31-16, but won in 1999 and 2000. Senior quarterback Tom Brady hit true sophomore receiver Marquise Walker for the game-winning touchdown pass with 5 minutes to go to for a 24-17 victory in 1999. In the 2000 game at Columbus, Michigan grabbed a huge 31-12 lead and held on to win 38-26. Michigan junior quarterback Drew Henson went 14-25 for 303 yards, 3 touchdown passes, and a touchdown run with 1 minute to go in the game. At the end of the 2000 season, John Cooper was fired. While he consistently fielded strong Top-25 teams, his 2-10-1 record against Michigan (0-6 in Ann Arbor) was, along with disciplinary problems and a losing record in bowl games, one of the major reasons behind his dismissal.

Enter Jim Tressel: 2001-2006

In 2001, Jim Tressel, winner of four Division I-AA national titles at Youngstown State, took over as Buckeye head coach. In his first year, Tressel registered the Buckeyes' first defeat of the Wolverines in Ann Arbor in 14 years, by a 26-20 score. Led by senior running back Jonathan Wells, the Buckeyes staked a 21-0 lead at halftime. A safety put them up 23-0 until Michigan mounted a comeback that fell just short. Many Wolverine fans argue that a dropped pass in the end zone by senior wide receiver Marquise Walker in the third quarter cost Michigan the victory.

The next year, Tressel achieved what Cooper could not, beating Michigan in consecutive years with a win in Columbus 14-9. The game was decided on the last play when defensive back Will Allen intercepted a pass in the end zone as time expired to clinch the victory. Freshman phenom Maurice Clarett had 119 yards and 1 touchdown rushing to key the Buckeyes victory. He also had a 26 yard reception that setup Maurice Hall's game-winning touchdown run with four minutes to go in the fourth quarter. An offensive-pass interference call on Michigan sophomore receiver Braylon Edwards' touchdown catch in the second quarter was a key determiner in the outcome. The Buckeyes went on to defeat Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, winning the national championship in double overtime.

In 2003, Michigan struck back and won the 100th meeting between the historical rivals by a score of 35-21 in Ann Arbor. Senior running back Chris Perry, a Heisman finalist, had 154 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns to lead the Wolverines to the victory. Edwards contributed 7 catches for 130 yards and 2 big touchdowns. The game's attendance was 112,118, the largest crowd ever for an NCAA football game. In 2004, the 6-4 Buckeyes defeated the heavily favored 9-1 Wolverines. After falling in a 14-7 hole, sophomore quarterback Troy Smith and true freshmen receiver Ted Ginn lead the Buckeyes to score 27 unanswered points and post a 37-21 win.

In the 2005 game in Ann Arbor, Michigan fell behind 9-0 in the second quarter. However, two turnovers by the Buckeyes in their own territory staked Michigan to an 18-12 lead going into the 4th quarter, and the Wolverines appeared to deliver the knockout blow when junior kicker Garrett Rivas made it 21-12 with under 8 minutes to go in the game. However, on the Buckeyes ensuing drive Smith passed 26 yards to junior receiver Santonio Holmes for a touchdown to make the score 21-19. Ohio State then got the ball back with 4:05 to go in the game, and Smith led them on a come-from-behind game-winning drive of 88 yards that concluded with a short touchdown run by true sophomore Antonio Pittman with 25 seconds to go. The 2 point conversion was intercepted, but Ohio State held on for a 25-21 victory. Smith threw for 300 yards and completed 73% of his passes. Ginn had a game high 9 catches for 89 yards.

