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Former Ohio State Head Football coach Woody Hayes  
The Game The Greatest Rivalry in College Sports Ohio State vs Michigan
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Ohio State Head Football coach Urban Meyer



 
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HBO's Special: Michigan vs. Ohio State: The Rivalry

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Last Game


56-27

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE

Michigan  Buckeyes  Brutus Go Bucks!

#1 Ohio State Traveled to #13 TTUN for The Game on November 28, 2019


 


62-39

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE

Michigan  Buckeyes  Brutus Go Bucks!

#2 TTUN Traveled to #10 Ohio State for The Game on November 24, 2018


 


31-20

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE

Michigan  Buckeyes  Brutus Go Bucks!

#9 Ohio State Traveled to Ann Arbor for the annual rivalry game against TTUN on November 25, 2017


 


30-24 2OT

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE

Michigan  Buckeyes  Brutus Go Bucks!

#3 Michigan traveled to #2 Ohio State for the annual rivalry game November 26, 2016


 


42-13

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE

Michigan  Buckeyes  Brutus Go Bucks!

Ohio State Traveled to Ann Arbor for the annual rivalry game against TTUN on November 28, 2015


 


42-28


  


  

TSUN
Nov 29, 2014 Noon





42-41


Preview & Postgame


MichiganBuckeyes

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE


 Brutus Go Bucks!




26-21


Preview & Postgame


MichiganBuckeyes

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE


 Brutus Go Bucks!




Ohio State Falls 40-34 at No. 15 Michigan in 2011 Regular Season Finale


 
37-7


Preview & Postgame


MichiganBuckeyes

MICHIGAN  vs.  OHIO STATE


 Brutus Go Bucks!




38-7


OSU vs MICHIGAN  Postgame

OHIO STATE vs. MICHIGAN
 Brutus Go Bucks! Michigan Wolverines






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The Big Ten powers that decided in 1935 to schedule Michigan and Ohio State as each others last game of the season must have been able to foretell the future. Today many consider 'The Game' the greatest sports rivalry of the 20th century, including the United States Congress which recognized The Game as the "greatest sports rivalry in history".

It's tough to argue there is one better in all of college sports, especially if you bleed scarlet and gray or maize and blue. Coaches could have great years, but if they lose this single game...

Former Ohio State Head Football coach Earle BruceFormer OSU head coach Earle Bruce was an assistant under Woody Hayes for seven seasons before leading the Buckeyes to a 5-4 mark against Michigan as head coach from 1979-87. He once said, "If you don't win the Michigan-Ohio State game, that's a problem." "You're not going to be recognized for too much success. We've had 11-1 and 10-1 football teams that lost to Michigan and they're not even mentioned in the second breath."

The first game between the two was in 1897 and they have played each other every year since with seven exceptions: 1898, 1899 and between 1913 through 1917. Ohio State joined the Western Conference (now known as the Big Ten) in 1912, but Michigan left the conference between 1907 and 1917. The conference did not allow any of its members to play Michigan because it had withdrawn from the conference. Michigan rejoined the Big Ten in 1918 and thus the series was resumed. Michigan won the first conference game between the schools in 1918, but then Ohio State had three consecutive wins.

Michigan dominated the early years compiling a 13-0-2 record in non-conference match-ups between 1897 and 1918. The Buckeyes first win against Michigan came in 1919. UM leads the series 57-41-6. However, since 1952, Woody Hayes' 2nd season as head coach, OSU has won 29, lost 25 and tied 2.

From 1968 through 1982, either Ohio State or Michigan won, or shared, the Big Ten Title. The same is true 16 more times in the 22 years between 1984 and 2005.

In 1968 Ohio State beat Michigan 50-14 and went on to win 1968 National Championship. It also ushered out Michigan head coach Bump Elliott.

