1. The 21st Century has not been kind to Michigan, especially in The Game. When Ohio State fired John Cooper after the 2000 season, his replacement, Jim Tressel, immediately "guaranteed" a Buckeye victory in the 2001 Game. Although Tressel's guarantee was a bit squirrelly (his actual quote was "I can assure you that you will be proud of your young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan"), it was proven true, as unranked Ohio State did in fact beat #11 Michigan, 26-20.
2. In 2002, #2 Ohio State once again entered The Game with a perfect record, this time a program best 12-0-0. #12 Michigan held a 9-7 lead at halftime, and Buckeye fans were saying, "Here we go again...." But Ohio State scored the only points of the second half on a Maurice Hall touchdown run, and safety Will Allen preserved the 14-9 victory with an interception at the goal line as time expired. The Buckeyes would go on to win the BCS National Championship with a 31-24 double overtime victory over the #1 Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl.
3. #5 Michigan got a measure of revenge in 2003, with a 35-21 victory over #4 Ohio State in The Game. Michigan would lose to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 28-14, while Ohio State would defeat Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, 35-28.
4. During a rebuilding year, unranked Ohio State knocked off #7 Michigan in the 2004 Game, 37-21. The game was the coming out party for Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith, who had 386 yards of total offense. Buckeye wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. had an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown.
5. Ohio State had a come from behind victory in the 2005 Game, thanks to a last-minute touchdown drive by Troy Smith. The drive is best remembered for Anthony Gonzalez's circus catch in the red zone, but running back Antonio Pittman scored the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to propel the Buckeyes to a 25-21 win.
6. 2006 was a Game to remember. Both teams entered The Game with perfect 11-0-0 records, with Ohio State occupying the #1 spot in the polls and Michigan #2. Led once again by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, the Buckeyes prevailed in an exciting 42-39 shootout. However, neither team fared well in their respective bowl games, as Ohio State lost to Florida, 41-14, in the national title game, while Michigan lost to Southern Cal, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl.
7. In the 2007 Game, Buckeye running back Beanie Wells rushed for 222 yards and the Buckeye defense held Michigan to just 91 total yards, as Ohio State won, 14-3. The Buckeyes would once again go to the national title game, and once again lose in convincing fashion. In Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr's final game, the Wolverines defeated the Florida Gators in the Capital One Bowl, 41-35.
8. Perhaps the lowest point in Michigan football history was the Rich Rodriguez Era from 2008 to 2010. Rodriguez had a record of 15-22 at Michigan, including 0-3 in The Game. Rodriguez was fired after the 2010 season due to poor performance....
9. While Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel was fired after the 2010 season for improprieties off the field (the TatGate scandal). Tressel's overall record at Ohio State was 106-22, and 9-1 in The Game, with seven Big Ten championships and the 2002 national title.
10. The 2011 Game featured a matchup of rookie head coaches, Luke Fickell for Ohio State and Brady Hoke for Michigan. Hoke's team won, 40-34, went on to win the Sugar Bowl, and finished the season with a record of 11-2. Ohio State lost to Florida in the Gator Bowl to drop to 6-7, the team's first losing record since 1988. At this point it seemed like the two programs were headed in opposite directions....
11. But then Ohio State made a home run hire, convincing two-time national champion Urban Meyer to retire from broadcasting and return to the sidelines. Meyer immediately led the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 record in 2012, including a 26-21 win in The Game. Michigan, meanwhile, fell to 8-5 after a loss to South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.
12. In 2013, the Buckeyes once again finished a perfect regular season with a 42-41 victory in The Game. Ohio State was in contention for a national championship, but the team lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, and then followed that up with a loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl. Michigan fell further, finishing with a 7-6 record after another loss in a meaningless bowl game.
13. Ohio State won the 2014 Game by the score of 42 to 28. Led by third-string quarterback Cardale Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliott's three-straight 200-yard games, the Buckeyes went on an historic run, winning the Big Ten title game over Wisconsin (59-0), the Sugar Bowl over Alabama (42-35), and the national championship game over Oregon (42-20). Michigan finished the 2014 season with a 5-7 record and fired head coach Brady Hoke.
14. Prior to the 2015 season, Michigan made their own home run hire in head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has led the Wolverines to a 9-2 record entering The Game. Ohio State was 10-1, but fresh off an ugly loss to Michigan State. The Buckeyes pounded Michigan, 42 to 13, for their 4th straight win the rivalry.
15. Michigan still leads in The Game, 58-48-6; in Big Ten titles, 42 to 36; and in recognized national championships, 9 to 8.
