Ohio State, Michigan Face Each Other In Battle Of College Football Unbeatens

Since 1897, the Ohio State and Michigan football programs have played each other 117 times. Still, few games have been as hyped as Saturday’s matchup when the No. 2 Buckeyes host the No. 3 Wolverines.

Both teams are 10-0, and the winner will advance to the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 3 in Indianapolis. The loser still may have a shot at qualifying for the College Football Playoff, but the teams surely do not want to be in the position of hoping other teams lose. The mantra is simple for both teams: win the next two Saturdays and they are going to be playing in a national semifinal.

Last season, Michigan defeated Ohio State, 42-27, breaking an eight-game losing streak to their rivals. In all, Michigan has lost 15 of the last 17 games to Ohio State, but the Wolverines still hold a 59-52-6 edge in the series.

From 1918 to 2019, the teams played each other each year, but the 2020 game was cancelled due to COVID-19 precautions. Since 1935, the game has been played on the final Saturday of the Big Ten season.

Saturday’s game is only the fourth time since 1935 that Michigan and Ohio State have both been undefeated when they face each other. Here’s a look at the other three times the teams were each undefeated:

Nov. 21, 1970 at Ohio Stadium – Ohio State 20, Michigan 9

Ohio State was the top ranked team in the Associated Press poll entering the 1970 season, but the Buckeyes fell to fifth by the time they faced Michigan even though Ohio State was 8-0. Michigan, meanwhile, was 9-0 and coming off consecutive 42-0 and 55-0 victories over Illinois and Iowa, respectively.

Still, the Wolverines’ defense could not handle the Buckeyes’ offense as Ohio State won for the 31st time in its past 32 games. The Buckeyes’ only loss during that stretch was when Michigan won, 10-3, on the final game of the 1969 season.

With the victory, Ohio State advanced to the Rose Bowl, where the Buckeyes lost, 27-17, to Stanford. Michigan didn’t play in the postseason and ended its season with the Ohio State loss. Ohio State finished fifth in the final AP poll after the 1970 season, while Michigan finished ninth.

Nov. 24, 1973 at Michigan Stadium – Ohio State 10, Michigan 10

The Buckeyes (9-0) entered the game ranked first in the Associated Press poll, while the Wolverines (10-0) were fourth. With more than 105,000 fans in attendance, Michigan got off to a slow start, trailing 10-0 at halftime. But the Wolverines scored 10 fourth quarter points on a field goal and quarterback Dennis Franklin’s 10-yard touchdown run.

Both teams had a chance to go ahead later in the game, but they each missed a field goal. It was the first tie in the series since a 7-7 game in 1949, which was also at Michigan.

After the game, the Big Ten decided that Ohio State would represent the conference in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes ended up defeating Pac-8 champion USC, 42-21, to cap a 10-0-1 season. Michigan, meanwhile, did not play in a bowl game and also finished 10-0-1.

The final Associated Press poll had Ohio State second and Michigan sixth. Notre Dame (11-0) was voted No. 1 in the AP poll after defeating the previous No. 1 team, Alabama, 24-23, in the Sugar Bowl.

Nov. 18, 2006 at Ohio Stadium – Ohio State 42, Michigan 39

This matchup between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan was billed as the “Game of the Century.” Both teams were 11-0, and more than 105,000 fans attended, making it a must-see game for any college football fan.

Michigan scored first on running back Mike Hart’s 1-yard touchdown run, but Ohio State led, 28-14, at halftime. Michigan scored the next 10 points to make it 28-24 before Ohio State scored a touchdown for a 35-24 lead. Hart scored again to cut it to 35-31 early in the fourth quarter, but Troy Smith’s 13-yard touchdown pass with 5:38 left put the Buckeyes up 42-31. Michigan scored another touchdown with 2:16 remaining but couldn’t get on the board again.

Smith finished 29-of-41 for 316 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. That performance propelled Smith to become Ohio State’s first Heisman Trophy winner since running back Eddie George in 1995.

Ohio State remained at No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, a position it had held since the preseason. Michigan, meanwhile, remained at No. 2, but it fell to No. 3 in the poll in late November behind Florida even though the Wolverines didn’t play any more regular season games.

In the Bowl Championship Series national title game, Florida cruised past Ohio State, 41-14, scoring the game’s final 20 points for the convincing victory. Michigan ended up losing to No. 8 USC, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl. The final AP poll had Florida first, Ohio State second, USC fourth and Michigan eighth.