The most anticipated game of the season is quickly approaching: The Ohio State University versus University of Michigan. This heated rivalry is known as the greatest in all of college football–but why? Here is a brief history of what has come to be known as “The Game.”
Land dispute
In the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, a mistake was made while drawing Ohio’s northern border. The cartographer was referencing an outdated map of Michigan, so they believed that Michigan’s southern border was more north than it really was. As a result, the states shared the overlapping land deemed the Toledo Strip. Both Ohio and Michigan were ready to do anything to take full control of this section of land.
The Toledo War
Throughout the early 1800s, the land war only kept growing between Ohio and Michigan. Neither were ready to surrender; while the Michigan Territory took control of the village, Ohio was fighting for support in Washington. Eventually, Michigan passed the Pain and Penalties Act, which fought against any Ohio officials who tried to use the land. As the fight kept escalating, they both raised militias. Ongoing back and forth retaliations occurred, including the April 26 1835, “Battle of Philips Corners,” but overall, there was only one total injury and zero casualties from this land war.
The Outcome
On December 14, 1836, the Toledo War concluded in a victory for Ohio. President Andrew Jackson, who wanted to prevent this conflict from becoming any larger than it already was, proposed a compromise to Michigan. Ohio had become a state in 1803, so Jackson offered Michigan their own statehood and the upper peninsula if they agreed to give up the Toledo Strip. Initially, Michigan turned down the offer–they didn’t see the value in owning the upper peninsula. But soon after, they fell into debt. The federal government would relieve this debt only if Michigan accepted Jackson’s compromise, therefore, they had no choice but to end the war.
All-time record
The first game between the two teams happened on October 16th, 1897 at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan won 36-0. Michigan continued this streak in the early years, winning most of the match-ups, but OSU came back in later years. Currently, the all-time record is 62-51-6 with Michigan in the lead.
notable games
“The Snow Bowl” in 1950: A gigantic blizzard filled the stadium with snow, but the two teams persevered. They played the game to see who would win the conference and play in the Rose Bowl. The game ended with the University of Michigan winning 9-3
“The Tie Game” in 1973: The Ohio State University, ranked first, played at the University of Michigan, ranked fourth. Both teams were undefeated, and after an impressive comeback from the University of Michigan, the game was tied 10-10. Ultimately, The Ohio State University was chosen to play in the Rose Bowl. This upset many Michigan fans, leading to changes in tiebreaking.
“The Game of the Century” in 2006: The Ohio State University was ranked first and the University of Michigan was ranked second. The Ohio State quarterback had an impressive game, leading Ohio State to winning 42-39 and taking the spot for the BCS national championship game.
Most recently the University of Michigan beat The Ohio State University 13-10 in 2024, adding to their winning streak since 2021.
the game today
As an energetic grand finale, the Ohio State-Michigan game is always the last match-up of the regular season. Based on Ohio State’s ranking and statistics for this year, most sources are predicting that Ohio State will win, but the University of Michigan will put up a good game. Despite how the season is going for both teams, this game is always unpredictable, and neither team can go into it with too much confidence.
references
OSU vs. Michigan: The War and The Rivalry
The War That Sparked a Sports Rivalry
The Toledo War: When Michigan and Ohio Nearly Came to Blows | HISTORY
1973 Michigan Football: The Agonizing Tie Game – OUAT Sports
Ohio State vs. Michigan football picks: Where the experts see an edge