2006 - #1 vs #2

On November 18, 2006, Ohio State and Michigan met for their annual showdown, each carrying an 11-0 record. For the first time the two rivals faced off while holding the top two spots in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. Ohio State won the game by a score of 42-39 and became the outright Big Ten champion, earning the right to play for a national championship at the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona. Michigan struck first blood with a touchdown run by junior running back Mike Hart, but the Buckeyes then scored 21 unanswered points, and at halftime, they were up 28-14. However, the Wolverines weren't ready to back down. Thanks to an interception and a fumble recovery by junior defensive tackle Alan Branch, Michigan made it 35-31 Ohio State with 14 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Michigan appeared to get the ball back with 6 minutes to go, but junior outside linebacker Shawn Crable was nailed with a 15 yard, roughing the QB penalty on 3rd down, and the Buckeyes took full advantage of that. Smith hit Brian Robiskie for a touchdown pass and a 42-31 lead with 5 minutes to go in the game. The Wolverines still had fight in them, and after Ohio State was called for pass interference on a failed 4th down attempt, giving Michigan an automatic 1st down, junior quarterback Chad Henne found senior tight end Tyler Ecker for a 16 yard touchdown with 2 minutes to go to cut the OSU lead to 42-37. Senior wide receiver Steve Breaston caught the 2 point conversion to bring the Wolverines within a field goal. Michigan needed to recover the ensuing onside kick, and they failed to do so. The Buckeyes ran out the clock for the victory, and a trip to the BCS national championship game. Smith completed 71% of his passes for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns, essentially clinching the Heisman trophy. Ginn caught 8 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. Hart was also sensational, carrying 23 times for 142 yards and 3 touchdowns against a stout Buckeye defense. Henne had a spectacular day with 267 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no turnovers on a 60% completion percentage. The game was highly touted by ESPN/ABC (there was even a game countdown clock for a week before kickoff) and was viewed by the largest television audience for a regular season college football game since 1993, averaging 21.8 million viewers. The victory marked the first time in 43 years that the Buckeyes had won three consecutive games in the series. The game gained even more significance when, on the eve of the meeting, legendary Michigan head coach and former Ohio State assistant coach Bo Schembechler died. Schembechler was honored with a video tribute at Ohio Stadium as well as a moment of silence before kickoff. Following the November 18, 2006 game, there was a chance of a rematch in the BCS title game, but Florida was chosen over Michigan to be Ohio State's opponent.

The rivalry continues

In the 2007 game Ohio State achieved four consecutive victories over Michigan for only the third time in the history of the rivalry. The Buckeyes were led by sophomore running back Chris "Beanie" Wells who ran for a career high and OSU record vs. Michigan 222 yards plus two touchdowns, and by defensive lineman Vernon Gholston, whose three sacks of Chad Henne led the defense to a 14-3 victory. Ohio State's defense limited Michigan to just 91 yards of offense, with a mere 14 net yards in the 2nd half (and a net loss in the fourth quarter).

Tressel has compiled a 6-1 record against Lloyd Carr's Michigan teams, leaving Carr with a 6-7 career record against Ohio State. Michigan leads the overall series 57-41-6 and the conference series 45-41-4.

Game results

Winning team is shown in bold font. Years of a Michigan victory are in blue. Years of an Ohio State victory are in scarlet.

Year	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Rank#

Year	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Rank#

Year	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Rank#

Series facts

• Michigaghfkn leads the series all time 57-41-6.

• The 2006 game was the first time that Ohio State and Michigan met ranked #1 and #2 in the country.

• Only three times in history has the matchup pitted the two against each other with perfect records on the last game of the regular season. In 1970 OSU (8-0) and Michigan (9-0) met in Columbus, with the Buckeyes winning 20-9. Ohio State went on to lose to Stanford in the hi Rose Bowl. Then in 1973 OSU (9-0) traveled to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan (10-0), and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. Controversially, Ohio State was selected as the Big Ten's candidate to travel to the Rose Bowl, where they defeated USC. In 2006, Ohio State and Michigan met with both having 11-0 records. Ohio State won 42-39. Three other times (1902, 1906, and 1933) the two teams met each other with perfect records in early season matchups.

• Since 1935, Ohio State and Michigan have decided the Big Ten Conference championship between themselves on 23 different occasions.

• Michigan's longest winning streak in the rivalry is nine games, from 1901-1909. Michigan also went without a loss in the first 15 games (13 wins and two ties). Ohio State's longest winning streak is four games, from 1934-1937, 1960-1963, and 2004-Present.

• Michigan's largest victory margin was in 1902, when it won 86-0. Ohio State's largest victory margin was in 1935, when it posted a 38-0 shutout. OSU's highest point total in a game was 50, which occurred in 1961 and 1968.

