The Michigan-Ohio rivalry is one of the American college football rivalries that started back in the 1890s and is played between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The rivalry has gotten its name from some fans, and the commentators who sometimes consider it as The Game. Several games from the rivalry have even determined the Big Ten Conference title. Additionally, it has resulted in Rose Bowl game matchups and the NCAA Division I college football championship result.
The rivalry is so intense that its 2000 game turned out to be the greatest North American sports rivalry ever as per ESPN. The teams have been involved in heated battles since the late 1890s.
Ohio State vs Michigan Football Rivalry History
The rivalry between the Ohio State and Michigan Wolverines is one of the biggest rivalries named in the list of Rivals! The Ten Greatest American Sports Rivalries of the 20th Century which has been published by Wiley. They first faced off each other in 1897 on October 16 at Regents Field. The teams had played for 102 consecutive years going back to 1918, except for the 2020 edition when the matchup was called off following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their inaugural game was held in Ann Arbor and the Wolverines won with a score of 34–0. Moving forward, the two didn't play each other for the following two years in 1898 and 1899, and met again in 1899. While Ohio State joined the Big Ten in 1912, Michigan joined the conference after a ten-year hiatus in 1917 and the teams went on to play each other for the first time in the conference in 1918.
It was Michigan that won their first conference game, winning 14-0, and the rivalry has continued every year ever since. One of the notable games of the rivalry is the 1950 contest also known as the Snow Bowl. Ohio State was ranked 8th at that time and was coached by Wes Fesler. In the middle of the worst blizzards on Ohio's record, the team was scheduled to host the game on November 25 in Columbus.
Recently in 2021, Michigan attempted a huge upset by snapping OSU's eight-game winning streak in the series with a 42-27 win in Ann Arbor. The team managed to break Ohio’s longest winning streak in the history of the series.
Ohio State vs Michigan Football Rivalry Head-to-Head Stats
The two sides, Ohio State and Michigan have crossed paths for the 119th time as of November 2024, and their 120th edition will be held on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
| Stat | Ohio State | Michigan |
| First Meeting | October 16, 1897, Michigan 34, Ohio State 0 | |
| Total Meetings | 119 | |
| All-Time Wins | 51 | 61 |
| Largest victory | Michigan 86, Ohio State 0 (1902) | |
| Longest Win Streak | Michigan, 9 (1901–1909) | |
Ohio State vs Michigan Winner Year-by-Year
| No. | Date | Location | Winning team | Losing team | ||
| 1 | October 16, 1897 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 34 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 2 | November 24, 1900 | Ann Arbor | Tie | 0 | Tie | 0 |
| 3 | November 9, 1901 | Columbus | Michigan | 21 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 4 | October 25, 1902 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 86 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 5 | November 7, 1903 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 36 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 6 | October 15, 1904 | Columbus | Michigan | 31 | Ohio State | 6 |
| 7 | November 11, 1905 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 40 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 8 | October 20, 1906 | Columbus | Michigan | 6 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 9 | October 26, 1907 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 22 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 10 | October 24, 1908 | Columbus | Michigan | 10 | Ohio State | 6 |
| 11 | October 16, 1909 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 33 | Ohio State | 6 |
| 12 | October 22, 1910 | Columbus | Tie | 3 | Tie | 3 |
| 13 | October 21, 1911 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 19 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 14 | October 19, 1912 | Columbus | Michigan | 14 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 15 | November 30, 1918 | Columbus | Michigan | 14 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 16 | October 25, 1919 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 13 | Michigan | 3 |
| 17 | November 6, 1920 | Columbus | Ohio State | 14 | Michigan | 7 |
| 18 | October 22, 1921 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 14 | Michigan | 0 |
