With 120 years of history, it is not surprising that The Ohio State University football program has experienced many important events since its founding. As with any organization, some of those events have been exhilarating and enjoyable and good, and others have been disheartening and disappointing and bad. In this article, I have tried to compile a comprehensive list of those events, with the "scarlet" days representing the good, and the "gray" days representing the bad. Many of these 300 days will be familiar to you, and will bring back memories, both pleasant and unpleasant; others will be new or forgotten, but reading about them should help to enrich your knowledge of Buckeye history.
Because Ohio State is one of the top football programs of all time by any standard or measure, we have more scarlet days (175) than gray days (125), even though the grays sometimes seem darker than the scarlets seem bright. Moreover, in college football, just one unfortunate gray day can ruin an otherwise scarlet season, as we have seen in 1969, 1970, 1975, 1996, 1998, and 2006, to name but a few. But when everything comes together in just the right way - as it did in 1954 and 1968 and 2002 - then every day is a red letter day. Enjoy!
05-03-1890: Ohio State plays its first game ever, beating Ohio Wesleyan 20-14
11-01-1890: In its second game, Ohio State suffers its first defeat, falling to Wooster, 64-0; this remains the second worst loss in Buckeye history
11-27-1890: Ohio State falls to Kenyon College, 18-10, finishing the only winless season (0-3-0) in school history[1]
10-15-1892: In his first game as head coach, 23-year old John W. Heisman leads Oberlin to a 40-0 victory over Ohio State
11-15-1895: The Buckeyes travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to play their first game outside the State of Ohio; Ohio State beats Kentucky by the score of 8-6
10-16-1897: The first installment of The Game; Ohio State loses to Michigan by the score of 34-0
11-25-1897: Ohio State loses to Ohio Weselyan, 6-0, capping the Buckeyes' worst full season ever: a 1-7-1 record, outscored 168-18, shut out 7 times[2]
10-22-1898: Ohio State loans a player to a short-handed Marietta squad; that player - Bob Hager - scores on a 67-yard TD run and Buckeyes lose, 10-0
10-18-1899: Case battles Ohio State to a 5-5 tie; the Spartans score the only points surrendered by the Buckeyes all season
11-30-1899: Ohio State completes its first undefeated season (9-0-1) with 5-0 win over Kenyon; the Buckeyes outscored their opponents by total of 184-5
10-28-1901: Buckeye OC John Sigrist dies from injuries sustained during previous game; Ohio State nearly drops "brutal and inhuman" sport of football
10-25-1902: Ohio State suffers its worst-ever loss, being shut out by Michigan, 86-0
10-01-1904: Ohio State creams Miami of Ohio, 80-0; this remains the Buckeyes' most lopsided victory against a team currently in Division I-A
10-20-1906: Michigan spoils a perfect season for Ohio State by shutting out the Buckeyes, 6-0
11-24-1906: The Buckeyes throw their first-ever forward pass, which results in a 10-yard touchdown; Ohio State beats Wooster, 12-0
11-29-1906: Ohio State (8-1-0) defeats Ohio Medical, 11-8, to win its first conference championship (the Ohio Athletic Conference)
11-14-1908: The Buckeyes win their 100th game, beating Vanderbilt by the score of 14-6
04-06-1912: Ohio State joins the Western Conference, which in 1917 became known as the Big Ten Conference[3]
11-16-1912: With five minutes remaining in the game and Penn State leading 37-0, Ohio State leaves the field, accusing the Nittany Lions of thuggish play
11-01-1913: Ohio State plays its first Big Ten game, a 7-6 loss to Indiana
11-21-1913: At season's final practice, HC John W. Wilce allows each senior to have one last hit on tackling dummy & new tradition is born - Senior Tackle
11-22-1913: The Buckeyes gain their first Big Ten Conference win, a 58-0 trouncing of Northwestern
10-14-1916: Ohio State dismantles Oberlin, 128-0, which represents the Buckeyes' highest point total and greatest margin of victory of all time[4]
11-04-1916: In what was then known as the biggest victory in school history, Ohio State knocks off previously unbeaten Wisconsin, 14-13
11-25-1916: Ohio State tops Northwestern, 23-3, completing first perfect (and second undefeated) season (7-0-0), and winning first Big Ten title
11-17-1917: Ohio State knocks off Illinois, 13-0, to capture back-to-back outright Big Ten titles
11-24-1917: A 0-0 tie versus Auburn breaks Ohio State's 17-game winning streak, and provides the only blemish in the Buckeyes' otherwise perfect season
11-29-1917: Ohio State beats Camp Sherman, 28-0, completing its third undefeated season (8-0-1); on the year, the Bucks outscored their opponents 292-6
11-16-1918: Illinois shuts out Ohio State, 13-0, ending the Buckeyes' streak of 22 games without a loss
10-25-1919: After compiling a record of 0-13-2 in The Game, Ohio State finally beats Michigan, 13-3; Chic Harley has 4 interceptions and scores on 50-yard run
11-22-1919: In his last game as a Buckeye, Chic Harley suffers the only loss of his college career, as Illinois kicks a last-second FG to beat Ohio State, 9-7[5]
11-20-1920: Ohio State beats Illinois, 7-0, to complete a perfect (7-0-0) regular season and win its third outright Big Ten title in five years
01-01-1921: Ohio State plays its first Rose Bowl, but falls to California, 28-0; the loss spoils the Buckeyes' perfect season and national title hopes
08-03-1921: Governor Harry Davis presides over the official ground-breaking ceremony for Ohio Stadium
10-08-1921: The Buckeyes suffer their last loss to an in-state rival, as Oberlin beats Ohio State by the score of 7-6
10-22-1921: Ohio State posts its first shut out over Michigan, defeating that team up north by the score of 14-0
11-19-1921: Illinois upsets Ohio State, 7-0; in praise of the team's fortitude that day, a Chicago Tribune writer dubs them "The Fighting Illini"
10-07-1922: Ohio State beats Ohio Wesleyan, 5-0, marking the first game in Ohio Stadium, which is often referred to as "The House That Harley Built"
11-22-1924: In first game to decide the fate of the Illibuck, Illinois tops Ohio State, 7-0; the Buckeyes finish with 2-3-3 record, their third straight losing season
10-17-1925: Ohio State upsets Columbia, 9-0, for the Buckeyes' first-ever win over a traditional East Coast power
11-13-1926: A single point is all that separates the Buckeyes from a perfect season, as Ohio State (7-1-0) loses to Michigan, 17-16
10-22-1927: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 21-0, for the Wolverines' sixth straight victory in The Game
10-06-1928: Ohio State shuts out Wittenberg, 41-0, for the program's 200th victory
10-20-1928: After six losses in a row, Ohio State finally beats Michigan, 19-7; the win marks the Buckeyes' first over the Wolverines in Ohio Stadium
01-16-1929: Ohio State agrees to hire legendary coach Knute Rockne, but Notre Dame refuses to let him out of contract; Buckeyes appoint Sam Willaman instead
09-27-1930: The Buckeyes rush for a team-record 718 yards, and Ohio State beats Mount Union, 59-0
12-20-1930: End Wes Fesler, a three-time All American and the best Buckeye player since Chic Harley, wins the Silver Football as the MVP of the Big Ten
11-07-1931: The Buckeyes get Navy's goat: the team wins, 20-0, and the fans dye the mascot scarlet and grey
10-01-1932: Ohio State plays its final game against neighboring Ohio Wesleyan; the Buckeyes win the contest 34-7, and take the all-time series, 26-2-1
10-15-1932: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 14-0; this would be the Buckeyes' only loss on the year, and the team would finish with a record of 4-1-3
10-07-1933: Ohio State crushes Virginia, 75-0; this remains the Buckeyes' most lopsided victory against a team currently in the BCS
10-21-1933: Michigan beats Ohio State, 13-0, spoiling Buckeyes' perfect season and national title hopes; Ohio State would finish with 7-1-0 record that year[6]
01-30-1934: Head coach Sam Willaman resigns after just five seasons; his record at Ohio State was an uninspiring 26-10-5 (.695), with no conference titles
03-02-1934: Ohio State hires head coach Francis Schmidt, who states: "How about Michigan? They put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as we do!"