• Michigan has been shut out in 11 games in the rivalry. Ohio State has been shut out 26 times. The second meeting between the schools resulted in a 0-0 tie.

• Between 1933 and 1940, the losing team was shut out every year. The teams split the meetings 4-4, with a combined winning-losing score of 206-0.

• The Ohio State Alma Mater “Carmen Ohio” was written on the train ride home to Columbus following the 1902 contest, which saw Ohio State losing to Michigan 86-0. The lyrics and melody (Spanish Chant) have remained largely unchanged since its conception.

• Other than (often) the Big Ten Championship Trophy, there is no trophy for the Michigan-Ohio State game. However, Ohio State has a separate tradition. When the Buckeyes win the game, each team member receives a pair of "Gold Pants," a small golden charm of football pants worn by football players on necklaces. This tradition was started by former coach Francis Schmidt, who remarked in 1934 about a heavily favored Michigan team "They put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as we do!"

• Participants of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry have produced two Heisman Trophy firsts. OSU running back Archie Griffin is the only player to ever win the Heisman twice, doing so in 1974 and 1975. Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson became the first primarily defensive player to win the award in 1997.

• Ohio State fans often sing a song during rivalry games to the tune of The Old Grey Mare the words of which are "We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan...'cause we're from O-hi-o"

• In honor of the 100th meeting between the schools in 2003, US Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio proposed a resolution in the House to recognize Michigan and Ohio State as the "greatest sports rivalry in history."

• In 2003, a judge in Columbus, Ohio allowed Jeff Renne, an inmate charged with forgery, to stay in a local jail so that he could watch the 100th game between OSU and Michigan. Renne told the judge that he would plead guilty as long as he could stay in jail for the weekend and watch the game before he was relocated to a prison.

• In 2004, Michigan and Ohio State announced a deal with SBC Communications to sponsor their football game for the next two years for $1.06 million, to be split between the universities. The game would be dubbed the "SBC Michigan-Ohio State Classic" that year and the order of the school names would be switched the next. Advertisements were to be placed on billboards in Ohio Stadium, but not on the field or on player uniforms, nor anywhere in Michigan Stadium, where there is no commercial advertising. Fans and alumni of both schools were outraged and ultimately the deal was cancelled. The game remains unsponsored.

• Following the general elections in 2006, the race in Ohio's 15th congressional district was disputed between incumbent Deborah Pryce and challenger Mary Jo Kilroy. The district delayed recounting votes until after the Michigan-Ohio State game in Columbus on November 18.

• In 2006, half an hour after the Ohio State-Michigan game ended, the Ohio Lottery PICK 4 evening drawing was 4-2-3-9, matching the final score of the game and paying out up to $5,000 per winner, for a total payout of $2.2 million.

• In 2006, the Ohio High School Athletic Association had to change the times of many post-season high school football games because of the Ohio State-Michigan game.

• In 2006, press reports indicated that the two schools had turned down several million dollars from a broadcast network to reschedule the game from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to later in the season.

• The 2007 game marked only the second time in the history of the rivalry that both Ohio State and Michigan lost in their immediately preceding games (the only other time was in 1959) after Michigan lost to Wisconsin and Ohio State lost to Illinois.

In popular culture

The 2007 HBO documentary Michigan Vs. Ohio State: The Rivalry focused on the rivalry, chiefly the "Ten-Year War" through the present.

In 2006, as part of GO BLUE!!!!!!their Midwest Midterm Midtacular, The Daily Show visited The Ohio State University and made fun of the rivalry on the final night by having correspondent Rob Riggle report while wearing a Michigan sweatshirt. This, of course, angered the entire OSU audience. After the sketch was over, Jon Stewart compared the rivalry to the disputes between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

See also

• Michigan Wolverines football
• Ohio State Buckeyes football

External links

• The Ohio State University
  • Official Ohio State University Athletics website
  • A History of the Conflict
• University of Michigan
  • Official University of Michigan Athletics website
  • The 100th Anniversary of the "...border battle."
• Ohio State Vs. Michigan Football History
• The Rivalry: Documentary produced by HBO