Michigan aims to accomplish something that has not been seen in 100 years originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Its rivalry week and few games this week will have the historical importance as the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Michigan Wolverines game. Only a handful of teams have a rivalry that spans the 120 years that Michigan vs Ohio State has. A rivalry where planting flags and refusal to call the other team by its name are commonplace.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMichigan owns the all-time series lead at 62-51-6 . Michigan leads the all-time series, but neither team has dominated the other throughout history. Michigan also has gotten the better of Ohio State over the last four seasons. An idea that does not sit well with Buckeye fans.
Like any good rivalry where both teams have their fair share of wins, both sides lean into the argument that best suits them. While Michigan likes to remind Ohio State that Ohio State hasn’t beaten Michigan in over 2,000 days, Ohio State likes to remind Michigan that until 2021, Ohio State owned Michigan to the tune of 17-2 since 2001.
Michigan can make history on Saturday
While 2001-2019 was a stretch that Ohio State dominated Michigan, stretches like that are unheard of with a rivalry like this. One team has dominated the other for more than ten wins only once each in a 120 plus years. Whether its Hayes and Schembechler, Carr and Tressel or Day and Moore, there has always been somewhat of a back and forth between these two teams.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf Michigan beats Ohio State on Saturday, it will be the fifth Michigan win in a row. Excluding the current streak, Michigan has not won four matchups against Ohio State in a row since the 1988-1991 stretch of seasons. You have to go all the way back to 1922 to find a win streak that exceeds four consecutive wins for Michigan.
Starting in 1922, Michigan went on a streak of six years of never losing to Ohio State. 1922-1926 is five years in a row and Michigan didn’t lose to Ohio State until 1928. Prior to 1922, the Wolverines didn’t lose to the Buckeyes for a 13-year stretch. From 1901-1918, Michigan was undefeated against Ohio State going 12-0-1.
Both teams have something to play for in this game if beating the other team wasn’t enough. Ohio State is entering the final game of the season with an unblemished record and a clear path to the Big Ten championship game. Michigan is 9-2 (7-1 in conference) and has played their way back into the college football playoff conversation. A win over Ohio State would introduce chaos into the Big Ten conference title chase and college football playoff seeding.
Ohio State travels to the Big House to take on Michigan this Saturday. The game will kick off at Noon ET and broadcast on Fox.
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