__-__-1934: The founding of the Buckeye Grove; the school plants one buckeye tree in the grove for each Ohio State player who makes first team All American
10-13-1934: Illinois uses trick plays to edge Ohio State, 14-13; the Buckeyes would finish the season with a 7-1-0 record, missing perfection by a single point
11-17-1934: Ohio State beats Michigan, 34-0; in honor of Coach Schmidt's famous quip, each Buckeye earns a gold pants charm, and a new tradition is born
11-18-1934: This was the year of traditions, as Ohio State holds its first Captains' Breakfast, at the Scioto Country Club
10-19-1935: Ohio State racks up a team-record 39 first downs in an 85-7 romp over Drake
11-02-1935: Ohio State plays Notre Dame for first time; the Irish rally late to win 18-13, ending the Buckeyes' hopes for a national title
11-23-1935: Ohio State beats Michigan, 38-0, which still represents their largest margin of victory in The Game; Ohio State's first Big Ten title since 1920
10-10-1936: Ohio State Marching Band performs Script Ohio for first time; the formation soon becomes one of the most venerable traditions in college football
10-31-1936: Once again, Ohio State falls to Notre Dame, this time losing 7-2; the two Midwest powers will not play again for nearly sixty years
11-21-1936: Quarterback Tippy Dye leads Ohio State to its third straight shut out over Michigan, as the Buckeyes prevail, 21-0
10-09-1937: Ohio State plays Southern Cal for the first time, but the Buckeyes lose the game, 13-12[7]
11-06-1937: In 1937, the Buckeyes shut out six of their eight opponents, but they lose their other two games; Indiana tops Ohio State, 10-0
11-20-1937: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-0, for its fourth straight shut out in The Game
11-30-1937: Ohio State (6-2-0) finishes the season ranked in the AP poll for the first time (#13)[8]
11-19-1938: Michigan snaps Ohio State's winning streak in The Game at four, as the Wolverines earn a shut out of their own, 18-0
11-18-1939: Ohio State shuts out Illinois, 21-0, to clinch its fourth outright Big Ten title, and its first since 1920
11-23-1940: Michigan halfback Tom Harmon is responsible for 34 points and 371 total yards, and the Wolves hammer the Bucks, 40-0
12-16-1940: With the team's performance and morale in serious decline, head coach Francis Schmidt "resigns" after compiling a career mark of 39-16-1 (.705)
01-14-1941: After building a dynasty at Massillon High School, 32-year old Paul Brown is hired to be the head coach at The Ohio State University
10-04-1941: Ohio State travels to Los Angeles and dominates Southern Cal, 33-0; the win marks the Buckeyes' first against a team from the West Coast
10-12-1942: After defeating USC, 28-12, the previous Saturday, Ohio State gains the top spot in the AP poll; this marks the Bucks' first #1 ranking in any poll
10-31-1942: With half of the team suffering from dysentary, #1 Ohio State loses to #6 Wisconsin, 17-7, in the "Bad Water Game"
11-07-1942: Gene Fekete races for a school-record 89-yard touchdown run, and Ohio State clobbers Pitt, 59-19
11-21-1942: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-7, to earn an outright Big Ten championship, just the fifth in school history
12-01-1942: Ohio State earns its first national championship, as the Buckeyes (9-1-0) finish #1 in the final AP poll
11-20-1943: Michigan pummels Ohio State, 45-7, as the Buckeyes finish the year with a 3-6-0 mark; Paul Brown leaves at the end of the season to join the Navy
04-12-1944: Paul Brown reports for duty at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, but remains Ohio State's head coach "in absentia"
04-14-1944: Assistant coach Carroll Widdoes is named "acting head coach" for as long as Paul Brown remains enlisted in the Navy
10-21-1944: Great Lakes Naval Training Center, led by former Buckeye head coach Paul Brown, invades Ohio Stadium: #4 Ohio State 26, #6 Great Lakes 6
11-25-1944: #3 Ohio State beats #6 Michigan by the score of 18-14 to complete its second perfect (and fourth undefeated) season (9-0-0)[9]
11-26-1944: The Big Ten refuses to lift its self-imposed ban on post-season games, and Ohio State is forced to refuse its Rose Bowl invitation
12-01-1944: Les Horvath becomes the first Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy, edging Army's dynamic duo of Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard
12-05-1944: Despite finishing season with a perfect record, four All Americans, and Heisman winner, Ohio State places second (to Army) in the final AP poll
02-18-1945: Instead of returing to Ohio State as previously agreed, Paul Brown signs a contract with the Cleveland franchise of the AAFC
10-27-1945: The Buckeyes claim their 300th victory with a 20-7 win over Minnesota
11-10-1945: Ollie Cline rushes for 229 yards in a 14-0 victory over Pitt, becoming the first Buckeye to eclipse the 200-yard mark
11-24-1945: #8 Michigan edges #7 Ohio State, 7-3; this marks the last game for head coach Carroll Widdoes, who finishes with a career mark of 16-2-0 (.889)
11-23-1946: Michigan pummels Ohio State 58-6; this remains the Buckeyes' worst loss in Big Ten competition
11-08-1947: Northwestern penalties give Ohio State two untimed downs at end of regulation, and Buckeyes use extra plays to score their only points in a 7-6 win
11-22-1947: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 21-0; Buckeyes finish season with 2-6-1 record (.278) and outscored 150-60, their worst season of 20th century
11-20-1948: Ohio State holds Michigan's high-powered offense to a season-low in points, but the national champion Wolverines still prevail, 13-3
09-24-1949: Ohio State edges Missouri, 35-34, in the first game to be televised from Ohio Stadium
11-19-1949: Michigan and Ohio State play to a 7-7 draw and split the conference championship, but the Buckeyes get the Rose Bowl bid
01-02-1950: #6 Ohio State (7-1-2) wins its first Rose Bowl, besting #3 California by the score of 17-14
10-28-1950: Vic Janowicz accounts for 46 points as Ohio State pummels Iowa, 83-21; this represents Buckeyes' highest point total in Big Ten competition
11-18-1950: The #1 Buckeyes commit seven turnovers, and Illinois upsets Ohio State, 14-7
11-25-1950: Playing in blizzard conditions, Ohio State loses to Michigan, 9-3, in the "Snow Bowl", even though the Wolverines can't manage a single first down
12-05-1950: Halfback Vic Janowicz becomes the second Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
02-18-1951: Ohio State hires an unknown named Wayne Woodrow Hayes to be the Buckeyes' 19th head football coach
__-__-1951: Chic Harley, the man who put Ohio State on the football map, becomes a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame
09-29-1951: Ohio State beats SMU (7-0), the first of Woody's 205 wins as the Buckeye head football coach
11-24-1951: Michigan spoils Woody's first Game, as the Wolverines post a 7-0 shut out; Ohio State finishes the season with a mediocre 4-3-2 record
09-27-1952: In his first game as a Buckeye, freshman Howard "Hopalong" Cassady scores 3 touchdowns, and Ohio State tops Indiana, 33-13
11-22-1952: Buckeye DB Fred Bruney picks off three Wolverine passes, and Ohio State romps over Michigan, 27-7, for Woody's first win in The Game
11-21-1953: Ohio State falls to Michigan, 20-0; with a three-year record of 16-9-2 (.630) and two shut-out losses in The Game, Woody is officially on the hot seat
10-02-1954: Following a 21-13 win over California, the Victory Bell is rung for the first time
10-23-1954: Hopalong Cassady returns an interception 88 yards for a touchdown, as #4 Ohio State knocks off #2 Wisconsin, 31-14
11-20-1954: #1 Ohio State beats #12 Michigan, 21-7, as Woody wins his first Big Ten title, and the program's first outright championship since 1944
11-30-1954: Ohio State (9-0-0) wins its second AP national championship....
11-30-1954: However, UCLA (also 9-0-0) takes home the UP crown while the Buckeyes finish second in that poll
01-01-1955: Ohio State (10-0-0) beats Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 20-7, completing its third perfect (and fifth undefeated) season[10]
10-24-1955: Proving that the media has always been against Ohio State, Sports Illustrated accuses Coach Hayes and boosters of improperly paying players
11-19-1955: Ohio State blanks Michigan, 17-0, to win back-to-back outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1916-1917
11-29-1955: After rushing for 964 yards and 15 touchdowns, Hopalong Cassady becomes the third Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
04-26-1956: Based on the Sports Illustrated revelations mentioned above, the Big Ten places Ohio State on a one-year probation
11-10-1956: Three Buckeye running backs - Galen Cisco, James Roseboro, and Donald Clark - each crack the 100-yard mark as Ohio State beats Indiana, 35-14
11-17-1956: After losing to Iowa, 6-0, Woody Hayes displays his legendary temper by attacking a cameraman
01-11-1957: Following the lead of the Big Ten, the NCAA places Ohio State on a one-year probation
09-28-1957: Ohio State loses its season opener to TCU, 18-14; this loss would mar an otherwise perfect season for the Buckeyes
11-16-1957: #6 Ohio State gets back into national title hunt with 17-13 victory over #5 Iowa; Buckeyes clinch third outright Big Ten championship in four years
11-23-1957: #3 Ohio State throttles #19 Michigan, 31-14, in front of 101,001 fans at the Big House
12-03-1957: Despite suffering an early-season loss, Ohio State (8-1-0) rebounds to earn the UPI and FWAA national championships....[11]
12-03-1957: But the Buckeyes finish second to Auburn (10-0-0) in the AP poll
01-01-1958: Ohio State defeats Oregon in the Rose Bowl by the score of 10-7, to finish with a 9-1-0 record
11-15-1958: All American fullback Bob White rushes for 209 yards, as #16 Ohio State knocks off previously unbeaten #2 Iowa, 38-28
10-02-1959: In another post-game outburst, Woody Hayes attacks reporters following a 17-0 loss to Southern Cal
11-21-1959: A 23-14 loss to Michigan caps Ohio State's 1st losing season since 1947; the offensively challenged Buckeyes (3-5-1) score just 83 points all year
11-19-1960: Ohio State salvages an otherwise disappointing season with a 7-0 victory over Michigan; the Bucks (7-2-0) finish #8 in the final AP poll
09-30-1961: TCU once again mars an otherwise perfect season by playing Buckeyes to a 7-7 draw; Hayes admits it "was as bad a game as I've ever coached"
11-25-1961: #2 Ohio State completes its sixth undefeated season by pounding on Michigan, 50-20; this win marks the Buckeyes' 400th of all time
11-28-1961: Believing that Ohio State had become a football factory, the faculty council votes 28-25 to reject the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl invitation
11-28-1961: Fullback Bob Ferguson loses Heisman Trophy to Syracuse's Ernie Davis by mere 53 votes; however, Ferguson did win the Maxwell Award that year
12-05-1961: Ohio State (8-0-1) finishes a close second to Alabama (10-0-0) in the AP and UPI polls....
