Ohio State versus Michigan: Rivalry with a History

By Brigid McCuen on November 24, 2014

“You know that feelin’ you get in the pit of your stomach the night before Christmas? Now, times it by a million.” – Bo Biafra, Buckeye zealot/Woody Hayes impersonator

It’s that time of year again.  And no, I’m not talking about the swiftly-approaching Thanksgiving Dinner, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, or anything else holiday-related.  This infamous week is dedicated to a wholly different type of holiday:  The Ohio State-Michigan football game.  That’s right, it’s Beat Michigan Week.

image via espn.go.com

The Maize and Blue vs. the Scarlet and Grey is a rivalry dating back over one hundred years, and is one of the biggest components of Ohio State’s history.  However, the real rivalry between the two states began all the way back in 1833 when Michigan was vying for statehood.  A feud over a plot of land called the Toledo Strip on the Michigan-Ohio border ensued, and this “war” raged on until 1836, when Ohio eventually won ownership.  Talk about a long history.

The actual football rivalry began in 1897 in Ann Arbor; the NFL wouldn’t even be founded for another 20-some years.  117 years later, the custom is still going strong.  It’s so ingrained in our history that OSU’s Carmen, Ohio Alma Mater was written on the bus ride home from the 1902 contest.

The infamous match-up is a fight for bragging rights not only within the Big Ten Conference and college athletics, but throughout the sport of football.  Senior finance major Tricia Speed (’15) brings up a good point about the power of the tradition: “It’s always a big game…No matter how poor you’ve been playing, you can make it a successful season with a win in this game.”

 Fanning flames of Rivalry

image via cleveland.com

Ohio State didn’t win a game against Michigan until 1919, more than twenty years after the tradition was underway.  However, the intensity of the game peaked in 1969, when the Buckeyes were so good that Sports Illustrated wrote, “The only game worth watching right now in college football is Ohio State’s offense versus their defense at full-pad practice on Tuesday in Columbus.”  Woody Hayes’ buckeyes were returning state champs, and ranked number one in college football at the time.  However, the Wolverines toppled their reign with a 24-12 win, which took the rivalry between the two teams to the next level.  The Buckeyes responded in 1970 with a 20-9 win over Michigan, which fanned the flames even more, and the rivalry transformed into a high-energy custom that became more real than it had ever been.

This energy carried on throughout the next 40 years, and sure won’t stop now.  Senior Communications major Marybeth McNamee (’15) talks about her favorite part of the tradition: “It’s the biggest unifier all year of Ohio State students.  Every year my friends and I host a big ‘family dinner’ before Mirror Lake night and it’s my favorite part of an already-amazing week.”  Senior Speech and Hearing Science major Bridgid Farrell (’15) adds, “My favorite part is the passion.  Everyone is so proud to be a Buckeye.”

Bo Biafra, the Buckeye zealot, calls its power to mind in an HBO documentary about the rivalry:

One of the things that makes the Michigan Ohio State game so great and separates from other sports rivalries is that not only does it happen once a year; it happens at the same time every year, and all great traditions in most cultures happen at the same time so there’s a sense of history when it happens. So you feel like you’re not just seeing a game, you’re seeing a historical event that will be remembered.  You feel like you’re a part of something that stretches from before you existed and will be here long after you’re gone.

This year will be no different.  The Scarlet and Grey passion is alive and well on campus. From the red tape covering every “M” on every sign in the 43210 zip code, to the Beat Michigan Week events chartered by the school, the tradition is in full swing.  For a full calendar of Beat Michigan Week activities to get you pumped for Saturday, check out this calendar of events.  Go Bucks!

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format