It’s here!!! Michigan Week!!! As an Ohio State Fan
words can’t describe THE GAME!! That is what they call the Ohio State-Michigan
Football game, just THE GAME. There are no trophies played for it, unless you
count the Golden Pants Ohio State Players, Coaches, and other personnel receive
when the team beats Michigan. In the past before expansion the only trophy up for grabs is possibly
the Big Ten Championship being on the line or decided in this game. Yet, this
game is a great reason why I love College Football. There are a lot of great
rivalries in College Football. Alabama-Auburn
, Army-Navy
, Florida-Florida
State , Oklahoma-Texas
, Purdue-Indiana(HAHA Just kidding about this one) and UCLA-USC
But one college football rivalry remains at the top of many sports experts list
Ohio State-Michigan
To my fellow
Buckeye fans, do not call yourself a true Buckeye Fan unless you have been to
THE GAME at least once. Now I know the last couple of years the rivalry has
been one-sided with Ohio State winning 10 out of the last 12 games with Jim
Tressel taking 9 out of 10 from the Maize & Blue. But, Buckeye fans I bet
we all would like to forget the 90’s when John Cooper had great teams yet,
Michigan tended to spoil our season. The names Desmond Howard
and Tim
Biakabutuka make me cringe.
John Cooper’s 2-10-1 against that School Up North
record was one of the main reasons for his firing in 2001 that caused Tressel
to come in. Our parents will remember the Ten Year War
between coaches Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler when Big 10 Titles and possibly
National Championships hung in the balance. In fact one of the most
controversial games in College Football occurred involving both teams in 1973
during the Ten Year War.
For me as a fan this rivalry can bring out the
best and sometimes the worst in a fan. Family members and friends can be on
different sides of the rivalry. Pretty much if you don’t have a great season
all will be forgiven by the fans if you’re able to beat Michigan or vice versa.
Knock on wood. As I got older I have seen some great victories over “that Team
Up North”. Also being a history bluff learned about some great victories in the
days of Woody. I’m going what I believe are the Top 10 Greatest Victories over
Michigan by THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES. I’m not going back to the early 1960’s and
before that. Looking back on these victories would make you proud to be a
Buckeye fan.
Honorable Mention: 1972: Ohio State 14 Michigan 11(Archie
Griffin’s first Michigan Game), 2001:
Ohio State 26 Michigan 20(Tressel
delivers promise & wins first Michigan Game)
10.) 1981- Ohio State 14 Michigan 9
This game occurred on the year that I
was born. I just thought it was special for the Buckeyes to welcome me into
this world 2 months later by beating Michigan. But it wasn’t easy. The Buckeyes
traveled to Ann Arbor that year and had to win in order to share the B10 Title
with Iowa or else Michigan would win it outright. The Buckeye Defense led by
Kelvin Bell intercepted Michigan 3 times and held them to field goals to win a
share of the Big 10 title with Iowa.
9.) 2004 Ohio State 37 Michigan 21
I
was at this game with my sister. First ever time going to the Michigan game.
Ohio State had a down year (6-4) that year after graduating many players from
the memorable 2002 and 2003 seasons, while Michigan (9-1) already clinched the
Rose Bowl but could win the Big 10 outright with a victory. But, not on that
day, led by Sophomore Troy Smith who threw for 241 yards 2 touchdowns, ran for
145 yards and a touchdown plus the receiving and awesome punt return by Ted
Ginn
Ohio State emerged victorious and held Michigan to
21 points for an upset victory.
8.) 2005- Ohio State 25 Michigan 21
The
following year Ohio State needed to win in order to share the B10 Title with
Penn State and go to a BCS Game. They
overcame a 21–12 deficit with less than eight minutes in the game. In the
closing minutes of the game, the Buckeye offense scored two touchdowns to claim
a 25–21 victory. Smith threw for 300 yards and completed 73% of his passes
including this one on the game winning drive to Anthony Gonzalez
7.) 1974- Ohio State 12 Michigan 10
A
trip to the Rose Bowl, Big 10, and possible National Championship were on the
line in this one. The Buckeyes were led by Heisman Trophy winner Archie
Griffin. But it was a defensive battle as the Buckeyes only got field goals.
