Michigan vs Ohio State: Season-Defining Games Revisited

It's the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it's Michigan vs Ohio State.

This year has extra juice to it as the Buckeyes are ranked second in the College Football Playoff rankings with Michigan just behind at #3. The winner wins the Big Ten East and heads to Indianapolis next weekend to play for the Big Ten Championship. While scenarios exist where both teams get into the College Football Playoff, both teams will play with the assumption as Jim Harbaugh said, "winner takes all."

This will be the 12th edition of The Game where both teams are ranked in the top 5, most of any rivalry in college football. Rankings began in 1936, so only 12 times is not a lot. Yet, we have been spoiled this century as this will be the 5th game of the 2000s with so much on the line. Three of those matchups had not only Big Ten ramifications but also National Championship paths for both teams. Let's take a look back at those recent games and where things stood before and after. We won't have to go back far.

Michigan began the offseason with a new contract for Jim Harbaugh that included a roughly 50% payout and was heavily incentive-laden. Harbaugh made drastic changes to his coaching staff, with only two coaches staying in position. He vowed to a culture rebound in Ann Arbor that started and finished by beating Ohio State. Right from Big Ten Media Days, the Wolverines made their goals clear.

Still, many did not believe the talk. Michigan jumped to a 7-0 start but a loss to Michigan State had the Harbaugh critics talking again. MSU's losses to Purdue and Ohio State, and Michigan winning out set up the matchup in Ann Arbor.

Out the gate, Michigan showed fierceness and creativity, with an opening touchdown drive capped off with a 14-yard end around from AJ Henning. Ohio State held the lead briefly in the 2nd quarter, but Michigan scored to make it 14-13 and never looked back. The Wolverines won on the back of Hassan Haskins and his 5 rushing touchdowns, as well as Aidan Hutchinson whose 3 sacks earned him a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist.

It was Michigan's first win in the rivalry since 2011. The rebuild of Jim Harbaugh worked and laid the foundation for the 11-0 run Michigan is on today.

In only Jim Harbaugh's second season, the Wolverines were ranked in the top 10 to start the season. Michigan had the nation's best defense under new defensive coordinator Don Brown, and the offense was scoring at a high click, over 30 points in 8 of its first 11 games.

The Game hadn't had this level of attention in a long time. The game started and finished like a boxing match. Both teams moved methodically in the first quarter, trying to feel each other out. Michigan took a 10-7 lead to the locker rooms at the half. The slugfest continued through the second half, the Wolverines kept making mistakes but were able to prevent the Buckeyes from scoring. Unable to put Ohio State away, a late field goal forced overtime.

As was the case with this rivalry, Ohio State was able to run the ball better late. Michigan started 2OT with a field goal. JT Barrett, the leading rusher on the day was able to secure a controversial first down on 4th and inches extending the OT period. On the very next play, Curtis Samuel scored from 15 yards out giving OSU the win.

Harbaugh famously criticized the officials after the game, and a game that could have seen Michigan complete an incredible turnaround and revival in only Harbaugh's second season would instead define the next few seasons of Wolverine football. The Wolverines had gotten so close but could not win the big game. It wasn't until the 2021 season, that Harbaugh and Michigan destroyed many of the narratives the 2016 season created.

It is hard to imagine a game dubbed "Game of the Century" living up to the hype, but the game in 2006 did just that. Both teams were undefeated for the first time since 1973 and ranked #1 and #2 for the first time in the history of the rivalry.

Michigan was undefeated heading into The Game for the first time since 1997. In head coach Lloyd Carr's 12th season he had arguably his most star-studded roster. The excitement of the game was briefly shadowed as former Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler passed away the day before arguably the biggest game in the rivalry's history. Ohio State dominated the first half and took a 28-14 lead to the half. The Wolverines, behind a 3-touchdown performance from Mike Hart, would fight back to within 4 points before a scoring explosion that saw each team score two consecutive touchdowns eventually finishing with a 42-39 Buckeye victory.

Ohio State would indeed earn a bid to the National Championship game, and while many pundits argued the game deserved a rematch, it was Florida who was given the chance to take on the Buckeyes. Florida would upset Ohio State 41-14 giving future OSU coach Urban Meyer his first National Championship in only his second season with Florida.

Lloyd Carr would retire the following season, after a Captial One Bowl win against Urban Meyer and the defending National Champion Gators.

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