| 19 | October 21, 1922 | Columbus | Michigan | 19 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 20 | October 20, 1923 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 23 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 21 | November 15, 1924 | Columbus | Michigan | 16 | Ohio State | 6 |
| 22 | November 14, 1925 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 10 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 23 | November 13, 1926 | Columbus | Michigan | 17 | Ohio State | 16 |
| 24 | October 22, 1927 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 21 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 25 | October 20, 1928 | Columbus | Ohio State | 19 | Michigan | 7 |
| 26 | October 19, 1929 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 7 | Michigan | 0 |
| 27 | October 18, 1930 | Columbus | Michigan | 13 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 28 | October 17, 1931 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 7 | Michigan | 0 |
| 29 | October 15, 1932 | Columbus | Michigan | 14 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 30 | October 21, 1933 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 13 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 31 | November 17, 1934 | Columbus | Ohio State | 34 | Michigan | 0 |
| 32 | November 23, 1935 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 38 | Michigan | 0 |
| 33 | November 21, 1936 | Columbus | No. 18 Ohio State | 21 | Michigan | 0 |
| 34 | November 20, 1937 | Ann Arbor | No. 19 Ohio State | 21 | Michigan | 0 |
| 35 | November 19, 1938 | Columbus | No. 17 Michigan | 18 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 36 | November 25, 1939 | Ann Arbor | No. 25 Michigan | 21 | No. 6 Ohio State | 14 |
| 37 | November 23, 1940 | Columbus | No. 7 Michigan | 40 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 38 | November 22, 1941 | Ann Arbor | Tie | 20 | Tie | 20 |
| 39 | November 21, 1942 | Columbus | No. 5 Ohio State | 21 | No. 4 Michigan | 7 |
| 40 | November 20, 1943 | Ann Arbor | No. 4 Michigan | 45 | Ohio State | 7 |
| 41 | November 25, 1944 | Columbus | No. 3 Ohio State | 18 | No. 6 Michigan | 14 |
| 42 | November 24, 1945 | Ann Arbor | No. 8 Michigan | 7 | No. 7 Ohio State | 3 |
| 43 | November 23, 1946 | Columbus | No. 8 Michigan | 58 | Ohio State | 6 |
| 44 | November 22, 1947 | Ann Arbor | No. 1 Michigan | 21 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 45 | November 20, 1948 | Columbus | No. 1 Michigan | 13 | No. 18 Ohio State | 3 |
| 46 | November 19, 1949 | Ann Arbor | Tie | 7 | Tie | 7 |
| 47 | November 25, 1950 | Columbus | Michigan | 9 | No. 8 Ohio State | 3 |
| 48 | November 24, 1951 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 7 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 49 | November 22, 1952 | Columbus | Ohio State | 27 | No. 12 Michigan | 7 |
| 50 | November 21, 1953 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 20 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 51 | November 20, 1954 | Columbus | No. 1 Ohio State | 21 | No. 12 Michigan | 7 |
| 52 | November 19, 1955 | Ann Arbor | No. 9 Ohio State | 17 | No. 6 Michigan | 0 |
| 53 | November 24, 1956 | Columbus | No. 9 Michigan | 19 | No. 12 Ohio State | 0 |
| 54 | November 23, 1957 | Ann Arbor | No. 3 Ohio State | 31 | No. 19 Michigan | 14 |
| 55 | November 22, 1958 | Columbus | No. 11 Ohio State | 20 | Michigan | 14 |
| 56 | November 21, 1959 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 23 | Ohio State | 14 |
| 57 | November 19, 1960 | Columbus | No. 10 Ohio State | 7 | Michigan | 0 |
| 58 | November 25, 1961 | Ann Arbor | No. 2 Ohio State | 50 | Michigan | 20 |
| 59 | November 24, 1962 | Columbus | Ohio State | 28 | Michigan | 0 |
| 60 | November 30, 1963 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 14 | Michigan | 10 |
| 61 | November 21, 1964 | Columbus | No. 6 Michigan | 10 | No. 7 Ohio State | 0 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winning team | Losing team | ||
| 62 | November 20, 1965 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 9 | Michigan | 7 |
| 63 | November 19, 1966 | Columbus | Michigan | 17 | Ohio State | 3 |
| 64 | November 25, 1967 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 24 | Michigan | 14 |
| 65 | November 23, 1968 | Columbus | No. 2 Ohio State | 50 | No. 4 Michigan | 14 |
| 66 | November 22, 1969 | Ann Arbor | No. 12 Michigan | 24 | No. 1 Ohio State | 12 |
| 67 | November 21, 1970 | Columbus | No. 5 Ohio State | 20 | No. 4 Michigan | 9 |