But with 16 seconds left Michigan had the ball on the Ohio State 16 before
calling timeout. They send out Mike Lantry to win it with a field goal. But the
kick barely sailed Wide Left and the Buckeyes won.
6.) 1975- Ohio State 21 Michigan 14
5.)
1987- Ohio State 23 Michigan 20
Just prior to the game Head Coach Earle Bruce was fired the week of the game. This was done because of the poor season Ohio State had 5-4-1 and after other failed seasons where the Buckeyes finished 9-3 in almost each one of them except for Bruce’s first year where they finished #2 with a 11-1 record in 1979. The team honored Earle with headbands that said Earle on them and in the 2nd half played inspired while being down 0-13. Tom Tupa, who would become a lifelong punter in the NFL led the Buckeyes to a comeback victory by passing for 2 touchdowns and running for one. The players carried Bruce on their shoulders after the victory. After the game, Bo Schembechler told Bruce, "I always mind losing to Ohio State but I didn't mind so much today."
4.) 2012- Ohio State 26 Michigan 21
Urban Meyer’s first Michigan Game as a head coach of Ohio State. He of course was an assistant in 1986-87. Because of Tattoogate the Buckeyes were banned from playing in a bowl game last year. Yet, they were coming into the game with an undefeated record and could cap it off with a victory at home against Michigan. The first half went back and forth on offense with Michigan leading 21-20 at half. But the Buckeye D stood them up in the 2nd half and Carlos Hyde ran for 146 yards and the Buckeyes won to finish undefeated at 12-0.
3.) 2006- #1 Ohio State 42 #2 Michigan 39
-My 2nd ever Michigan-Ohio State game I went to and it was worth every penny especially since they were both ranked #1 and #2. Bo Schembechler died on the eve of the game so it added much more drama. Buckeyes won and Troy Smith went on to win the Heisman Trophy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Michigan_vs._Ohio_State_football_game
2.) 1968- Ohio State 50 Michigan 14
Many of our parents and grandparents remember this game. In the 1968 game, Ohio State won 50–14, outscoring its foe 29–0 in the second half and attempting an successful 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 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 a national championship and the reason why Bump Elliot(Michigan’s coach) resigned and they hired Bo Schembechler, who of course played, and coached under Woody and started the Famous Ten-Year War.
These were all great victories over Michigan but one of them can be considered the greatest of all and we all witnessed it over 10 years ago. Drumroll please
1.)
2002-
Ohio State 14 Michigan 9
The
victory occurred during the most memorable season in Ohio State Football
History.
The Buckeyes were # 2 undefeated and had a chance to win the Big 10 with Iowa and go to the Fiesta Bowl for the BCS National Championship but standing in their way was of course Michigan. Tressel won his first game against Michigan but was looking to win back to back something that John Cooper couldn’t do. The game was low scoring and hard hitting. Led by quarterback Craig Krenzel & Freshman Running Back Maurice Clarett the Buckeyes drove down the field and scored a TD with 4:55 left to go. When Michigan got the ball back they fumbled but the Buckeyes couldn’t do anything so they punted and Michigan possession at its own 20 with only 50 seconds. They moved the ball to the Ohio State 26, but the final pass attempt by Michigan quarterback John Navarre with 0:01 left to the endzone, was intercepted by Will Allen.
The victory sent Ohio State to the Fiesta Bowl where they played another memorable game to beat #1 Miami(Fla) to win the National Championship in Double Overtime.
So there you have it. The top 10 Greatest Victories by Ohio State Against that Team up North!! Watching a few of these highlights can put a smile on any Buckeye fan. This weekend's game is still big. Ohio State still has a shot to go to the BCS title game and Michigan can make up their season by winning in the Big House of Michigan(aka The SHIT HOUSE is what Buckeye fans call it)
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| Before the 1973 game that ended in a 10-10 tie in which athletic directors sent OSU to the Rose Bowl |
There has been still a lot of respect for one another despite the heated rivarly especially when it came to it's two greatest leaders. Woody & Bo.
