Here's #41, the famous 10-10 tie from 1973. Note that I've already sent an e-mail to Fiu letting him know that tOSU was #1 before the game and scUM was #4. Here's the top of the AP poll before this game:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#fafad2><TD align=right>1.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>1
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
Ohio State (34)
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>9-0
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>1,142
</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD align=right>2.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>2
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
Alabama (16)
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>9-0
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>1,082
</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fafad2><TD align=right>
3.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>
3
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
Oklahoma (9)
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>
8-0-1
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>
973
</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD align=right>4.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>4
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
Michigan (1)
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>10-0
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>845
</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fafad2><TD align=right>5.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>5
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
Notre Dame (1)
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>8-0
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>760
</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD align=right>6.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>6
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
Penn State (1)
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>10-0
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>672
</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fafad2><TD align=right>7.
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>7
</TD><TD> </TD><TD>
LSU
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>9-0
</TD><TD> </TD><TD align=right>577
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
After the game, ND was still ranked 5th, behind #3 tOSU and #4 scUM. After they beat a 5-6 Miami team 44-0, ND moved ahead of both to #3. They got to play Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, win by a point, and be declared NC. That tOSU team ended up #2, but would have beaten ND, and I've wanted a playoff since 1973. My screen name is in honor of that Buckeye team.
Here's Fiu's write-up of the tie:
No. 41 Ohio State 10 ... Michigan 10, November 24, 1973
At the time: 10-0, No. 1 Michigan hosted 9-0, No. 4 Ohio State for the Big Ten title, the Rose Bowl berth, and national title consideration. The Buckeyes had allowed 33 points (an average of 3.67 points per game) and a mere three touchdowns while the Wolverines had given up a total of 49 points.
The setup: In a hard-hitting, intense battle, Ohio State took a 10-0 halftime lead on a 31-yard field goal and a five-yard Pete Johnson touchdown. Michigan battled back in the second half with a 30-yard field goal and a Dennis Franklin ten-yard touchdown run.
The ending: Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Franklin was knocked out for the game on what could've been the game-winning drive with a broken collarbone with 2:25 to play. This would have repercussions on more than just this game (more on that in a moment). Fearing an interception, Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler ordered three straight running plays to give Mike Lantry a long field goal try. Even though it was from 58 yards out, Lantry just missed. Ohio State tried to pull off the win by throwing the ball, but this was a pure running team. Michigan's Jon Drake picked off a Greg Hare pass and got it to the Ohio State 33 with :52 left. After two conservative plays, Schembechler went for the field goal on third down. Lantry missed from 44 yards out for a 10-10 finish.
How they ended up: The Big Ten athletic directors had to vote on who went to the Rose Bowl. With Franklin hurt, some believed Michigan wouldn't be the stronger of the two teams and sent the Buckeyes to Pasadena by a vote of 6-4. OSU beat USC 42-21 to finish 10-0-1 and No. 2 in the AP poll. Michigan finished ranked sixch.
