Tag: Ohio State

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Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 1995

The fourth installment of the series looking back at the Michigan-Ohio State game takes us back 20 years to the 1995 game. Michigan hadn’t played particularly well prior to the game, while Ohio State had churned through its schedule with 11 wins. Buckeye running back Eddie George was on his way to win the Heisman Trophy, and the Buckeyes were just two wins from a perfect season and a probable national championship. After years of frustration at the hands of the Wolverines, confidence was running high at Ohio State. Maybe that confidence was just a little too high.

Ohio State wide receiver Terry Glenn was really feeling the confidence leading up to the annual game with Michigan. Glenn had been a tremendous story in his own right, starting as a walk-on and earning a scholarship, Glenn was named to the All-America team in 1995, a season when he was legitimately dominant. Unfortunately for Glenn, he was a little too candid about his confidence leading up to the Michigan game, and said that Ohio State should beat Michigan rather handily. Naturally, those comments came back to haunt him. Naturally, the boast brought out the competitor in the Michigan football team, and running back Tshimanga “Touchdown Tim” Biakabutuka ran for 313 yards, routinely dragging Ohio State defenders for anywhere from 5-10 yards, while the Michigan defense largely kept George under wraps. As for Glenn, he was matched up with Michigan freshman Charles Woodson, and Ohio State quarterback Bobby Hoying chose to test the freshman on several occasions. Initially, Ohio State got the best of Woodson, but that didn’t last very long. In all, Woodson intercepted two passes, the last one largely sealing the Michigan victory.

More than any one play, the game seemed to turn on Glenn’s comment earlier in the week. On paper, the Buckeyes entered the game with a great team, but that comment whipped the Wolverines into frenzy, and it showed in their effort. Every block was finished just a little bit more, running backs kept churning their legs just a little bit more and breaking tackles, cornerbacks worked just a little bit harder at covering receivers, defensive players swarmed to the ball and helped out on tackles. In the end, Michigan just outplayed Ohio State all game, even though the Buckeyes had their moments and actually had some chances late in the game. The outcome ruined Ohio State’s shot at a national championship, as the Buckeyes went out to California and topped Arizona State in the Rose Bowl for a triumph that would have won the national championship had Ohio State beaten Michigan. For the Wolverines, the victory salvaged an otherwise bland season, though it was a season that had dramatic victories in the beginning (an 18-17 win over Boston College on the final play) and in the final regular season game. It also established the fact that Charles Woodson would be a player to watch for the next few years.

Many thanks to ABC Sports, as well as youtube posters j bakker and WolverineHistorian. I do own any content and I do not profit from this in any way. Everything here is done strictly for your enjoyment.



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Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 1975

The third installment of the series looking back at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry takes us to 1975. KC and the Sunshine Band had Americans listening to “That’s the Way (I like it)” and we had a Wolverine in the White House, with President Gerald Ford promising to “Whip Inflation Now”, while some clever, less optimistic people turned the WIN buttons upside down to convey “No Immediate Miracles.”

That last bit was good advice for the Michigan football team’s hope of beating Ohio State. Both teams came into the 1975 game without a loss, with Ohio State 10-0 and Michigan 8-0-2. The game started off like so many others had in that era, with Ohio State scoring first when Cornelius Greene connected with Peter Johnson for a 7-yard touchdown pass. Then Michigan struck back and went 80 yards, with running back Gordon Bell capping the drive by throwing a halfback option pass to Jim Smith for an 11-yard touchdown pass. In the fourth quarter, Michigan took the lead when Rick Leach scored on a 1-yard run to give Michigan a 14-7 lead. Michigan Stadium was buzzing with the hope for a Michigan win, but Ohio State had other ideas. On 4th down and one yard to go, Johnson dove in to the end zone to tie the score. Things got worse for Michigan when Leach dropped back to pass deep in Wolverine territory and was intercepted by Ohio State defensive back Ray Griffin, who returned the ball to the Michigan 3-yard line, setting up another touchdown run by Johnson and sending the crowd of 105, 543 back to their tailgate parties to contemplate what could possibly have gone wrong in the fourth quarter.