12-05-1961: But the Buckeyes are named the national champion by the FWAA, their fourth recognized national championship
11-24-1962: In an otherwise uneventful season (6-3-0), the Buckeyes pound Michigan, 28-0, for their third win in a row in The Game
11-30-1963: Due to assassination of President Kennedy, The Game was postponed for a week; Buckeyes prevail, 14-10, for their fourth win in a row in the rivalry
11-07-1964: The second-ranked Buckeyes suffer their first loss of the season, a 27-0 whitewashing by a mediocre Penn State squad
11-21-1964: In a game that would determine the Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl bid, #6 Michigan shuts out #7 Ohio State, 10-0
10-09-1965: The Best Damn Band in the Land introduces their rendition of "Hang On Sloopy"; Ohio State beats Illinois 28-14
10-30-1965: Brutus Buckeye makes his first appearance; Ohio State beats Minnesota, 11-10
10-15-1966: Unranked Ohio State almost upsets #1 Michigan State, but the Spartans score a late touchdown to eke out an 11-8 victory
11-19-1966: After dropping The Game to Michigan, 17-3, the Buckeyes (4-5-0) suffer their first losing season since 1959
__-__-1967: Coach Hayes and trainer Ernie Biggs create the Buckeye leaf helmet sticker, the first adornment of its kind in college football
10-14-1967: Purdue hands Woody his worst loss as Ohio State's head coach, as the Boilermakers steamroll the Buckeyes, 41-6
11-25-1967: In an omen of good things to come, Ohio State tops Michigan, 24-14, to finish the season with four straight wins
10-12-1968: The Super Sophs, led by QB Rex Kern, DB Jack Tatum, and DL Jim Stillwagon knock off the top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers, 13-0
11-23-1968: #2 Ohio State defeats #4 Michigan, 50-14; the Buckeyes attempt a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter because they "couldn't go for three"
12-02-1968: Ohio State (9-0-0) earns its second coaches poll national championship, its fifth recognized national championship
01-01-1969: #1 Ohio State beats O.J. Simpson's #2 Southern Cal team in the Rose Bowl, 27-16, to complete its fourth perfect (and seventh undefeated) season
01-02-1969: Ohio State (10-0-0) earns its third AP national championship, and its first consensus title (AP, UPI, FWAA)
11-22-1969: Ten Year War begins: #12 Michigan upsets #1 Ohio State, 24-12; loss costs Buckeyes a national title and breaks their 22-game winning streak
11-21-1970: #5 Ohio State beats #4 Michigan, 20-9; the win not only keeps Buckeyes perfect (9-0-0), but also spoils Wolverines' perfect record (9-1-0)
12-08-1970: Although Buckeyes finished regular season with perfect record, UPI votes Texas (10-0-0) as national champion, with Ohio State placing second
12-31-1970: The NFF splits its national championship between Texas and Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes their sixth recognized national championship
01-01-1971: In the Super Sophs' final game, Stanford upsets Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, 27-17, denying the Buckeyes the AP national title[12]
10-23-1971: Little-used Morris Bradshaw scores TDs on 88-yard kick-off return and 88-yard run (longest in school history), as Ohio State rolls Wisconsin, 31-6
11-20-1971: After the officials miss an obvious pass interference call, Woody tears up the sideline markers; #3 Michigan squeaks by unranked Ohio State, 10-7
09-30-1972: In just his second collegiate game, true freshman tailback Archie Griffin rushes for 239 yards as Ohio State beats North Carolina, 29-14
11-11-1972: Undefeated Ohio State, ranked fifth in the AP poll, commits five turnovers and loses to unranked Michigan State, 19-12
11-25-1972: #9 Ohio State uses two goal line stands to upset #3 Michigan, 14-11, and earn the Big Ten's Rose Bowl bid
01-01-1973: #1 Southern Cal (12-0-0) wraps up a consensus national championship after hammering #3 Ohio State (9-2-0) in the Rose Bowl, 42-17
11-24-1973: #1 Ohio State and #4 Michigan each enter The Game with perfect records, but they play to a 10-10 tie
11-25-1973: With no clear-cut conference champion, the Big Ten athletic directors vote (by a 6-4 margin) to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl
12-04-1973: Three Ohio State players finish in top six in Heisman voting: OT John Hicks (2nd); TB Archie Griffin (5th), and LB Randy Gradishar (6th)
01-01-1974: #4 Ohio State pounds #7 Southern Cal in Rose Bowl, 42-21, to complete its eighth undefeated season; Woody proclaims this his "greatest victory"
01-02-1974: Notre Dame (11-0-0) wins the AP national championship, with Ohio State (10-0-1) finishing a close second[13]
11-09-1974: #1 Ohio State loses to Michigan State, 16-13, as the officials overturn an apparent game-winning Buckeye touchdown as time expired
11-23-1974: Buckeye kicker Tom Klaban hits four field goals, and #4 Ohio State ruins #3 Michigan's pefect season with a 12-10 victory
12-03-1974: After rushing for 1,695 yards, tailback Archie Griffin becomes the fourth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
01-01-1975: Southern Cal scores a late touchdown and two-point conversion to defeat Ohio State in Rose Bowl, 18-17; loss costs Buckeyes the UPI national title
09-27-1975: Ohio State trounces North Carolina, 32-7, for the school's 500th victory of all time
10-25-1975: Archie Griffin sets the NCAA all-time career rushing mark (since broken); Ohio State clubs Purdue, 35-6
11-08-1975: All American punter Tom Skladany drills a school-record 59-yard field goal, and Ohio State shellacs Illinois, 40-3
11-22-1975: QB Cornelius Greene leads fourth-quarter comeback as #1 Ohio State beats #4 Michigan, 21-14, to preserve a perfect regular season (11-0-0)
12-02-1975: Archie Griffin rushes for 1,450 yards on the season and becomes the only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy
01-01-1976: #1 Ohio State is upset by UCLA in Rose Bowl, 23-10; the loss costs the Buckeyes a perfect season and a consensus national championship
01-01-1977: Ohio State defeats Colorado in Orange Bowl, 27-10; this marks first time that Buckeyes played a bowl game that was not the Rose Bowl
09-24-1977: In their first ever meeting, #3 Oklahoma edges #4 Ohio State, 29-28; Sooners score late TD and use on-side kick to set up last-second field goal
11-19-1977: Once again, Woody unravels in Ann Arbor, this time attacking an ABC cameraman during The Game; Michigan wins, 14-6
01-02-1978: In a battle between the two winningest active coaches, Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide pounds Woody Hayes's Buckeyes in Sugar Bowl, 35-6
09-16-1978: In his first college game, true freshman quarterback Art Schlichter tosses five interceptions as Ohio State falls to Penn State, 19-0
10-21-1978: Bob Hope becomes the first honorary Script Ohio "i-dotter", and Ohio State tops Iowa, 31-7
11-18-1978: Buckeyes edge Indiana, 21-18; this would be Woody's 205th (and last) win at Ohio State, the 238th (and last) win of his coaching career
11-25-1978: In Woody's last contest against TSUN, the Wolverines prevail, 14-3; Woody's overall record in The Game was an impressive 16-11-1
12-29-1978: Ohio State loses to Clemson in Gator Bowl, 17-15; after late interception seals Buckeyes' fate, Woody punches Clemson LB Charlie Bauman.
12-30-1978: In aftermath of The Punch, Ohio State fires Woody; in his Buckeye career, Hayes had record of 205-61-10 (.761), won 13 Big Ten titles and 5 NCs
03-04-1979: After racking up 569 tackles for his career (second best all-time at Ohio State), LB Tom Cousineau is selected #1 overall in the NFL draft
09-08-1979: In their first game in 29 years without Woody Hayes on the sidelines, Ohio State beats Syracuse, 31-8
11-27-1979: Rookie head coach Earle Bruce beats Michigan, 18-15, to complete a perfect regular season (11-0-0) and earn a #1 ranking in both major polls
01-01-1980: #3 Southern Cal scores late TD to beat #1 Ohio State, 17-16 in Rose Bowl; loss ruins Buckeyes' perfect season and costs them national title
09-26-1981: In a battle of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Art Schlichter outduels John Elway: Ohio State 24, Stanford 19
10-03-1981: Art Schichter throws for a school-record 458 yards, but Ohio State loses to Florida State, 36-27
11-14-1981: Ohio State crushes Northwestern, 70-6, which represents the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory in Big Ten competition
11-20-1982: LB Marcus Marek records 19 tackles and an interception, and Ohio State wins The Game 24-14 ... but Michigan still goes to Rose Bowl[14]
12-17-1982: Ohio State beats Brigham Young by the score of 47-17; this represents the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory in a bowl game
09-17-1983: In a belated rematch with the Sooners, #6 Ohio State beats #2 Oklahoma, 24-14, which evens the all-time series at a game apiece
10-08-1983: Garcia Lane becomes the first (and only) Buckeye to return two punts for touchdowns in one game; Ohio State beats Purdue, 33-22
10-29-1983: Woody "dots the i", and Ohio State tops Wisconsin, 45-27
10-13-1984: Despite losing his shoe, TB Keith Byars rushes for school-record 274 yards and five TDs in a come-from-behind victory over Illinois (45-38)[15]