Bo Schembechler new head coach at  Michigan in 1969, the beginning of the ten year warThe next year, 1969, Bo Schembechler took over as head coach of Wolverines. He broke Woody Hayes 22 game winning streak and knocked #1 Ohio State from atop the college rankings. Some call this game the greatest college football upset of all-time. Woody said he thought his 1969 team, which went 9-1, was his best, even better than the 1968 National Champions.


Bo Schembechler was an assistant coach at Ohio State under Woody HayesThe 1969 game was beginning of what became known as "Ten Year War." For ten years OSU and Michigan dominated Big Ten play, splitting ten conference titles and finishing second eight times. Hayes supposedly could not bring himself to speak name of "that school up north," hence OSU fans refer to UM as 'TSUN'. Schembechler, who played for Hayes at Miami (OH) and was an OSU assistant coach under Hayes, enjoyed nothing more than beating his old mentor. After ten years of memorable on-field stratagems, sideline antics, and locker room psychological ploys, the two coaches came out almost dead-even with Bo holding a slim 5-4-1 advantage.

In 1970 both teams were undefeated and faced each other in Columbus. Woody Hayes' Bucks prevailed beating Bo and Michigan 20-9. At the time, OSU was ranked 5th nationally and Michigan 4th.

On five occasions, both teams went into The Game unbeaten. The Bucks won four and the fifth was a tie: 1944, OSU won 18-14; 1970, OSU won 20-9; 1973, 10-10 tie; 1975, OSU won 21-14; 2006, OSU won 42-39.

Ohio State spoiled perfect seasons for Michigan in 1944, (OSU won 18-14), 1970 (Ohio State won, 20-9), 1972 (Ohio State won, 14-11), 1973 (teams tied, 10-10), 1974 (Ohio State won, 12-10) and 2006 (Ohio State won, 42-39).

TSUN returned the favor, spoiling OSU perfect seasons in 1969 (Michigan won, 24-12), 1973 (teams tied, 10-10), 1993 (Michigan won, 28-0), 1995 (Michigan won, 31-23) and 1996 (Michigan won, 13-9).

Woody vs. Bo: Take a trip down memory lane with this multimedia presentation that highlights the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry during the years that Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler were at the helms of the Buckeyes and Wolverines. Our timeline features photos from the era, along with video clips from the 1982 retrospective The Ten Year War: Woody vs. Bo. (Source: Columbus Dispatch)

John Cooper coached the Buckeyes for 13 years compiling a record of 111-43-4

OSU's John Cooper, who had 2 undefeated teams beaten by Michigan, which basically cost Buckeyes national championships, won just 2 times in 13 years vs Michigan. Even though he had one of best records in college football (111-43-4) during those 13 seasons, he is almost singularly be remembered for his "failures" against Michigan.



Jim Tressel was hired in 2001 and best Michigan that first year.
 
 
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Tressel has psoted a 7-1 record against Michigan
A new era was born with arrival of Jim Tressel. In January 2001, during half time of the OSU-Michigan basketball game he told an attentive crowd: "I can assure you that you'll be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community and especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor"

He was right. Coach Tressel was only the fourth coach in Ohio State football history to win his first game against Michigan. After nine games, he posted a 9-1 record against TSUN. (Only one coach, Francis Schmidt, started 2-0 against Wolverines; he was 4-0 from 1934 to 1937.)

Under Head Coach Jim Tressel, Ohio State has beaten Michigan in all but one game. Read the game-day stories, from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, by clicking on the score:

• Nov. 24, 2001: Ohio State 26, Michigan 20 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 23, 2002: Ohio State 14, Michigan 9 (Columbus)
• Nov. 22, 2003: Ohio State 21, Michigan 35 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 20, 2004: Ohio State 37, Michigan 21 (Columbus)
• Nov. 19, 2005: Ohio State 25, Michigan 21 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 18, 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39 (Columbus)
• Nov. 17, 2007: Ohio State 14, Michigan 3 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 22, 2008: Ohio State 42, Michigan 7 (Columbus)
• Nov. 21, 2009: Ohio State 21, Michigan 10 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 27, 2010: Ohio State 37, Michigan 7 (Columbus)



Ohio State HC Urban MeyerUrban Meyer is only the fifth coach in Ohio State football history to win his first game against Michigan.

