The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, referred to as The Game by some fans and sports commentators, is an American college football rivalry game that is played annually between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. As of 2023, Michigan and Ohio State are the winningest and third winningest programs in NCAA Division I football history, respectively. The rivalry has gathered profound national interest as many of the games determined the Big Ten Conference title and the resulting Rose Bowl Game matchups, as well as the outcome of the NCAA Division I college football championship. In 2000, the game was ranked by ESPN as the greatest North American sports rivalry ever. The rivalry is listed in Rivals!: The Ten Greatest American Sports Rivalries of the 20th Century, published by Wiley. Encyclopædia Britannica includes the rivalry as one of the ten great sports rivalries in history.
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win–loss record of 12–1, having been defeated by Florida in its final game, the BCS Championship game, and ended the year ranked second.
The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University during the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was the first in NCAA Division I-A—now known as NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)—history to finish its season at 14–0 following BYU's 14–1 season in 1996. Led by co-MVPs junior quarterback Craig Krenzel and sophomore wide receiver/cornerback Chris Gamble, freshman standout tailback Maurice Clarett, and senior safety Mike Doss, the Buckeyes won the Big Ten, then won the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, which was also the 2003 BCS National Championship Game, to finish as college football's national champions for the first time since 1968.
The 1973 Ohio State vs. Michigan football game was one of the most controversial games in NCAA history. In this game, both teams were undefeated, with Ohio State ranked first, and Michigan ranked fourth. A conference championship, Rose Bowl appearance, and possible national championship were on the line in this monumental game, part of the hotly contested stretch of the rivalry known as The Ten Year War. A then-NCAA record crowd of 105,233 watched the game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They finished with a record of 10–3 and were Big Ten Conference co-champions.
The 1980 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented Ohio State University during the 1980 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second season under head coach Earle Bruce, the Buckeyes began the season ranked No. 1 in the pre-season AP Poll. They finished in a tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference, compiled a 9–3, lost to Penn State in the 1980 Fiesta Bowl, were ranked No. 15 in the final AP Poll, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 387 to 181. The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They finished with a record of 11–2 and won the Big Ten Conference championship. They represented the Big Ten in the 2010 Rose Bowl, which they won, 26–17, over the Pacific-10 Conference champion, Oregon. The Buckeyes became the first, and only, team to defeat five 10-win teams in the same season.
The 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They were members of the Big Ten Conference.
The 2010 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers, led by fifth-year head coach Bret Bielema, were members of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium. They finished the season 11–2, 7–1 in the Big Ten to be crowned Big Ten co-champions along with Michigan State. Due to being ranked the highest of the three schools in the BCS rankings at the end of the season, the Badgers earned the conference's automatic bid to the Rose Bowl, where they were defeated 21–19 by TCU.
The 2011 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers, led by sixth-year head coach Bret Bielema, are members of the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium. They finished the season 11–3, 7–2 in Big Ten play to be Leaders Division co–champions with Penn State. Due to their head-to-head win over Penn State, the Badgers represented the division in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game where they defeated Legends Division champion Michigan State 42–39 to become Big Ten Champions. They were invited to the Rose Bowl for the second consecutive year where they were defeated by Oregon 38–45.
The 2012 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Buckeye's 123rd season overall, the 100th as a member of the Big Ten Conference and the second as a members of the Big Ten Leaders Division. The team was led by head coach Urban Meyer in his return to coaching after retiring from Florida in 2010 due to health concerns. The Buckeyes played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes finished the season undefeated with 12 wins, Big Ten Leaders Division champions and ranked third in the AP Poll. Due to findings of an investigation conducted by the NCAA during the previous season, Ohio State was ineligible for both the Big Ten Championship Game and an appearance in a bowl game for the 2012 season.
The 2013 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Buckeye's 124th overall, the 101st as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and the third as a member of the Big Ten Leaders Division. The team was led by Urban Meyer, in his second year as head coach, and played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes finished the regular season with an undefeated record for the second consecutive year, as well as Big Ten Leaders Division champions for the second consecutive year. They finished the season with a record of 12 wins and 2 losses, following losses to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game and to Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
The 2013 Big Ten Football Championship Game was a college football game that was played on December 7, 2013, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the third annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, and determined the 2013 champion of the Big Ten Conference (B1G). The game featured the Leaders Division champion Ohio State Buckeyes against the Legends Division champion Michigan State Spartans. Michigan State defeated Ohio State 34–24, to win the Big Ten Championship, and represent the conference in the 100th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2014. The upset loss kept Ohio State out of the BCS National Championship game.
The 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Buckeyes' 125th overall, the 102nd as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and first season as a member of the newly reorganized Eastern Division. The team was led by Urban Meyer, in his third year as head coach, and played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They finished the season with 14 wins and 1 loss, as Big Ten champions and as national champions after they defeated Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Winning 14 games in a season tied the school record set by the Buckeyes' previous national champion team.
The 2014 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers were led by second-year head coach Gary Andersen, were members of the new West Division of the Big Ten Conference, and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium. They finished the season 11–3, 7–1 in Big Ten play to be champions of the West Division. As champions of the West Division, they played East Division champions Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game where they lost 59-0.
Cardale Jones is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was a CFP national champion, and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), the DC Defenders of the XFL, the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League (IFL).
The 2016 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Buckeyes' 127th overall, the 104th as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and third as a member of the Eastern Division. The team was led by Urban Meyer, in his fifth year as head coach, and played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
The 2017 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University during the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. It was the Buckeyes' 128th overall, the 105th as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and fourth as a member of the Eastern Division. They were led by Urban Meyer, who was in his 6th season as head coach at the school.
The 2019 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. This was the Buckeyes' 130th overall season and 107th as a member of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by Ryan Day, in his first season as Ohio State's full-time head coach.
The 2019 Big Ten Football Championship Game presented by Discover was played on December 7, 2019 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The ninth annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, it determined the 2019 champion of the Big Ten Conference. The game was between the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes out of the East division, and the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers out of the West division. Ohio State won the game and the conference title by a score of 34–21.