12-01-1984: Keith Byars led the nation in rushing (1,655 yards) and scoring (22 TDs), but places second in Heisman voting to Boston College QB Doug Flutie
01-01-1985: The Buckeyes lose their fourth straight Rose Bowl: #18 Southern Cal 20, #6 Ohio State 17
09-02-1985: Pre-season Heisman favorite Keith Byars breaks his foot during scrimmage; the injury would keep Byars on sidelines for most of his senior season
11-02-1985: Ohio State picks off Iowa quarterback Chuck Long three times, and the Buckeyes knock off the #1 ranked Hawkeyes, 22-13
12-28-1985: LB Larry Kolic intercepts two passes, returning one for the Buckeyes' only touchdown, and Ohio State beats BYU in the Citrus Bowl, 10-7
09-27-1986: For first time in their history, Ohio State racks up over 300 yards both on ground and in air; Buckeyes blast Utah, 64-6, for their 600th victory
11-22-1986: Linebacker Chris Spielman racks up a school record 29 tackles, but it's not quite enough as Michigan edges Ohio State, 26-24
01-01-1987: Chris Spielman intercepts two passes, taking one to the house, as Ohio State beats Texas A+M in the Cotton Bowl, 28-12
10-10-1987: Indiana pounds Ohio State, 31-10, which marks the first time since 1951 that the Buckeyes lose a game to the Hoosiers
11-14-1987: The Buckeyes melt down in the final seconds and fall to Iowa, 29-27; the come-from-ahead loss drops their record to 5-4-1 on the season
11-16-1987: Ohio State fires Earle Bruce, who agrees to stay on for The Game; AD Rick Bay declines all bowl bids and resigns in support of Bruce
11-21-1987: Sporting "EARLE" headbands and riding a tidal wave of emotion, Ohio State scores an upset victory in Ann Arbor, beating Michigan 23-20
09-24-1988: Ohio State beats Louisiana State, 36-33, which was the Buckeyes' only victory against an SEC squad between 1935 and 2014[16]
11-19-1988: John Cooper loses his first Game; Buckeyes end season with losing record (4-6-1) and negative point differential (229-283) for first time since 1966
10-29-1989: After trailing 31-0, QB Greg Frey leads Buckeyes on record-setting comeback, and Ohio State defeats Minnesota, 41-37, on TD in final minute
09-29-1990: In the midst of a lightning storm and with his team trailing Southern Cal 35-26, Coop concedes defeat with 2:36 still left on the clock
12-27-1990: Buckeyes come out flat and never recover; Ohio State falls to Air Force in the Liberty Bowl by the score of 23-11
11-23-1991: After returning a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, Desmond Howard strikes the Heisman pose in the endzone; Michigan creams Ohio State 31-3
10-10-1992: True freshman tailback Eddie George fumbles twice inside the 5-yard line, and Illinois hangs on to beat Ohio State, 18-16
11-21-1992: Ohio State and Michigan battle to 13-13 tie; after 4 straight losses in The Game, this counts as a red-letter day for OSU president E. Gordon Gee[17]
11-20-1993: Undefeated Ohio State, #5 in the AP poll, travels to Ann Arbor and gets shut out by the unranked Michigan Wolverines, 28-0
12-30-1993: After four consecutive bowl game losses, Ohio State holds on to defeat Brigham Young in Holiday Bowl, 28-21
04-24-1994: After being named a first-team All American, Buckeye defensive tackle "Big Daddy" Dan Wilkinson is selected first in the NFL draft
10-29-1994: The Buckeyes suffer their worst loss in 48 years, as Penn State embarrasses Ohio State, 63-14
11-19-1994: After starting out 0-5-1 in The Game, John Cooper finally breaks the jinx, as Ohio State tops Michigan, 22-6
09-23-1995: Terry Glenn sets a Buckeye single-game mark with 253 yards receiving, and Ohio State trounces Pitt, 54-14
09-30-1995: Ohio State meets Notre Dame for first time in six decades; Terry Glenn's 82-yard TD reception highlights the Buckeyes' 45-26 victory
11-11-1995: Eddie George breaks Keith Byars's single-game rushing record by racking up 314 yards in a 41-3 victory over Illinois
11-25-1995: Tim Biakabutuka rushes for 313 yards as #2 Ohio State falls to #18 Michigan, 31-23; loss ruins Buckeyes' perfect record and ends national title run
12-09-1995: After rushing for a school-record 1,927 yards, Eddie George becomes the fifth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
01-01-1996: Coop loses another big game, as #4 Ohio State falls to #4 Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl by the score of 20-14[18]
09-21-1996: Ohio State beats Pitt, 72-0, for largest margin of victory since 1935; David Boston scores on 67-yard punt return with only 7 teammates on the field
09-28-1996: Coop couldn't beat Michigan, but he never lost to Notre Dame; the Buckeyes top the Irish, 29-16, squaring the all-time series at two games apiece.
11-23-1996: Shawn Springs slips and Tai Streets races 86 yards for only TD of The Game; #21 Michigan spoils another perfect season for #2 Ohio State, 13-9
01-01-1997: #3 Ohio State scores TD in closing seconds to beat previously undefeated #2 Arizona State, 20-17; Buckeyes' first Rose Bowl victory since 1974
01-03-1997: Rose Bowl winner Ohio State (previously #3) falls behind Sugar Bowl winner Florida (previously #4); Buckeyes finish second to Gators in both polls
04-19-1997: After winning Lombardi Award (1995, 1996) and Outland Trophy (1996), Buckeye OT Orlando Pace becomes top selection in NFL draft
09-27-1997: On route to Butkus Award, LB Andy Katzenmoyer plants Missouri QB Corby Jones into the turf, as Buckeyes beat Tigers, 31-10
11-15-1997: Ohio State crushes Illinois, 41-6, to earn their 700th victory of all time
11-22-1997: Buckeyes miss chance to ruin Wolverines' perfect season when Charles Woodson returns punt for winning score: #1 Michigan 20, #4 Ohio State 14
08-31-1998: Sports Illustrated names Buckeyes preseason No. 1* ... *if Andy Katzenmoyer makes the grade; once again, Ohio State is viewed as football factory
11-07-1998: Despite leading 24-9 midway through third quarter, #1 Ohio State falls apart down the stretch and loses at home to unranked Michigan State, 28-24
11-21-1998: After compiling a miserable 1-8-1 record in The Game, John Cooper beats Michigan, 31-16, to keep Buckeyes in national title contention
12-07-1998: Despite finishing regular season with 10-1-0 record, Ohio State finishes fourth in final BCS rankings and misses out on inaugural title game
01-01-1999: Ohio State handily defeats #8 Texas A+M in Sugar Bowl, 24-14, marking only time that Coop would win The Game and bowl game in same season
01-05-1999: Ohio State (11-1-0) finishes second in the AP poll for the sixth time in school history; undefeated Tennessee (13-0-0) is consensus national champ
10-30-1999: Ohio State retires Archie Griffin's #45; a three-time All American, Griffin remains Buckeyes' all-time leading rusher with 5,589 yards
09-23-2000: Ohio State retires Vic Janowicz's #31; a great all-around athlete, Janowicz handled passing, rushing, kicking, and punting chores
11-18-2000: Ohio State retires Hopalong Cassady's #40; the 1955 AP Athlete of the Year, Cassady was a two-time All American
12-20-2000: Wide receiver Reggie Germany is ruled academically ineligible for Buckeyes' upcoming bowl game after posting a 0.0 GPA for the fall quarter
01-01-2001: Buckeyes sleepwalk through Outback Bowl, get hammered by South Carolina, 24-7; the revenge of Ryan Brewer (214 all-purpose yards, 3 TDs)[19]
01-02-2001: John Cooper fired due to "deteriorating climate within the football program"; in other words, Coop was 2-10-1 vs Michigan and 3-8 in bowl games
01-18-2001: Ohio State hires Jim Tressel, who promptly *guarantees* a victory "in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan"[20]
09-08-2001: Jim Tressel wins his first game as Ohio State's head coach, as the Buckeyes rip the Akron Zips, 28-14
10-06-2001: Ohio State retires Les Horvath's #22; in 1944, Horvath amassed a school-record (since broken) 1,268 total yards
11-10-2001: Ohio State retires Eddie George's #27; Eddie ranks third in career rushing yards (3,768) and third in career touchdowns (44) for Buckeyes
11-24-2001: Jim Tressel makes good on his *guarantee*, as unranked Ohio State beats #11 Michigan in Ann Arbor by the score of 26-20
01-01-2002: Ohio State rallies from 28-point deficit in Outback Bowl, but South Carolina kicks last-second field goal to spoil Buckeyes' comeback, 31-28.
08-24-2002: In his debut, true freshman Maurice Clarett rushes for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns as #13 Ohio States topples Texas Tech, 45-21
09-07-2002: True freshman linebacker A.J. Hawk grabs a pick-six, as #8 Ohio State routs Kent State, 51-17
09-14-2002: Maurice Clarett rushes for 230 yards (194 in the second half) and two touchdowns, and #6 Ohio State throttles #10 Washington State, 25-7
09-21-2002: Safety Will Allen intercepts a pass in the end zone with 26 seconds left, and the Buckeyes avoid the upset: Ohio State 23, Cincinnati 19
10-26-2002: Chris Gamble, Buckeyes' first two-way player in decades, returns an interception 40 yards for TD, as #4 Ohio State beats #18 Penn State, 13-7
11-09-2002: On 4th down with time running out, Craig Kenzel connects with Michael Jenkins on 37-yard TD pass as Ohio State beats Purdue, 10-6. Holy Buckeye!