Coach Urban Meyer is also the first Buckeyes HC to go 7-0 vs TTUN to start his tenure.

Ohio State HC Ryan DayRyan Day is only the sixth coach in Ohio State football history to win his first game against Michigan. Buckeyes win 56-27 in 2019

 

THE GAME
 

 

 

 
THE GAME: 1960
 

 
THE GAME: 1961
 

 
THE GAME: 1962
 

 
THE GAME: 1963
 

 
THE GAME: 1965
 

 
THE GAME: 1967
 

 
THE GAME: 1968
 

 
THE GAME: 1970
 

 
THE GAME: 1972
 

 
THE GAME: 1974
 

 
THE GAME: 2001
 

 
THE GAME: 1942
 

 
THE GAME: 1942      
 
  Year   Winner   Score
  1897   UM   UM 34, OSU 0
  1900 Tie OSU 0, UM 0
  1901   UM   UM 21, OSU 0
  1902   UM   UM 86, OSU 0
  1903   UM   UM 36, OSU 0
  1904   UM   UM 31, OSU 6
  1905   UM   UM 40, OSU 0
  1906   UM   UM 6, OSU 0
  1907   UM   UM 22, OSU 0
  1908   UM   UM 10, OSU 6
  1909   UM   UM 33, OSU 6
  1910   Tie   OSU 3, UM 3
  1911   UM   UM 19, OSU 0
  1912   UM   UM 14, OSU 0
  1918   UM   UM 14, OSU 0
1919   OSU   OSU 13, UM 3
1920   OSU   OSU 14, UM 7
1921   OSU   OSU 14, UM 0
  1922   UM   UM 19, OSU 0
  1923   UM   UM 23, OSU 0
  1924   UM   UM 16, OSU 6
  1925   UM   UM 10, OSU 0
  1926   UM   UM 17, OSU 16
  1927   UM   UM 21, OSU 0
1928   OSU   OSU 19, UM 7
1929   OSU   OSU 7, UM 0
  1930   UM   UM 13, OSU 0
1931   OSU   OSU 20, UM 7
  1932   UM   UM 14, OSU 0
  1933   UM   UM 13, OSU 0
1934   OSU   OSU 34, UM 0
1935   OSU   OSU 38, UM 0
1936   OSU   OSU 21, UM 0
1937   OSU   OSU 21, UM 0
  1938   UM   UM 18, OSU 0
  1939   UM   UM 21, OSU 14
  1940   UM   UM 40, OSU 0
  1941   Tie   OSU 20, UM 20
1942   OSU   OSU 21, UM 7
  1943   UM   UM 45, OSU 7
1944   OSU   OSU 18, UM 14
  1945   UM   UM 7, OSU 3
  1946   UM   UM 58, OSU 6
  1947   UM   UM 21, OSU 0
  1948   UM   UM 13, OSU 3
  1949   Tie   OSU 7, UM 7
  1950   UM   UM 9, OSU 3
  1951   UM   UM 7, OSU 0
1952   OSU   OSU 27, UM 7