16. However, in the 21st Century, Ohio State leads in The Game, 13-2; in Big Ten titles, 8 to 2; and in national championships, 2 to 0.
2. In 2002, #2 Ohio State once again entered The Game with a perfect record, this time a program best 12-0-0. #12 Michigan held a 9-7 lead at halftime, and Buckeye fans were saying, "Here we go again...." But Ohio State scored the only points of the second half on a Maurice Hall touchdown run, and safety Will Allen preserved the 14-9 victory with an interception at the goal line as time expired. The Buckeyes would go on to win the BCS National Championship with a 31-24 double overtime victory over the #1 Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl.
3. #5 Michigan got a measure of revenge in 2003, with a 35-21 victory over #4 Ohio State in The Game. Michigan would lose to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 28-14, while Ohio State would defeat Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, 35-28.
4. During a rebuilding year, unranked Ohio State knocked off #7 Michigan in the 2004 Game, 37-21. The game was the coming out party for Buckeye quarterback Troy Smith, who had 386 yards of total offense. Buckeye wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. had an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown.
5. Ohio State had a come from behind victory in the 2005 Game, thanks to a last-minute touchdown drive by Troy Smith. The drive is best remembered for Anthony Gonzalez's circus catch in the red zone, but running back Antonio Pittman scored the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to propel the Buckeyes to a 25-21 win.
6. 2006 was a Game to remember. Both teams entered The Game with perfect 11-0-0 records, with Ohio State occupying the #1 spot in the polls and Michigan #2. Led once again by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, the Buckeyes prevailed in an exciting 42-39 shootout. However, neither team fared well in their respective bowl games, as Ohio State lost to Florida, 41-14, in the national title game, while Michigan lost to Southern Cal, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl.
7. In the 2007 Game, Buckeye running back Beanie Wells rushed for 222 yards and the Buckeye defense held Michigan to just 91 total yards, as Ohio State won, 14-3. The Buckeyes would once again go to the national title game, and once again lose in convincing fashion. In Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr's final game, the Wolverines defeated the Florida Gators in the Capital One Bowl, 41-35.
8. Perhaps the lowest point in Michigan football history was the Rich Rodriguez Era from 2008 to 2010. Rodriguez had a record of 15-22 at Michigan, including 0-3 in The Game. Rodriguez was fired after the 2010 season due to poor performance....
9. While Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel was fired after the 2010 season for improprieties off the field (the TatGate scandal). Tressel's overall record at Ohio State was 106-22, and 9-1 in The Game, with seven Big Ten championships and the 2002 national title.
10. The 2011 Game featured a matchup of rookie head coaches, Luke Fickell for Ohio State and Brady Hoke for Michigan. Hoke's team won, 40-34, went on to win the Sugar Bowl, and finished the season with a record of 11-2. Ohio State lost to Florida in the Gator Bowl to drop to 6-7, the team's first losing record since 1988. At this point it seemed like the two programs were headed in opposite directions....
11. But then Ohio State made a home run hire, convincing two-time national champion Urban Meyer to retire from broadcasting and return to the sidelines. Meyer immediately led the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 record in 2012, including a 26-21 win in The Game. Michigan, meanwhile, fell to 8-5 after a loss to South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.
12. In 2013, the Buckeyes once again finished a perfect regular season with a 42-41 victory in The Game. Ohio State was in contention for a national championship, but the team lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, and then followed that up with a loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl. Michigan fell further, finishing with a 7-6 record after another loss in a meaningless bowl game.
13. Ohio State won the 2014 Game by the score of 42 to 28. Led by third-string quarterback Cardale Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliott's three-straight 200-yard games, the Buckeyes went on an historic run, winning the Big Ten title game over Wisconsin (59-0), the Sugar Bowl over Alabama (42-35), and the national championship game over Oregon (42-20). Michigan finished the 2014 season with a 5-7 record and fired head coach Brady Hoke.
14. Prior to the 2015 season, Michigan made their own home run hire in head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has led the Wolverines to a 9-2 record entering The Game. Ohio State was 10-1, but fresh off an ugly loss to Michigan State. The Buckeyes pounded Michigan, 42 to 13, for their 4th straight win the rivalry.
15. Michigan still leads in The Game, 58-48-6; in Big Ten titles, 42 to 36; and in recognized national championships, 9 to 8.
16. However, in the 21st Century, Ohio State leads in The Game, 13-2; in Big Ten titles, 8 to 2; and in national championships, 2 to 0.
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