11-16-2002: In Buckeyes' first-ever overtime game, seldom-used tailback Maurice Hall scores tie-breaking touchdown, and Ohio State squeaks by Illinois, 23-16
11-23-2002: Will Allen's interception at the goal line as time expires preserves a 14-9 victory over #12 Michigan, and the #2 Buckeyes head to the BCS title game
12-30-2002: Maurice Clarett publicly blasts Ohio State for refusing to let him return to Youngstown during bowl week to attend the funeral of a friend[21]
01-03-2003: With a 31-24 victory in double overtime, Ohio State snaps Miami's 34-game winning streak; the Buckeyes' 5th perfect (and 9th undefeated) season
01-04-2003: Sporting the best record in major college football in over a century (14-0-0), Ohio State claims its 7th recognized national title, and first since 1968
07-12-2003: The New York Times publishes an article accusing Ohio State of giving Maurice Clarett preferential academic treatment
09-10-2003: Athletic Director Andy Geiger suspends Maurice Clarett for the 2003 season due to off-the-field improprieties
09-13-2003: The Buckeyes prevail in a triple-overtime thriller, as Ohio State knocks off North Carolina State, 44-38
10-11-2003: #23 Wisconsin beats #3 Ohio State, 17-10, ending the Buckeyes' 19-game winning streak
11-22-2003: With a berth in the BCS title game still a possibility, #4 Ohio State falls to #5 Michigan, 35-21
01-02-2004: #7 Ohio State knocks off #8 Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, 35-28, to finish the season with an 11-2 record and a top-five ranking
09-11-2004: Mike Nugent kicks a personal-best 55-yard field goal as time expires, and Ohio State beats Marshall, 24-21
10-02-2004: Ohio State loses to Northwestern, 33-27, which marks the Buckeyes' first loss to the Wildcats since the 1971 season
10-16-2004: Iowa blows out Ohio State, 33-7; the inexperienced Troy Smith replaces the ineffective Justin Zwick at quarterback
10-30-2004: Ohio State retires Chic Harley's #47; the Buckeyes' first three-time All American, Harley led team to record of 21-1-1 and two outright Big Ten titles
11-20-2004: Troy Smith amasses 386 total yards and Ted Ginn returns a punt 82 yards for a TD as unranked Ohio State stuns #7 Michigan, 37-21
12-20-2004: A month after his historic performance in The Game, Ohio State suspends starting quarterback Troy Smith for taking cash payments from a booster
12-29-2004: Ohio State trounces Oklahoma State in Alamo Bowl, 33-7; kicker Mike Nugent breaks Pete Johnson's career scoring record in his final game in S+G
09-10-2005: In first-ever meeting between the two powerhouse programs, #2 Texas (eventual national champ) scores a late TD to edge #4 Ohio State, 25-22
11-19-2005: WR Anthony Gonzalez makes a circus catch and RB Antonio Pittman scores a last-minute TD to propel Ohio State to a 25-21 victory over Michigan
01-02-2006: The Buckeyes use big plays to rack up 617 yards of total offense, as #4 Ohio State pummels #5 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, 34-20
04-29-2006: Five Buckeyes are selected in first round of 2006 NFL draft - A.J. Hawk, Donte Whitner, Bobby Carpenter, Santonio Holmes, Nick Mangold
09-09-2006: In rematch with Longhorns, #1 Ohio State invades Austin and defeats #2 Texas, 24-7; LB James Laurinaitis forces two TOs to seal victory
09-23-2006: QB Troy Smith makes highlight TD pass to WR Brian Robiskie & Buckeye defense nets two pick-sixes; Ohio State beats Penn State, 28-6
11-18-2006: In battle of unbeatens, #1 Ohio State tops #2 Michigan, 42-39; Buckeyes earn first outright Big Ten title since 1984 & trip to BCS title game
12-09-2006: After throwing for 2,542 yards (.653 completion) and 30 TDs, Troy Smith becomes the sixth Buckeye to win Heisman Trophy
01-08-2007: The sluggish Buckeyes manage only 82 yards of total offense, and Florida tramples Ohio State, 41-14, in the BCS title game
11-03-2007: Ohio State retires Bill Willis's #99; twice an All American, Willis would go on to have a Hall of Fame pro career with the Cleveland Browns
11-17-2007: Chris Wells runs for 222 yards and Ohio State defense holds Michigan to just 91 yards of total offense; Buckeyes win The Game again, 14-3[22]
01-07-2008: Once again, #1 Ohio State falls to an SEC squad in the BCS title game, as #2 Louisiana State prevails, 38-24.
03-19-2008: The Buckeyes sign quarterback Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pennsylvania), the most-heralded high school prospect in years.
09-06-2008: The Buckeyes notch their 800th victory, beating Ohio University by the score of 26-14
09-13-2008: #1 Southern Cal blows out #5 Ohio State, 35-3, marking the Trojans' sixth straight victory over the Buckeyes dating back to 1975 Rose Bowl
10-20-2008: In his first game as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback, Terrelle Pryor throws for four touchdowns, as Ohio State beats Troy, 28-10
11-22-2008: Ohio State welcomes Michigan HC Rich Rodriguez to rivalry by spanking Wolverines, 42-7; win marks Buckeyes' fifth in a row in The Game
01-05-2009: Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy throws a last-minute touchdown, as #3 Texas edges #10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, 24-21
09-12-2009: #3 Southern Cal scores a late touchdown, and the Buckeyes drop another big nonconference game, 18-15
11-21-2009: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-10, for their sixth straight win in The Game
01-01-2010: Although the national pundits claim that Ohio State can't handle Oregon's speed, the Buckeyes win the Rose Bowl, 26-17
11-27-2010: Ohio State beats Michigan again, 37-7, for their seventh straight win in The Game; Michigan falls to 1-9 in The Game during the Tressel era
12-07-2010: TatGate breaks - QB Terrelle Pryor & 5 other players traded Buckeye memorablia for tattoos and other extra benefits in violation of NCAA rules
01-04-2011: With TatGate overshadowing the game, #6 Ohio State defeats #8 Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, 31-26
03-07-2011: TresselGate breaks - Jim Tressel knew about the TatGate as early as April 2010, NCAA investigates him for knowingly using ineligible players
05-30-2011: With media allegations swirling and public pressure mounting, Jim Tressel is forced to resign as head football coach of Ohio State
06-08-2011: Terrelle Pryor leaves Ohio State and enters the NFL supplemental draft after new allegations of improper benefits surface
07-08-2011: In anticipation of the upcoming NCAA hearing, Ohio State voluntarily vacates all 12 wins from its 2010 season, including Sugar Bowl victory
10-29-2011: Freshman QB Braxton Miller hooks up with freshman WR Devin Smith for a last-minute touchdown to upset #12 Wisconsin, 33-29
11-26-2011: For the first time since 2003, Ohio State falls to Michigan, 34-40
11-28-2011: After weeks of rumors, Ohio State finally announces hiring of two-time national champion Urban Meyer as 24th head coach in school's history
12-20-2011: Ohio State receives TatGate penalties from NCAA: vacation of the 2010 season, 9 scholarships lost, 2012 post-season ban, 3-year probation
01-02-2012: Ohio State loses to Florida in the Gator Bowl, finishing the season with a losing record (6-7) for the first time since 1988
09-01-2012: The Urban Meyer Era starts off on the right foot, with a 56-10 win over Miami of Ohio
10-20-2012: Down 22-14 with 47 seconds left in game, reserve QB Kenny Guiton and reserve WR Chris Fields lead Ohio State to victory over Purdue
11-24-2012: Urban Meyer gets his first win in The Game, 26-21, and completes just the sixth perfect season (12-0) in the history of Ohio State football
11-30-2013: Urban Meyer gets his second victory in The Game, 42-41, as the Buckeyes finish the regular season at 12-0
12-07-2013: The Buckeyes suffer their first loss in the Urban Meyer as Michigan State beats them in the Big Ten Title Game, 34-24
01-03-2014: Ohio State loses to Clemson in the Orange Bowl, 40-35
09-06-2014: Ohio State loses to Virginia Tech, 35-21, their first regular season loss in three years
11-08-2014: #14 Ohio State goes on the road and defeats #8 Michigan State, 49-37
11-29-2014: Urban Meyer goes 3-0 in The Game with a 42-28 win over Michigan
12-06-2014: #5 Ohio State blows out #13 Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game, 59-0, as the Buckeyes win their 36th Big Ten title
01-01-2015: Led by Ezekiel Elliott's 230 yards rushing, #4 Ohio State defeats #1 Alabama, 42-35, in Sugar Bowl to earn a berth in national title game
01-12-2015: Ohio State blasts Oregon in the national title game, 42-20, to win the first-ever FBS playoff and claim their 8th national championship
10-03-2015: Ezekiel Elliott rushes for 274 yards including TD runs of 55, 65, and 75 yards as Ohio State beats Indiana, 34-27
11-21-2015: In a driving rainstorm, #3 Ohio State manages only 132 yards as #9 Michigan State ruins the Buckeyes' perfect season, 17-14
11-28-2015: Urban Meyer teaches first-year Wolverine coach Jim Harbaugh a lesson in a 42-13 beat down of Michigan in The Game
01-01-2016: #7 Ohio State blows out #8 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, 44-28, the Buckeyes' fourth straight win over the Golden Domers
04-28-2016: Five Buckeyes are selected in first round of 2016 NFL draft - Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Eli Apple, Taylor Decker, Darron Lee
09-03-2016: Ohio State amasses a school record 776 total yards in a 77-10 rout of Bowling Green
09-17-2016: In just the third ever meeting between the two powerhouse programs, #3 Ohio State defeats #14 Oklahoma, 45-24
10-22-2016: Ohio State blows a 14-point 4th quarter lead, loses to Penn State 24 to 21 on a 60-yard blocked FG return for a TD
11-26-2016: #2 Ohio State beats #3 Michigan in double overtime, 30 to 27. And on further review, the spot was good
12-31-2016: Ohio State earns its second appearance in the CFB Playoffs, but the Buckeyes get blown out by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, 31 to 0
09-09-2017: In a rematch of the 2016 contest, Ohio State gets smoked at home by Oklahoma, 31 to 16
10-28-2017: Down 35-20 entering the 4th quarter, J.T. Barrett (423 total yards, 4 TD) leads a legendary comeback as #6 Ohio State beats #2 Penn State, 39-38
11-04-2017: Still hungover from the Penn State win the previous week, #3 Ohio State gets crushed by unranked Iowa, 55 to 24
11-25-2017: #8 Ohio State beats unranked Michigan, 31 to 10, for the Buckeyes' sixth straight win in The Game
12-02-2017: #8 Ohio State beats #3 Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, 27 to 20, for the Buckeyes' 36th conference title
12-29-2017: #5 Ohio State defeats #8 Southern Cal in the Cotton Bowl, 24 to 7, as the Buckeye defense forces 8 sacks and 4 turnovers
08-01-2018: In the wake of the Zach Smith Affair, Ohio State places head coach Urban Meyer on paid leave for the first 3 games of the 2018 season
09-01-2018: Interim head coach Ryan Day wins the first game of his Ohio State career, defeating Oregon State, 77 to 31
09-29-2018: #4 Ohio State overcomes an early 13-point deficit to defeat #9 Penn State in a White Out
10-20-2018: For second year in a row, a highly-ranked Buckeye squad inexplicably gets blown out by an unranked team: Purdue 49, #2 Ohio State 20
11-24-2018: Ohio State scores at will against Michigan's #1 ranked defense to earn 7th straight victory in The Game, 62 to 39
12-04-2018: Head coach Urban Meyer announces his retirement for "medical reasons" effective after the Rose Bowl; Ryan Day named his successor
01-01-2019: In Urban Meyer's last game as Buckeye head coach, #5 Ohio State beats #9 Washington in the Rose Bowl, 28 to 23
08-31-2019: Ryan Day earns his first victory as Ohio State's permanent head coach, with a 45-21 win over Florida Atlantic
11-30-2019: #1 Ohio State defeats #13 Michigan, 56-27, for the Buckeyes' eighth straight win in The Game
12-28-2019: #2 Ohio State loses to #3 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, 29-23, thanks in part to two horrible calls by the replay official
______________________________
1 The May 3rd game against OWU is not counted as part of the 1890 season because it took place during the previous academic year.
