Every third Saturday in November, the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes clash in one of the most memorable and fierce rivalries in sports. The rivalry is so unique that it is called ‘The Game.’ With this game comes emotions, hard work, pride, and hatred toward each other’s team. It has become a tradition in Columbus to block off every single “M” on campus. In Ann Arbor, students are heard singing a chant ridiculing the state of Ohio. Those and many more traditions make this battle the most memorable game of the College Football season for these fanbases. The fans’ passion and admiration for each respective team perfectly represent the ability of sports to unite and empower love and passion.
This year, two programs entered the game with very different levels of success and future outlooks. Ohio State was ranked #2 in the country and is seeking to win its first National Championship in 10 seasons. On the other hand, Michigan is experiencing a rebuilding process as it continues to recoup talent and ease into Head Coach Sherrone Moore’s system. Due to these vastly different directions of the programs, Ohio State was favored to win ‘The Game’ by three touchdowns. Consequently, Ohio State had all of the pressure entering the Shoe. Head Coach Ryan Day entered Saturday with a 1-3 record against the Wolverines, meaning he would coach for his job in the game. The standard at Ohio State is nothing short of a win against Michigan, a Big Ten title, and a National Championship trophy. Day’s predecessors, Woody Hayes and Urban Meyer, dominated the rivalry and won the big trophies, so there is no excuse for Coach Day not to do the same.
Saturday morning in the Shoe was cold, but given that the game is in late November, it was a perfect day for football. The game started with a quick field goal midway into the 1st quarter for the Buckeyes before Michigan was stuffed at the goalline on fourth down. The momentum seemed to be in favor of the Buckeyes until senior Quarterback Will Howard threw a braindead pass right into the hands of Michigan Cornerback Amir Hall. This pick set up the Wolverines in prime position for a score. Running Back Kalel Mullings finally found the endzone and punched in a touchdown, leading to a 7-3 Michigan lead. After a drive led to an Ohio State missed field goal and a few punts each time, Michigan had the ball driving down the field. Kicker and Arkansas State transfer Dominic Zvada nailed a 54-yard field goal with just 2 minutes remaining in the half. The Michigan faithful felt positive after this kick. Still, Howard and freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith stormed down the field and effectively executed the 2-minute drill, leading to a touchdown for the Buckeyes. Ohio State would enter the break with a 10-7 lead over the rival Wolverines.
Ohio State began the first drive of the second half with a compelling drive down the field that was ultimately halted by a big-time stand by the Michigan defense. Despite this stand, the Buckeyes’ sophomore Punter Joe McGuire managed to pin the football at Michigan’s 2-yard line. After a few short gains and an incomplete pass, the Wolverines punted the ball back to the Buckeyes, giving Howard an excellent field position. However, the Buckeyes’ drive was abruptly halted when Howard threw his second interception of the day, this time into the waiting hands of senior Safety Makari Paige. At this point, the game was becoming sloppy, and Michigan hoped to drive the ball down the field and retake the lead. The sloppiness continued with a back-breaking interception by Michigan’s quarterback, Davis Warren. Following the interception, Ohio State missed another short-field goal. Warren then led the ball down the field, reaching the three-yard line before he would throw another interception. This throw was a devastating blow to Michigan fans, who were hoping for the lead. The Michigan defense came up huge once again, forcing the Buckeyes into a three-and-out. Michigan then drove the ball down the field, and Zvada once again nailed a massive field goal with just 48 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter. Howard and the offense struggled to move the ball, ultimately turning the ball over on downs and ending the game.
Between the massive upset and the unfortunate fight following the game, fans (at least, most of them) were pleased with the entertaining battle. Coach Day and Ohio State have gone nearly 2000 days since their last win over Michigan, a number that the Ohio State boosters and directors are not fond of. Despite this, the majority of fans were still able to appreciate the intensity and unmatched entertainment that ‘The Game’ always brings.
