Author: Jeff Cummins

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

If you went by the records, there was no reason to expect much from the 1964 Wolverines. The previous season had been a disappointment, as had many of the past dozen seasons.

However, the Wolverines had one thing in their favor coming into the 1964 season, maybe the most important thing: They had a lot of talented players coming back.

The first and final installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 1964. Lyndon B. Johnson was now president. The national economy was growing, unemployment was dropping, and The Beatles appeared on the “Ed Sullivan Show” and took the nation by storm. And back in Michigan, the Wolverines were quietly returning a pretty good group of football players, including a pair of All-Americans, Robert Timberlake and William Yearby.

When the Wolverines arrived in Columbus, they knew it wouldn’t be easy to beat the Buckeyes. Sure enough, the game started in very slow, plodding fashion.

Finally, late in the second quarter, the patience paid off. After Ohio State muffed a punt, John Henderson pounced on the ball for Michigan at the Ohio State 20-yard line. Two plays later, Timberlake threw a 17-yard pass to Jim Detwiler, who literally landed on the goal line to give Michigan a 7-0 lead.

After Ohio State missed a pair of field goals in the first half, the Wolverines clamped down on the Buckeye attack in the second half. Rick Volk intercepted an Ohio State pass in the fourth quarter and the Wolverines took over at their own 28, with a little more than five minutes left to play. On Ohio State’s next possession, the Buckeyes drove to the Wolverines’ 43-yard line, but the drive stalled, and Michigan took over possession and ran out the clock, shutting out Ohio State 10-0, in Ohio Stadium, a feat that’s not easily accomplished in any era.

With the win, Michigan advanced won the Big Ten championship and advanced to the Rose Bowl, where the Wolverines trounced Oregon State, 34-7. The Wolverines finished the season with a record of 9 wins and 1 loss, and were ranked No. 4 in both the AP poll and the coaches’ poll. In retrospect, only a failed two-point conversion against Purdue prevented a perfect season and a likely national championship. In all the 1964 Wolverines rank as one of the most under appreciated teams in the school’s illustrious football history.

Thanks to YouTube and YouTube poster WolverineHistorian for the highlight film of this game. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com own anything and do not profit in any way from this blog post, which is intended strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

9-3. The mere mention of that score brings smiles to the faces of Wolverines everywhere, as they remember the legendary “Snow Bowl” in 1950.

But no, this isn’t about that game.

The fourth installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back 1980, thirty years after the Snow Bowl. By this time, Ronald Reagan was the president of the United States, the automobile industry that fueled the midwest for decades had changed significantly, and American society was undergoing massive changes. Some new things were occurring, and in some instances, old things were being revived.

One thing that never needed revival was the rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State. In 1980, both teams entered “The Game” with perfect records in the Big Ten and the conference title on the line, as it has been on many occasions. With both teams playing stingy defense, every possession would be critical. Michigan coach Bo Schembechler was acutely aware of this fact, and he designed a game plan that featured a lot of running, with backs Lawrence Ricks, Stan Edwards and Butch Woolfolk repeatedly probing the Ohio State forward wall, secure in the knowledge that if the Buckeyes overcommitted to stopping the run, Michigan receiver Anthony Carter had the speed to make them regret that choice.

Nonetheless, Ohio State grabbed the early lead when Vlade Janakievski kicked a 33-yard field goal to put the Buekeyes up, 3-0. The Wolverines didn’t take long to respond, though. With their backs repeatedly pounding the Ohio State defensive line, the Wolverines drove into Ohio State territory, where Ali Haji-Sheikh kicked a 43-yard field goal to send the teams to their lockers at halftime with the score tied, 3-3.

Michigan used the same game plan in the second half, and when the Wolverines drove to the Ohio State 13-yard line, John Wangler connected with Carter in the end zone to give Michigan a 9-3 lead.

With a one score lead, Michigan appeared poised to take firm control of the game when Stan Edwwards threw an option pass into the Ohio State end zone. However, the Bucheyes were ready, and they intercepted the pass, thwarting Michigan’s threat.

Ohio State had one final chance, on a 4th down and 25 yards to go from the Michigan 47-yard line. Buckeye QB Art Schlichter faded back to pass, but he never saw Robert Thompson, who hit Schlichter right in the chest and drove him to the ground, securing Michigan’s win

The victory sent the Wolverines to the Rose Bowl, where they routed Washington, 23-6. The 1980 team was marked by a dominant defense, which produced one of the best efforts by a Michigan defense at Ohio Stadium in the last 60 years.

Thanks to YouTube poster WolverineHistorian for the highlight film of this game. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com own anything, and we do not profit from this blog post, which is intended strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

The third installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us to 1975.

Few games have changed as quickly and dramatically as the 1975 game. MIchigan was playing at home, and in the early 1970s, Michigan Stadium had been an impenetrable fortress for the Wolverines. Michigan had not lost a game at Michigan Stadium since Missouri defeated the Wolverines on Oct. 4, 1969, more than six years earlier. Head coach Bo Schembechler had the team winning, and athletic director Don Canham used clever marketing and attractive ticket prices to ensure that “The Big House” was frequently a jammed house.

After giving up an early touchdown, Michigan seemed to take control of the ’75 game when quarterback Rick Leach scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter to give MIchigan a 14-7 lead with just 7:11 remaining.

Just a little more than seven minutes. Seven minutes to complete an undefeated regular season. Seven minutes to begin a celebration that grandchildren would be told about decades later.

Then, as the shadows on the field grew, Ohio State came back.

With Ohio State just half a yard away, fullback Pete Johnson burst over the goal line to tie the score. Suddenly, the mood changed in Michigan Stadium, as memories of recent horrors against the Buckeyes started to rear their ugly heads.