2 Ohio State's only win in 1897, a 6-0 triumph over Ohio Medical in the season opener, was achieved by forfeit.
3 Until 1987, the official name of the conference was The Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives.
4 Unofficial totals for that game have Ohio State gaining 1,140 yards of offense and 43 first downs.
5 This loss likely cost Ohio State (6-1-0) its first national championship, as Illinois (6-1-0) would retroactively earn a title that year.
6 Michigan (7-0-1) would win a retroactive national championship for the 1933 season; an Ohio State victory would likely have given the Bucks the title.
7 Southern Cal would become the Buckeyes' biggest non-conference rival, as the two teams play 22 more times over the next 60+ years, including seven times in the Rose Bowl.
8 The AP poll of November 15, 1934, in which the Buckeyes placed ninth, was not a final poll.
9 This marks the first time that The Game would determine the winner of an outright Big Ten championship.
10 AP champ Ohio State (9-0-0) did not play UP champ UCLA (9-0-0) in the Rose Bowl because the Bruins were barred from participating as a result of the "no repeat" rule that was then in place.
11 FWAA stands for Football Writers Association of America; FWAA national championships are recognized by the NCAA.
12 Ohio State won the pre-bowl National Football Foundation national title in 1970; NFF national championships are recognized by the NCAA.
13 Alabama (11-1-0) was the UPI champ in 1973, but the UPI submitted its final poll before the Crimson Tide lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, 24-23; Ohio State finished #3 in the UPI poll.
14 This was the first time that the loser of The Game got the Rose Bowl bid. Although each team had one Big Ten loss, Michigan (8-1) played one more conference game than Ohio State (7-1).
15 Head coach Earle Bruce called this game "the greatest comeback and the worst start I've ever been associated with."
16 Between beating Kentucky on October 5, 1935 (19-6) and Alabama in in 2015 Sugar Bowl (42-35) Ohio State went 1-10-1 versus SEC schools (plus a vacated win against Arkansas in 2011 Sugar Bowl)
17 In his post-game comments, President Gee called the tie "one of our greatest wins ever."
18 This is not a misprint - Ohio State and Tennessee were tied at #4 in the AP poll (each had 1,325 points) heading into their bowl match-up.
19 Ryan Brewer rushed for 7,656 yards and scored 117 TD's during his high school career, and he was named Mr. Football in the state of Ohio for 1998 ... but Ohio State never offered him.
20 Tressel's actual quote: "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."
21 In response, the school claims that it would have let Clarett attend the funeral, but that he failed to submit the proper paperwork.
22 The victory also earned Ohio State back-to-back outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1954-55.
______________________________
A few notes: I am still looking for the exact dates on which the Buckeye Grove was founded, and the Buckeye leaf helmet stickers were first used. If you have that info, please send it to me by PM.
Also, special thanks to BB73, osugrad21, and LightningRod, who contributed research for this article.
Because Ohio State is one of the top football programs of all time by any standard or measure, we have more scarlet days (175) than gray days (125), even though the grays sometimes seem darker than the scarlets seem bright. Moreover, in college football, just one unfortunate gray day can ruin an otherwise scarlet season, as we have seen in 1969, 1970, 1975, 1996, 1998, and 2006, to name but a few. But when everything comes together in just the right way - as it did in 1954 and 1968 and 2002 - then every day is a red letter day. Enjoy!
05-03-1890: Ohio State plays its first game ever, beating Ohio Wesleyan 20-14
11-01-1890: In its second game, Ohio State suffers its first defeat, falling to Wooster, 64-0; this remains the second worst loss in Buckeye history
11-27-1890: Ohio State falls to Kenyon College, 18-10, finishing the only winless season (0-3-0) in school history[1]
10-15-1892: In his first game as head coach, 23-year old John W. Heisman leads Oberlin to a 40-0 victory over Ohio State
11-15-1895: The Buckeyes travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to play their first game outside the State of Ohio; Ohio State beats Kentucky by the score of 8-6
10-16-1897: The first installment of The Game; Ohio State loses to Michigan by the score of 34-0
11-25-1897: Ohio State loses to Ohio Weselyan, 6-0, capping the Buckeyes' worst full season ever: a 1-7-1 record, outscored 168-18, shut out 7 times[2]
10-22-1898: Ohio State loans a player to a short-handed Marietta squad; that player - Bob Hager - scores on a 67-yard TD run and Buckeyes lose, 10-0
10-18-1899: Case battles Ohio State to a 5-5 tie; the Spartans score the only points surrendered by the Buckeyes all season
11-30-1899: Ohio State completes its first undefeated season (9-0-1) with 5-0 win over Kenyon; the Buckeyes outscored their opponents by total of 184-5
10-28-1901: Buckeye OC John Sigrist dies from injuries sustained during previous game; Ohio State nearly drops "brutal and inhuman" sport of football
10-25-1902: Ohio State suffers its worst-ever loss, being shut out by Michigan, 86-0
10-01-1904: Ohio State creams Miami of Ohio, 80-0; this remains the Buckeyes' most lopsided victory against a team currently in Division I-A
10-20-1906: Michigan spoils a perfect season for Ohio State by shutting out the Buckeyes, 6-0
11-24-1906: The Buckeyes throw their first-ever forward pass, which results in a 10-yard touchdown; Ohio State beats Wooster, 12-0
11-29-1906: Ohio State (8-1-0) defeats Ohio Medical, 11-8, to win its first conference championship (the Ohio Athletic Conference)
11-14-1908: The Buckeyes win their 100th game, beating Vanderbilt by the score of 14-6
04-06-1912: Ohio State joins the Western Conference, which in 1917 became known as the Big Ten Conference[3]
11-16-1912: With five minutes remaining in the game and Penn State leading 37-0, Ohio State leaves the field, accusing the Nittany Lions of thuggish play
11-01-1913: Ohio State plays its first Big Ten game, a 7-6 loss to Indiana
11-21-1913: At season's final practice, HC John W. Wilce allows each senior to have one last hit on tackling dummy & new tradition is born - Senior Tackle
11-22-1913: The Buckeyes gain their first Big Ten Conference win, a 58-0 trouncing of Northwestern
10-14-1916: Ohio State dismantles Oberlin, 128-0, which represents the Buckeyes' highest point total and greatest margin of victory of all time[4]
11-04-1916: In what was then known as the biggest victory in school history, Ohio State knocks off previously unbeaten Wisconsin, 14-13
11-25-1916: Ohio State tops Northwestern, 23-3, completing first perfect (and second undefeated) season (7-0-0), and winning first Big Ten title
11-17-1917: Ohio State knocks off Illinois, 13-0, to capture back-to-back outright Big Ten titles
11-24-1917: A 0-0 tie versus Auburn breaks Ohio State's 17-game winning streak, and provides the only blemish in the Buckeyes' otherwise perfect season
11-29-1917: Ohio State beats Camp Sherman, 28-0, completing its third undefeated season (8-0-1); on the year, the Bucks outscored their opponents 292-6
11-16-1918: Illinois shuts out Ohio State, 13-0, ending the Buckeyes' streak of 22 games without a loss
10-25-1919: After compiling a record of 0-13-2 in The Game, Ohio State finally beats Michigan, 13-3; Chic Harley has 4 interceptions and scores on 50-yard run
11-22-1919: In his last game as a Buckeye, Chic Harley suffers the only loss of his college career, as Illinois kicks a last-second FG to beat Ohio State, 9-7[5]
11-20-1920: Ohio State beats Illinois, 7-0, to complete a perfect (7-0-0) regular season and win its third outright Big Ten title in five years
01-01-1921: Ohio State plays its first Rose Bowl, but falls to California, 28-0; the loss spoils the Buckeyes' perfect season and national title hopes
08-03-1921: Governor Harry Davis presides over the official ground-breaking ceremony for Ohio Stadium
10-08-1921: The Buckeyes suffer their last loss to an in-state rival, as Oberlin beats Ohio State by the score of 7-6
10-22-1921: Ohio State posts its first shut out over Michigan, defeating that team up north by the score of 14-0
11-19-1921: Illinois upsets Ohio State, 7-0; in praise of the team's fortitude that day, a Chicago Tribune writer dubs them "The Fighting Illini"
10-07-1922: Ohio State beats Ohio Wesleyan, 5-0, marking the first game in Ohio Stadium, which is often referred to as "The House That Harley Built"
11-22-1924: In first game to decide the fate of the Illibuck, Illinois tops Ohio State, 7-0; the Buckeyes finish with 2-3-3 record, their third straight losing season
10-17-1925: Ohio State upsets Columbia, 9-0, for the Buckeyes' first-ever win over a traditional East Coast power
11-13-1926: A single point is all that separates the Buckeyes from a perfect season, as Ohio State (7-1-0) loses to Michigan, 17-16
10-22-1927: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 21-0, for the Wolverines' sixth straight victory in The Game
10-06-1928: Ohio State shuts out Wittenberg, 41-0, for the program's 200th victory
10-20-1928: After six losses in a row, Ohio State finally beats Michigan, 19-7; the win marks the Buckeyes' first over the Wolverines in Ohio Stadium
01-16-1929: Ohio State agrees to hire legendary coach Knute Rockne, but Notre Dame refuses to let him out of contract; Buckeyes appoint Sam Willaman instead
09-27-1930: The Buckeyes rush for a team-record 718 yards, and Ohio State beats Mount Union, 59-0
12-20-1930: End Wes Fesler, a three-time All American and the best Buckeye player since Chic Harley, wins the Silver Football as the MVP of the Big Ten
11-07-1931: The Buckeyes get Navy's goat: the team wins, 20-0, and the fans dye the mascot scarlet and grey
10-01-1932: Ohio State plays its final game against neighboring Ohio Wesleyan; the Buckeyes win the contest 34-7, and take the all-time series, 26-2-1
10-15-1932: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 14-0; this would be the Buckeyes' only loss on the year, and the team would finish with a record of 4-1-3
10-07-1933: Ohio State crushes Virginia, 75-0; this remains the Buckeyes' most lopsided victory against a team currently in the BCS
10-21-1933: Michigan beats Ohio State, 13-0, spoiling Buckeyes' perfect season and national title hopes; Ohio State would finish with 7-1-0 record that year[6]
01-30-1934: Head coach Sam Willaman resigns after just five seasons; his record at Ohio State was an uninspiring 26-10-5 (.695), with no conference titles
03-02-1934: Ohio State hires head coach Francis Schmidt, who states: "How about Michigan? They put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as we do!"