  1953   UM   UM 20, OSU 0
1954   OSU   OSU 21, UM 7
1955   OSU   OSU 17, UM 0
  1956   UM   UM 19, OSU 0
1957   OSU   OSU 31, UM 14
1958   OSU   OSU 20, UM 14
  1959   UM   UM 23, OSU 14
1960   OSU   OSU 7, UM 0
  1961   OSU   OSU 50, UM 20
1962   OSU   OSU 28, UM 0
1963   OSU   OSU 14, UM 10
  1964   UM   UM 10, OSU 0
1965   OSU   OSU 9, UM 7
  1966   UM   UM 17, OSU 3
1967   OSU   OSU 24, UM 14
1968   OSU   OSU 50, UM 14
  1969   UM   UM 24, OSU 12
1970   OSU   OSU 20, UM 9
  1971   UM   UM 10, OSU 7
1972   OSU   OSU 14, UM 11
  1973   Tie   OSU 10, UM 10
1974   OSU   OSU 12, UM 10
1975   OSU   OSU 21, UM 14
  1976   UM   UM 22, OSU 0
  1977   UM   UM 14, OSU 6
  1978   UM   UM 14, OSU 3
1979   OSU   OSU 18, UM 15
  1980   UM   UM 9, OSU 3
1981   OSU   OSU 14, UM 9
1982   OSU   OSU 24, UM 14
  1983   UM   UM 24, OSU 21
1984   OSU   OSU 21, UM 6
  1985   UM   UM 27, OSU 17
  1986   UM   UM 26, OSU 24
1987   OSU   OSU 23, UM 20
  1988   UM   UM 34, OSU 31
  1989   UM   UM 28, OSU 18
  1990   UM   UM 16, OSU 13
  1991   UM   UM 31, OSU 3
  1992   Tie   OSU 13, UM 13
  1993   UM   UM 28, OSU 0
1994   OSU   OSU 22, UM 6
  1995   UM   UM 31, OSU 23
  1996   UM   UM 13, OSU 9
  1997   UM   UM 20, OSU 14
1998   OSU   OSU 31, UM 16
  1999   UM   UM 24, OSU 17
  2000   UM   UM 38, OSU 26
2001   OSU   OSU 26, UM 20
2002   OSU   OSU 14, UM 9
  2003   UM   UM 35, OSU 21
2004   OSU   OSU 37, UM 21
2005   OSU   OSU 25, UM 21
2006   OSU   OSU 42, UM 39
2007   OSU   OSU 14, UM 3
2008   OSU   OSU 42, UM 7
2009   OSU   OSU 21, UM 10
2010   OSU   OSU 37, UM 7
  2011   UM   UM 40, OSU 34
2012   OSU   OSU 26, UM 21
2013   OSU   OSU 42, UM 41
2014   OSU   OSU 42, UM 28
2015   OSU   OSU 42, UM 13
2016   OSU   OSU 30, UM 24 2OT
2017   OSU   OSU 31, UM 20
2018   OSU   OSU 62, UM 39
2019   OSU   OSU 56, UM 27
  2021   UM   UM 42, OSU 27