Michigan had 3:18 left to reclaim victory. Leach faded back to pass, and heaved the ball, only to see Ray Griffin, Archie Griffin’s brother, intercept the pass and return it to the Michigan 2-yard line. From there, Johnson banged, battered, and backed his way into the end zone, and the Wolverines were right back where they started, trailing by a touchdown.

One final possession ended in an interception, retulting in a 21-14 loss to Ohio State and ending Michigan’s hopes for a trip to the Rose Bowl. Instead, Michigan played Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, where the Wolverines fell to the eventual national champions, 14-6. It was a disappointing end to a promising season, but better things lay ahead for the Wolverines, who returned a solid nucleus of players the following season.

Thanks to YouTube and YouTube poster Jess Chabot for the video of this game.

As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com own anything, and we do not profit from this blog post, which is intended strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

Mike Lantry approched the ball with the game on the line. There was a lot of pressure, but nothing like what he faced in Vietnam.

The second installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 1974.

The mid-1970s featured two of the most controversial games between the two rivals, both involving Michigan kicker Mike Lantry. Lantry was older than mostly college football players, because he did three tours of duty in the Vietnam War. In 1973 the game ended in a tie, with Lantry missing a pair of field goals in the final minutes. One year later, Lantry was given another chance.

With just seconds left in the game, Lantry lined up for a 37-yard field goal, but it wasn’t a chip shot. The ball was placed at an odd angle, and Lantry couldn’t kick the ball straight ahead. He had to kick it far to the left to make sure it went through the uprights. As Lantry drove his leg into the ball, it soared high into the air, invisible to most people.

The ball sailed high, and far to the left. After several seconds, the referees said it was too far to the left, and Ohio State won, 12-10.

Since technology and video were not as advanced in 1974, there really was no good view of the kick, other than that of the referee standing directly under the goal post. Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who was providing color commentary for the tv broadcast that day, said that he thought the kick looked good from his angle.

Michigan finished the season with 10 wins for the third consecutive season, and for the third consecutive season, the Wolverines were not able to play in a bowl game, due to Big Ten rules. That would change after the 1974 season, another thing that propelled college football toward the game we know today. From 1972-1974, Michigan had a record of 30 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie. Unfortunately, every game that was not a victory came against Ohio State.

Following the game, Lantry received countless expressions of sympathy and support from the Michigan faithful. He went on to a successful career as a consultant to the automotive industry, and retired not long ago.

Thanks to ESPN Classic, YouTube, and YouTube poster ROLL TIDE Graham 2 for the broadcast of this game. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com own anything, and we do not profit from this blog post, which is intended strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

It’s fair to say that John Kolesar was an unlikely hero as Michigan prepared to face Ohio State in 1985.

The first installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us to 1985, a season when Michigan football was led by a stingy defense. Prior to the Ohio State game, no opponent had scored more than 15 points against Michigan. Defensive tackle Mike Hammerstein and cornerback Brad Cochran were both named consensus first-team All-America selections, and Hammerstein and Cochran were joined by defensive lineman Mark Messner and linebacker Mike Mallory on the All-Big Ten team. A total of 11 different Wolverines had interceptions that season, and Ivan Hicks and Doug Mallory finished the season with three interceptions apiece. Messner seemed to have a radar for finding ballcarriers. In the two games Michigan didn’t win, Iowa scored only 12 points and Illinois scored only three. And no opponent had seriously threatened Michigan in Michigan Stadium.

Yes, it was a banner year for the Michigan defense.

Still, the offense had plenty to offer. Quarterback Jim Harbaugh set a school record with 1,976 passing yards and running back Jamie Morris added 1,030 yards on the ground. Split end Paul Jokisch gave Harbaugh a massive target at 6-foot-7. Oh, and left tackle Jumbo Elliott was pretty good, too.

Of course, Ohio State was also pretty good. Few teams give more effort against a particular opponent than the Buckeyes give against the Wolverines. After Keith Byars scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter, Ohio State grabbed a 10-3 lead, but it didn’t last long, as Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh connected with Gerald White for a 4-yard touchdown to send the teams to their respective locker rooms tied, 10-10.

As the third quarter unfolded, the sun dipped below the western rim of Michigan Stadium, and the Wolverines slowly took control of the game. Pat Moons, subbing for Mike Gillette, kicked his second field goal of the day to give Michigan a 3-point lead. When Harbaugh flipped a 5-yard pass to tight end Eric Kattus in the end zone, the lead grew to 10, and the faithful started to feel pretty good about things. But Ohio State wasn’t about to go away without a fight. On 4th down and 15 yards to go, the Buckeyes gambled, and quarterback Jim Karsatos thew a 36-yard pass that Cris Carter caught in the end zone to cut Michigan’s lead down to three points. Suddenly, fans in the stadium remembered a disastrous fourth quarter against Ohio State 10 years earlier. An angst permeated the stadium atmosphere as Harbaugh and company got the ball back. But as Ohio State blitzed, Kolesar was left playing against only single coverage, and he easily got behind the defensive back and caught a dramatic 77-yard touchdown pass from Harbaugh that put Michigan in complete control of the game. Ohio State continued to fight, but the Michigan defensive line converged on Karsatos and forced a fumble that left no doubt that the Wolverines would win.

When it was over, the Wolverines won, 27-17, and advanced to the Fiesta Bowl, where they defeated Nebraska in a game that could best be called anticlimactic. The true crowning of the season occurred on that memorable Saturday in November against Ohio State.

Thanks to CBS Sports, YouTube and YouTube poster The Big Chap 101 for the broadcast of this game. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com own anything, and we do not profit in any way from this blog post.