| 68 | November 20, 1971 | Ann Arbor | No. 3 Michigan | 10 | Ohio State | 7 |
| 69 | November 25, 1972 | Columbus | No. 9 Ohio State | 14 | No. 3 Michigan | 11 |
| 70 | November 24, 1973 | Ann Arbor | Tie | 10 | Tie | 10 |
| 71 | November 23, 1974 | Columbus | No. 4 Ohio State | 12 | No. 3 Michigan | 10 |
| 72 | November 22, 1975 | Ann Arbor | No. 1 Ohio State | 21 | No. 4 Michigan | 14 |
| 73 | November 20, 1976 | Columbus | No. 4 Michigan | 22 | No. 8 Ohio State | 0 |
| 74 | November 19, 1977 | Ann Arbor | No. 5 Michigan | 14 | No. 4 Ohio State | 6 |
| 75 | November 25, 1978 | Columbus | No. 6 Michigan | 14 | No. 16 Ohio State | 3 |
| 76 | November 17, 1979 | Ann Arbor | No. 2 Ohio State | 18 | No. 13 Michigan | 15 |
| 77 | November 22, 1980 | Columbus | No. 10 Michigan | 9 | No. 5 Ohio State | 3 |
| 78 | November 21, 1981 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 14 | No. 7 Michigan | 9 |
| 79 | November 20, 1982 | Columbus | Ohio State | 24 | No. 13 Michigan | 14 |
| 80 | November 19, 1983 | Ann Arbor | No. 8 Michigan | 24 | No. 10 Ohio State | 21 |
| 81 | November 17, 1984 | Columbus | No. 11 Ohio State | 21 | Michigan | 6 |
| 82 | November 23, 1985 | Ann Arbor | No. 6 Michigan | 27 | No. 12 Ohio State | 17 |
| 83 | November 22, 1986 | Columbus | No. 6 Michigan | 26 | No. 7 Ohio State | 24 |
| 84 | November 21, 1987 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 23 | Michigan | 20 |
| 85 | November 19, 1988 | Columbus | No. 12 Michigan | 34 | Ohio State | 31 |
| 86 | November 25, 1989 | Ann Arbor | No. 3 Michigan | 28 | No. 20 Ohio State | 18 |
| 87 | November 24, 1990 | Columbus | No. 15 Michigan | 16 | No. 19 Ohio State | 13 |
| 88 | November 23, 1991 | Ann Arbor | No. 4 Michigan | 31 | No. 18 Ohio State | 3 |
| 89 | November 21, 1992 | Columbus | Tie | 13 | Tie | 13 |
| 90 | November 20, 1993 | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 28 | No. 5 Ohio State | 0 |
| 91 | November 19, 1994 | Columbus | No. 22 Ohio State | 22 | No. 15 Michigan | 6 |
| 92 | November 25, 1995 | Ann Arbor | No. 18 Michigan | 31 | No. 2 Ohio State | 23 |
| 93 | November 23, 1996 | Columbus | No. 21 Michigan | 13 | No. 2 Ohio State | 9 |
| 94 | November 22, 1997 | Ann Arbor | No. 1 Michigan | 20 | No. 4 Ohio State | 14 |
| 95 | November 21, 1998 | Columbus | No. 7 Ohio State | 31 | No. 11 Michigan | 16 |
| 96 | November 20, 1999 | Ann Arbor | No. 10 Michigan | 24 | Ohio State | 17 |
| 97 | November 18, 2000 | Columbus | No. 19 Michigan | 38 | No. 12 Ohio State | 26 |
| 98 | November 24, 2001 | Ann Arbor | Ohio State | 26 | No. 11 Michigan | 20 |
| 99 | November 23, 2002 | Columbus | No. 2 Ohio State | 14 | No. 12 Michigan | 9 |
| 100 | November 22, 2003 | Ann Arbor | No. 5 Michigan | 35 | No. 4 Ohio State | 21 |
| 101 | November 20, 2004 | Columbus | Ohio State | 37 | No. 7 Michigan | 21 |
| 102 | November 19, 2005 | Ann Arbor | No. 9 Ohio State | 25 | No. 17 Michigan | 21 |
| 103 | November 18, 2006 | Columbus | No. 1 Ohio State | 42 | No. 2 Michigan | 39 |
| 104 | November 17, 2007 | Ann Arbor | No. 7 Ohio State | 14 | No. 23 Michigan | 3 |
| 105 | November 22, 2008 | Columbus | No. 10 Ohio State | 42 | Michigan | 7 |
| 106 | November 21, 2009 | Ann Arbor | No. 9 Ohio State | 21 | Michigan | 10 |
| 107 | November 27, 2010 | Columbus | No. 12 Ohio State† | 37 | Michigan | 7 |
| 108 | November 26, 2011 | Ann Arbor | No. 15 Michigan | 40 | Ohio State | 34 |
| 109 | November 24, 2012 | Columbus | No. 4 Ohio State | 26 | No. 20 Michigan | 21 |
| 110 | November 30, 2013 | Ann Arbor | No. 3 Ohio State | 42 | Michigan | 41 |
| 111 | November 29, 2014 | Columbus | No. 6 Ohio State | 42 | Michigan | 28 |
| 112 | November 28, 2015 | Ann Arbor | No. 8 Ohio State | 42 | No. 10 Michigan | 13 |
| 113 | November 26, 2016 | Columbus | No. 2 Ohio State | 30 | No. 3 Michigan | 272OT |
| 114 | November 25, 2017 | Ann Arbor | No. 9 Ohio State | 31 | Michigan | 20 |
| 115 | November 24, 2018 | Columbus | No. 10 Ohio State | 62 | No. 4 Michigan | 39 |
| 116 | November 30, 2019 | Ann Arbor | No. 1 Ohio State | 56 | No. 13 Michigan | 27 |
| 117 | November 27, 2021 | Ann Arbor | No. 5 Michigan | 42 | No. 2 Ohio State | 27 |
| 118 | November 26, 2022 | Columbus | No. 3 Michigan | 45 | No. 2 Ohio State | 23 |
| 119 | November 25, 2023 | Ann Arbor | No. 3 Michigan | 30 | No. 2 Ohio State | 24 |
Ohio State vs Michigan Football Rivalry
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A. Yes. Ohio State and Michigan are one of the oldest rivals in American college football history.
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A. Not until the 16th time they crossed paths in 1919.