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For Ohio State, the celebration was brief. The Buckeyes traveled to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl for a rematch against a UCLA team that Ohio State had beaten earlier in the season. This time it didn’t work out so well for Ohio State, as UCLA won the Rose Bowl, 23-10. Michigan went to the Orange Bowl to play Oklahoma, which topped the Wolverines, 14-6. All in all, it was a frustrating season for Michigan, but fans of the Maize & Blue were encouraged by the youth of the team’s roster, and the knowledge that plenty of talented players would return for the 1976 season.

Thanks to youtube poster Ourhonordefend and ABC Sports. As always, I own nothing and all content is posted strictly for your enjoyment.

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Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 1976

The second installment in the series looking back at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry takes us to 1976. Jimmy Carter was elected president of the United States, and the nation was celebrating the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence, which gave Americans something to smile about, which was desperately needed in the 1970s.

On the gridiron, the Wolverines were desperately in need of a win against archrival Ohio State. The Wolverines had not beaten the Buckeyes since Billy Taylor ran around right end in 1971 and Bob Ufer famous screamed “Touchdown, Billy Taylor! Touchdown, Billy Taylor!” Growing up in the ‘70s, that stretch of non-victorious seasons seemed like an eternity, something that was accentuated by the sports media in an era before cable TV had taken over.

The Wolverines had entered 1976 with National Championship aspirations, but narrow loss at Purdue in Week Nine ended that dream. Two weeks later, the Wolverines charged onto the turf at Ohio Stadium, determined to capture at least a share of the Big Ten championship. While Michigan was favored against the Buckeyes, Ohio State had an undefeated conference record up to that point, and had clinched at least a share of the Big Ten championship. For Michigan, the surprising loss to Purdue meant that sharing the conference championship was all the Maize & Blue could hope for, at least in the regular season.

The first half proved frustrating for the Wolverines and their supporters, as the teams went to their respective locker rooms with the score tied at zero. Bad memories of recent disappointments plagued everyone who cheered for Michigan.

Things changed dramatically in the second half. While the Michigan defense continued to stifle the Ohio State offense, the Michigan offensive line began to pound away at the Buckeyes, who were determined to stop quarterback Rick Leach on the option, as well as halfback Rob Lytle. That obsession with stopping Leach and Lytle opened the way for fullback Russell Davis (“Lytle deep and Davis close”, famously intoned by Bob Ufer). David scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, and as the fourth quarter began, it was clear that the Wolverines were in command. The game ended with Michigan players giving Bo Schembechler a ride off the field on their shoulders, and Wolverine fans celebrated a long-awaited win over their fierce rivals.

We hope you enjoy the video clips below. Many thanks to ABC Sports, youtube, youtube poster Wolverine Historian and youtube poster “Dr. Sap.” As always, I own nothing, and what is posted is done so strictly for your enjoyment.


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Michigan vs Ohio State THE GAME — Looking Back — The 2000 Edition

SPECIAL TO UMGOBLUE.COM

It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by, but here we are at the beginning of another week leading up to the game between Ohio State and Michigan. For the first installment of the series, we go back to the 2000 game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. That year, we were preoccupied with a controversy involving “hanging chads” in the Presidential election, the much-feared Y2K computer disaster had turned out to be much ado about nothing, and on the air waves, we listened to Carlos Santana team up with Rob Thomas for a sexy track titled “Smooth.” On the football field, Michigan football enthusiasts enjoyed what turned out to be the only year that Drew Henson would be the Wolverines’ starting quarterback, much to the chagrin of everyone wearing maize and blue.

The day of the game, an intense cold front hit everything from the Midwest to the East Coast, and pretty much remained through the Thanksgiving holiday. The 2000 game was the final game for Ohio State coach John Cooper, a very good coach who failed to embrace the bigger-than-life ferocity of the rivalry, and led his team to only two victories over Michigan in his 13 years at the helm, which resulted in his dismissal at the conclusion of the season. Ohio State fans reviled him; while Michigan fans loved him, and to this day many UM fans would happily take him out to dinner and ask to see pictures of his children and grandchildren, something that certainly can’t be said for Jim Tressel.

The game began with Nate Clements of Ohio State returning the opening kickoff 82 yards to the Michigan 18 yard line, and a few plays later, Jonathan Wells burst into the end zone to give the Buckeyes the early lead.