__-__-1934: The founding of the Buckeye Grove; the school plants one buckeye tree in the grove for each Ohio State player who makes first team All American
10-13-1934: Illinois uses trick plays to edge Ohio State, 14-13; the Buckeyes would finish the season with a 7-1-0 record, missing perfection by a single point
11-17-1934: Ohio State beats Michigan, 34-0; in honor of Coach Schmidt's famous quip, each Buckeye earns a gold pants charm, and a new tradition is born
11-18-1934: This was the year of traditions, as Ohio State holds its first Captains' Breakfast, at the Scioto Country Club
10-19-1935: Ohio State racks up a team-record 39 first downs in an 85-7 romp over Drake
11-02-1935: Ohio State plays Notre Dame for first time; the Irish rally late to win 18-13, ending the Buckeyes' hopes for a national title
11-23-1935: Ohio State beats Michigan, 38-0, which still represents their largest margin of victory in The Game; Ohio State's first Big Ten title since 1920
10-10-1936: Ohio State Marching Band performs Script Ohio for first time; the formation soon becomes one of the most venerable traditions in college football
10-31-1936: Once again, Ohio State falls to Notre Dame, this time losing 7-2; the two Midwest powers will not play again for nearly sixty years
11-21-1936: Quarterback Tippy Dye leads Ohio State to its third straight shut out over Michigan, as the Buckeyes prevail, 21-0
10-09-1937: Ohio State plays Southern Cal for the first time, but the Buckeyes lose the game, 13-12[7]
11-06-1937: In 1937, the Buckeyes shut out six of their eight opponents, but they lose their other two games; Indiana tops Ohio State, 10-0
11-20-1937: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-0, for its fourth straight shut out in The Game
11-30-1937: Ohio State (6-2-0) finishes the season ranked in the AP poll for the first time (#13)[8]
11-19-1938: Michigan snaps Ohio State's winning streak in The Game at four, as the Wolverines earn a shut out of their own, 18-0
11-18-1939: Ohio State shuts out Illinois, 21-0, to clinch its fourth outright Big Ten title, and its first since 1920
11-23-1940: Michigan halfback Tom Harmon is responsible for 34 points and 371 total yards, and the Wolves hammer the Bucks, 40-0
12-16-1940: With the team's performance and morale in serious decline, head coach Francis Schmidt "resigns" after compiling a career mark of 39-16-1 (.705)
01-14-1941: After building a dynasty at Massillon High School, 32-year old Paul Brown is hired to be the head coach at The Ohio State University
10-04-1941: Ohio State travels to Los Angeles and dominates Southern Cal, 33-0; the win marks the Buckeyes' first against a team from the West Coast
10-12-1942: After defeating USC, 28-12, the previous Saturday, Ohio State gains the top spot in the AP poll; this marks the Bucks' first #1 ranking in any poll
10-31-1942: With half of the team suffering from dysentary, #1 Ohio State loses to #6 Wisconsin, 17-7, in the "Bad Water Game"
11-07-1942: Gene Fekete races for a school-record 89-yard touchdown run, and Ohio State clobbers Pitt, 59-19
11-21-1942: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-7, to earn an outright Big Ten championship, just the fifth in school history
12-01-1942: Ohio State earns its first national championship, as the Buckeyes (9-1-0) finish #1 in the final AP poll
11-20-1943: Michigan pummels Ohio State, 45-7, as the Buckeyes finish the year with a 3-6-0 mark; Paul Brown leaves at the end of the season to join the Navy
04-12-1944: Paul Brown reports for duty at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, but remains Ohio State's head coach "in absentia"
04-14-1944: Assistant coach Carroll Widdoes is named "acting head coach" for as long as Paul Brown remains enlisted in the Navy
10-21-1944: Great Lakes Naval Training Center, led by former Buckeye head coach Paul Brown, invades Ohio Stadium: #4 Ohio State 26, #6 Great Lakes 6
11-25-1944: #3 Ohio State beats #6 Michigan by the score of 18-14 to complete its second perfect (and fourth undefeated) season (9-0-0)[9]
11-26-1944: The Big Ten refuses to lift its self-imposed ban on post-season games, and Ohio State is forced to refuse its Rose Bowl invitation
12-01-1944: Les Horvath becomes the first Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy, edging Army's dynamic duo of Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard
12-05-1944: Despite finishing season with a perfect record, four All Americans, and Heisman winner, Ohio State places second (to Army) in the final AP poll
02-18-1945: Instead of returing to Ohio State as previously agreed, Paul Brown signs a contract with the Cleveland franchise of the AAFC
10-27-1945: The Buckeyes claim their 300th victory with a 20-7 win over Minnesota
11-10-1945: Ollie Cline rushes for 229 yards in a 14-0 victory over Pitt, becoming the first Buckeye to eclipse the 200-yard mark
11-24-1945: #8 Michigan edges #7 Ohio State, 7-3; this marks the last game for head coach Carroll Widdoes, who finishes with a career mark of 16-2-0 (.889)
11-23-1946: Michigan pummels Ohio State 58-6; this remains the Buckeyes' worst loss in Big Ten competition
11-08-1947: Northwestern penalties give Ohio State two untimed downs at end of regulation, and Buckeyes use extra plays to score their only points in a 7-6 win
11-22-1947: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 21-0; Buckeyes finish season with 2-6-1 record (.278) and outscored 150-60, their worst season of 20th century
11-20-1948: Ohio State holds Michigan's high-powered offense to a season-low in points, but the national champion Wolverines still prevail, 13-3
09-24-1949: Ohio State edges Missouri, 35-34, in the first game to be televised from Ohio Stadium
11-19-1949: Michigan and Ohio State play to a 7-7 draw and split the conference championship, but the Buckeyes get the Rose Bowl bid
01-02-1950: #6 Ohio State (7-1-2) wins its first Rose Bowl, besting #3 California by the score of 17-14
10-28-1950: Vic Janowicz accounts for 46 points as Ohio State pummels Iowa, 83-21; this represents Buckeyes' highest point total in Big Ten competition
11-18-1950: The #1 Buckeyes commit seven turnovers, and Illinois upsets Ohio State, 14-7
11-25-1950: Playing in blizzard conditions, Ohio State loses to Michigan, 9-3, in the "Snow Bowl", even though the Wolverines can't manage a single first down
12-05-1950: Halfback Vic Janowicz becomes the second Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
02-18-1951: Ohio State hires an unknown named Wayne Woodrow Hayes to be the Buckeyes' 19th head football coach
__-__-1951: Chic Harley, the man who put Ohio State on the football map, becomes a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame
09-29-1951: Ohio State beats SMU (7-0), the first of Woody's 205 wins as the Buckeye head football coach
11-24-1951: Michigan spoils Woody's first Game, as the Wolverines post a 7-0 shut out; Ohio State finishes the season with a mediocre 4-3-2 record
09-27-1952: In his first game as a Buckeye, freshman Howard "Hopalong" Cassady scores 3 touchdowns, and Ohio State tops Indiana, 33-13
11-22-1952: Buckeye DB Fred Bruney picks off three Wolverine passes, and Ohio State romps over Michigan, 27-7, for Woody's first win in The Game
11-21-1953: Ohio State falls to Michigan, 20-0; with a three-year record of 16-9-2 (.630) and two shut-out losses in The Game, Woody is officially on the hot seat
10-02-1954: Following a 21-13 win over California, the Victory Bell is rung for the first time
10-23-1954: Hopalong Cassady returns an interception 88 yards for a touchdown, as #4 Ohio State knocks off #2 Wisconsin, 31-14
11-20-1954: #1 Ohio State beats #12 Michigan, 21-7, as Woody wins his first Big Ten title, and the program's first outright championship since 1944
11-30-1954: Ohio State (9-0-0) wins its second AP national championship....
