Ohio State versus Michigan

Ohio State and Michigan have been the biggest rivals in college football for a long time. When one wins the game, it gives that team bragging rights for the entire year. With the two teams playing each other on November 26, 2016, curiosity drove me to find the origin. The game played on the 26th was the 113th game the two have had with each other. According to Great Sport Rivalries, the feud between Ohio State and Michigan began during the Toledo War of 1835-1836. The Toledo War was, according to Ohio History Central, “The Toledo War was a border dispute between the State of Ohio and the Michigan Territory during the first several decades of the nineteenth century.” During this dispute, the two territories battled over the Toledo Strip, in which Ohio won. This doesn’t explain how the territory war transitioned into football, so I researched deeper. In 1897, Michigan got their revenge when they went against Ohio State on the football field and won 34-0.

The rivalry became a real event in 1919 when Chic Harley led the Buckeyes in their first win again Michigan since the territory dispute. The Ohio State Stadium, otherwise known as the Horseshoe, opened three years later in 1922. Since then, millions of fans of both Michigan and Ohio State have come together year after year to watch their favorite college football teams go against their biggest rivals.

At 2:00pm on November 26, 2016, the scores were 10-7 with Michigan leading by three points. Screams can be heard coming from the fans as the football tumbles out of Ohio State’s hands and into Michigan’s hands. The pressure on the two teams intensifies as the clock countdowns to the end of the third quarter.

After a double overtime, Ohio State pulled out the win with the score of 30-27. Fans flowed into the field, surrounding the winners. Now, Ohio State is number two in the country, following closely behind Alabama. This win puts Ohio State in a good position to be able to play in the Rose Bowl.