Total number of meetings:  117
UM leads series:  59-52-6
primarily because of the Wolverines' record of 13-0-2 during the first 15 games (played between 1897 and 1918).

Urban Meyer was only fifth coach in OSU
history to win his first game against Michigan.

Meyer won his first
seven games vs Michigan and is the first Ohio State HC to do so.

Since 1951 (the arrival of Woody Hayes), Ohio State leads the series, 39-28-2. The Buckeyes have won and fifteen in the last seventeen games in the series.
OSU didn't win until the 16th game
in the series (1919)

From 1968 through 1980 the Big Ten
Rose Bowl rep was either OSU or UM

Jim Tressel was only fourth coach in OSU
history to win his first game against Michigan.

Jim Tressel is the first coach in OSU
history to both beat Michigan seven straight
times and win nine of his first ten
games against Michigan.

UM longest winning streak: 9 yrs (1901-09)
OSU longest winning streak: 8 yrs
(2003-10) & (2012-2019)
Current win streak: 1 yr - UM

 Homecoming 1938
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1931
 
 
THE GAME: 1982
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1935
 

 
 
THE GAME: 2002
 
 
THE GAME: 1952
 
 
THE GAME: 2002
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1954
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 2003
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1955
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1957
 
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1958
 

 
 
THE GAME: 1929


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The Journey: Big Ten Football 2013 - Ohio State vs TSUN Director's Cut


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Ohio State University vs Michigan hype video for the 2011 football game



The M Club Banner Incident - Michigan 1973

 
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On November 21, 2013 the Buckeyes take on the Wolverines at Ann Arbor--the 110th occasion of a game that's recognized as one of the greatest sports rivalries of all time. Use our interactive timeline to take a look back at The Game, from its humble 1901 inception in Columbus to the 1950 Snow Bowl to the Urban Era. Source: OSU.edu

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Gold Pants Gold Pants: A gold charm replica of a pair of football pants is given to players and coaches following wins over Michigan. charms are engraved with each player’s or coach's initials, date of game, and final score. This tradition started in 1934 when new head coach Francis Schmidt was asked how he expected to cope with OSU nemesis from Ann Arbor. His matter-of-fact answer developed into a cliche: "They put their pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else." Schmidt’s Buckeyes then went and defeated Michigan four-consecutive times, all by shutout.

2010 The Game 5 Straight Gold Pants


4 Straight Gold Pants

 
Click below...
THE GAME: Some of the Classics in the series

 
The Game: A Historical Perspective


The Game
The Game




Op-Ed BlogOSU's Greatest Football Wins: Michigan  BuckeyeSports.com finishes their countdown of the Greatest Wins in Ohio State history with the biggest game there is, the Michigan rivalry. Which victory is the Buckeyes' best against their hated rivals?


Coaches with five or more games
Coach School Games Record Percent
Urban MeyerOhio State 77-0-01.000
Jim Tressel Ohio State10 9-1-0 0.900
Fielding Yost Michigan 20 16-3-1 0.825
Herbert Crisler Michigan 10 7-2-1 0.750
Gary Moeller Michigan 5 3-1-1 0.700
Woody Hayes Ohio State 28 16-11-1 0.589
Francis Schmidt Ohio State 7 4-3-0 0.571
Earle Bruce Ohio State 9 5-4-0 0.556
Bo Schembechler Michigan 21 11-9-1 0.548
Bennie Oosterbaan Michigan 11 5-5-1 0.500
Lloyd Carr Michigan 13 6-7-0 0.462
Sam Willaman Ohio State 5 2-3-0 0.400
John Wilce Ohio State 11 4-7-0 0.364
Harry Kipke Michigan 9 3-6-0 0.333
Chalmers Elliott Michigan 10 3-7-0 0.300
John Cooper Ohio State 13 2-10-1 0.192
Jim Harbaugh Michigan 5 1-5 0.200
Coaches with four or fewer games
Coach School Games Record Percent
Ryan Day Ohio State 1 1-1-0 0.500
George Little Michigan 1 1-0-0 1.000
Gustave Ferbert Michigan 1 1-0-0 1.000
Carroll Widdoes Ohio State 2 1-1-0 0.500
Brady Hoke Michigan 4 1-3-0 .250
Elton Wieman Michigan 2 1-1-0 0.500
Howard Jonesst Ohio State 1 0-0-1 0.500
Langdon Lea Michigan 1 0-0-1 0.500
Paul Brown Ohio State 3 1-1-1 0.500
John Eckstorm Ohio State 2 0-1-1 0.250
Wesley Fesler Ohio State 4 0-3-1 0.125
Rich RodriguezMichigan 3 0-3-00.000
Luke Fickell Ohio State 1 0-1-0 0.000
E.R. Sweetland Ohio State 2 0-2-0 0.000
Perry Hale Ohio State 2 0-2-0 0.000
David Edwards Ohio State 1 0-1-0 0.000
Harry Vaughn Ohio State 1 0-1-0 0.000
Jon Richards Ohio State 1 0-1-0 0.000
Paul Bixler Ohio State 1 0-1-0 0.000
A. E. Hernstein Ohio State 4 0-4-0 0.000


 

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