Momentum wore a scarlet jersey until 9:30 remained in the first quarter, when Henson threw a screen pass to running back Anthony Thomas, who got some key blocks from fellow seniors Steve Hutchinson and Maurice Williams, enabling Thomas to go 70 yards for a touchdown. Suddenly, the flow of the game changed significantly. Ohio State later regained the lead, but Henson’s early TD pass to Thomas woke up the Wolverines.
With less than two minutes to go in the game, Michigan led by five points on a critical fourth down near the Ohio State goal line. Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr showed a gumption he wasn’t known for, and eschewed an easy field goal attempt to go for the touchdown on 4th down and goal to go, and Henson faked a handoff to Thomas and sprinted around to the left side, scoring a touchdown on a naked bootleg that sealed both the Michigan victory and John Cooper’s fate.

The 2000 game marked the end of an era for both schools. Ohio State replaced Cooper with Tressel after the season’s end, and Ohio State got back on track. Henson, on the other hand, chose not to stay at Michigan for his senior season, opting to sign a contract with the New York Yankees, who saw tremendous potential for Henson as an infielder. Curiously, the late George Steinbrenner, longtime Yankees owner and a native of Rocky River, Ohio, began his studies at Ohio State before transferring to Williams College. In his final season at Michigan, Henson threw 28 touchdown passes and only 11 interceptions, and he never made the impact on his baseball that scouts thought he might. Had he stayed at Michigan, it’s fair to say that the Wolverines would have been much better in 2001. As always, thanks to my YouTube friend Wolverine Historian, and to the folks at ABC for yet another tremendous telecast of a classic game. Enjoy!

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Someday THE GAME May Matter Less- But Not While Hoke and Meyer Are Part of It…

There are well informed people who believe that the future of THE GAME is bleak.

The argument goes that since the teams have been placed in opposite divisions, THE GAME, has been forever diminished. Eventually it will dawn on people that since results of the Michigan/Michigan State game has a greater impact on the division standings, and a trip to the Big Ten (+4) conference championships, it will be become the marque match-up of the season.

Perhaps someday in an alternate bizarro universe (one where fans are actually geeked about Rutgers and Maryland joining the conference), where a RichRod-like coach leads the Wolverines (rivalry? let me tell you about Pittsburgh/West Virginia!!)  and a John Cooper-like coach leads ohio (why is calling us ohio an insult?) that may be the case.

But that’s not (thankfully) where we are today.

Brady Hoke grew up steeped in lore of the rivalry. He went to college and played football in Ohio, he was an assistant at Michigan for 8 years prior to leaving to be head coach at Ball State. He grew up a Michigan fan and even though he was a head coach at schools with red as a team color, wore white or black shirts on game days so as not to be reminded of the Buckeyes.

Rivalry countdown clocks at Schembechler Hall

When he became the head coach of the Wolverines he had clocks installed at Schembechler Hall counting down the days until the “rivalry” games and put other reminders up to highlight the importance of THE GAME against “that school in ohio”, while referring to the Buckeyes simply as “ohio“.

Hoke’s reminder to the team when he took over the Wolverines. This sign hung outside the Wolverine practice locker room.

Urban Meyer comes to lead the Buckeyes after a turbulent tenure leading the Florida Gators to 2 National Championships. While leading the Gators over two dozen of his players were arrested and Urban resigned due to health problems. Like Hoke, he also was born in Ohio (in Toledo which is far closer to Ann Arbor than Columbus) and also played college football in the state. He served as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes and appreciates the importance of beating “that school up north” both for recruiting and job security.

On Saturday, after completing his first season undefeated in Columbus, Urban took time to hassle a local reporter for wearing a blue tie to his post-game press conference.

Hoke won THE GAME his first year in the Big House and Meyer won THE GAME his first year in the snake pit.

GAME ON.

The health of this rivalry is strong and the pedigree of these two coaches insures that it will remain so during their tenures.

Hoke and Meyer weren’t able to shake hands after the game.

Hoke denies any intentional snub, declaring to reporters that the lack of a handshake “…is not a big deal…not a story.”

[podcast]http://umgoblue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2012-UMohio-hoke-nobigdeal.mp3[/podcast]

It appears that Hoke and Meyer are gearing up for the next 10 Year War.

Tune in next year at the Big House for the next chapter.

You can be sure that Hoke and the Wolverines are already planning their revenge.

Photo from Schembechler Hall