11-30-1954: However, UCLA (also 9-0-0) takes home the UP crown while the Buckeyes finish second in that poll
01-01-1955: Ohio State (10-0-0) beats Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 20-7, completing its third perfect (and fifth undefeated) season[10]
10-24-1955: Proving that the media has always been against Ohio State, Sports Illustrated accuses Coach Hayes and boosters of improperly paying players
11-19-1955: Ohio State blanks Michigan, 17-0, to win back-to-back outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1916-1917
11-29-1955: After rushing for 964 yards and 15 touchdowns, Hopalong Cassady becomes the third Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
04-26-1956: Based on the Sports Illustrated revelations mentioned above, the Big Ten places Ohio State on a one-year probation
11-10-1956: Three Buckeye running backs - Galen Cisco, James Roseboro, and Donald Clark - each crack the 100-yard mark as Ohio State beats Indiana, 35-14
11-17-1956: After losing to Iowa, 6-0, Woody Hayes displays his legendary temper by attacking a cameraman
01-11-1957: Following the lead of the Big Ten, the NCAA places Ohio State on a one-year probation
09-28-1957: Ohio State loses its season opener to TCU, 18-14; this loss would mar an otherwise perfect season for the Buckeyes
11-16-1957: #6 Ohio State gets back into national title hunt with 17-13 victory over #5 Iowa; Buckeyes clinch third outright Big Ten championship in four years
11-23-1957: #3 Ohio State throttles #19 Michigan, 31-14, in front of 101,001 fans at the Big House
12-03-1957: Despite suffering an early-season loss, Ohio State (8-1-0) rebounds to earn the UPI and FWAA national championships....[11]
12-03-1957: But the Buckeyes finish second to Auburn (10-0-0) in the AP poll
01-01-1958: Ohio State defeats Oregon in the Rose Bowl by the score of 10-7, to finish with a 9-1-0 record
11-15-1958: All American fullback Bob White rushes for 209 yards, as #16 Ohio State knocks off previously unbeaten #2 Iowa, 38-28
10-02-1959: In another post-game outburst, Woody Hayes attacks reporters following a 17-0 loss to Southern Cal
11-21-1959: A 23-14 loss to Michigan caps Ohio State's 1st losing season since 1947; the offensively challenged Buckeyes (3-5-1) score just 83 points all year
11-19-1960: Ohio State salvages an otherwise disappointing season with a 7-0 victory over Michigan; the Bucks (7-2-0) finish #8 in the final AP poll
09-30-1961: TCU once again mars an otherwise perfect season by playing Buckeyes to a 7-7 draw; Hayes admits it "was as bad a game as I've ever coached"
11-25-1961: #2 Ohio State completes its sixth undefeated season by pounding on Michigan, 50-20; this win marks the Buckeyes' 400th of all time
11-28-1961: Believing that Ohio State had become a football factory, the faculty council votes 28-25 to reject the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl invitation
11-28-1961: Fullback Bob Ferguson loses Heisman Trophy to Syracuse's Ernie Davis by mere 53 votes; however, Ferguson did win the Maxwell Award that year
12-05-1961: Ohio State (8-0-1) finishes a close second to Alabama (10-0-0) in the AP and UPI polls....
12-05-1961: But the Buckeyes are named the national champion by the FWAA, their fourth recognized national championship
11-24-1962: In an otherwise uneventful season (6-3-0), the Buckeyes pound Michigan, 28-0, for their third win in a row in The Game
11-30-1963: Due to assassination of President Kennedy, The Game was postponed for a week; Buckeyes prevail, 14-10, for their fourth win in a row in the rivalry
11-07-1964: The second-ranked Buckeyes suffer their first loss of the season, a 27-0 whitewashing by a mediocre Penn State squad
11-21-1964: In a game that would determine the Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl bid, #6 Michigan shuts out #7 Ohio State, 10-0
10-09-1965: The Best Damn Band in the Land introduces their rendition of "Hang On Sloopy"; Ohio State beats Illinois 28-14
10-30-1965: Brutus Buckeye makes his first appearance; Ohio State beats Minnesota, 11-10
10-15-1966: Unranked Ohio State almost upsets #1 Michigan State, but the Spartans score a late touchdown to eke out an 11-8 victory
11-19-1966: After dropping The Game to Michigan, 17-3, the Buckeyes (4-5-0) suffer their first losing season since 1959
__-__-1967: Coach Hayes and trainer Ernie Biggs create the Buckeye leaf helmet sticker, the first adornment of its kind in college football
10-14-1967: Purdue hands Woody his worst loss as Ohio State's head coach, as the Boilermakers steamroll the Buckeyes, 41-6
11-25-1967: In an omen of good things to come, Ohio State tops Michigan, 24-14, to finish the season with four straight wins
10-12-1968: The Super Sophs, led by QB Rex Kern, DB Jack Tatum, and DL Jim Stillwagon knock off the top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers, 13-0
11-23-1968: #2 Ohio State defeats #4 Michigan, 50-14; the Buckeyes attempt a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter because they "couldn't go for three"
12-02-1968: Ohio State (9-0-0) earns its second coaches poll national championship, its fifth recognized national championship
01-01-1969: #1 Ohio State beats O.J. Simpson's #2 Southern Cal team in the Rose Bowl, 27-16, to complete its fourth perfect (and seventh undefeated) season
01-02-1969: Ohio State (10-0-0) earns its third AP national championship, and its first consensus title (AP, UPI, FWAA)
11-22-1969: Ten Year War begins: #12 Michigan upsets #1 Ohio State, 24-12; loss costs Buckeyes a national title and breaks their 22-game winning streak
11-21-1970: #5 Ohio State beats #4 Michigan, 20-9; the win not only keeps Buckeyes perfect (9-0-0), but also spoils Wolverines' perfect record (9-1-0)
12-08-1970: Although Buckeyes finished regular season with perfect record, UPI votes Texas (10-0-0) as national champion, with Ohio State placing second
12-31-1970: The NFF splits its national championship between Texas and Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes their sixth recognized national championship
01-01-1971: In the Super Sophs' final game, Stanford upsets Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, 27-17, denying the Buckeyes the AP national title[12]
10-23-1971: Little-used Morris Bradshaw scores TDs on 88-yard kick-off return and 88-yard run (longest in school history), as Ohio State rolls Wisconsin, 31-6
11-20-1971: After the officials miss an obvious pass interference call, Woody tears up the sideline markers; #3 Michigan squeaks by unranked Ohio State, 10-7
09-30-1972: In just his second collegiate game, true freshman tailback Archie Griffin rushes for 239 yards as Ohio State beats North Carolina, 29-14
11-11-1972: Undefeated Ohio State, ranked fifth in the AP poll, commits five turnovers and loses to unranked Michigan State, 19-12
11-25-1972: #9 Ohio State uses two goal line stands to upset #3 Michigan, 14-11, and earn the Big Ten's Rose Bowl bid
01-01-1973: #1 Southern Cal (12-0-0) wraps up a consensus national championship after hammering #3 Ohio State (9-2-0) in the Rose Bowl, 42-17
11-24-1973: #1 Ohio State and #4 Michigan each enter The Game with perfect records, but they play to a 10-10 tie
11-25-1973: With no clear-cut conference champion, the Big Ten athletic directors vote (by a 6-4 margin) to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl
12-04-1973: Three Ohio State players finish in top six in Heisman voting: OT John Hicks (2nd); TB Archie Griffin (5th), and LB Randy Gradishar (6th)
01-01-1974: #4 Ohio State pounds #7 Southern Cal in Rose Bowl, 42-21, to complete its eighth undefeated season; Woody proclaims this his "greatest victory"
01-02-1974: Notre Dame (11-0-0) wins the AP national championship, with Ohio State (10-0-1) finishing a close second[13]
11-09-1974: #1 Ohio State loses to Michigan State, 16-13, as the officials overturn an apparent game-winning Buckeye touchdown as time expired
11-23-1974: Buckeye kicker Tom Klaban hits four field goals, and #4 Ohio State ruins #3 Michigan's pefect season with a 12-10 victory
12-03-1974: After rushing for 1,695 yards, tailback Archie Griffin becomes the fourth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
01-01-1975: Southern Cal scores a late touchdown and two-point conversion to defeat Ohio State in Rose Bowl, 18-17; loss costs Buckeyes the UPI national title
09-27-1975: Ohio State trounces North Carolina, 32-7, for the school's 500th victory of all time
10-25-1975: Archie Griffin sets the NCAA all-time career rushing mark (since broken); Ohio State clubs Purdue, 35-6
11-08-1975: All American punter Tom Skladany drills a school-record 59-yard field goal, and Ohio State shellacs Illinois, 40-3
11-22-1975: QB Cornelius Greene leads fourth-quarter comeback as #1 Ohio State beats #4 Michigan, 21-14, to preserve a perfect regular season (11-0-0)
12-02-1975: Archie Griffin rushes for 1,450 yards on the season and becomes the only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy
01-01-1976: #1 Ohio State is upset by UCLA in Rose Bowl, 23-10; the loss costs the Buckeyes a perfect season and a consensus national championship
01-01-1977: Ohio State defeats Colorado in Orange Bowl, 27-10; this marks first time that Buckeyes played a bowl game that was not the Rose Bowl
09-24-1977: In their first ever meeting, #3 Oklahoma edges #4 Ohio State, 29-28; Sooners score late TD and use on-side kick to set up last-second field goal
11-19-1977: Once again, Woody unravels in Ann Arbor, this time attacking an ABC cameraman during The Game; Michigan wins, 14-6
01-02-1978: In a battle between the two winningest active coaches, Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide pounds Woody Hayes's Buckeyes in Sugar Bowl, 35-6
09-16-1978: In his first college game, true freshman quarterback Art Schlichter tosses five interceptions as Ohio State falls to Penn State, 19-0
10-21-1978: Bob Hope becomes the first honorary Script Ohio "i-dotter", and Ohio State tops Iowa, 31-7
11-18-1978: Buckeyes edge Indiana, 21-18; this would be Woody's 205th (and last) win at Ohio State, the 238th (and last) win of his coaching career
11-25-1978: In Woody's last contest against TSUN, the Wolverines prevail, 14-3; Woody's overall record in The Game was an impressive 16-11-1
12-29-1978: Ohio State loses to Clemson in Gator Bowl, 17-15; after late interception seals Buckeyes' fate, Woody punches Clemson LB Charlie Bauman.
12-30-1978: In aftermath of The Punch, Ohio State fires Woody; in his Buckeye career, Hayes had record of 205-61-10 (.761), won 13 Big Ten titles and 5 NCs
03-04-1979: After racking up 569 tackles for his career (second best all-time at Ohio State), LB Tom Cousineau is selected #1 overall in the NFL draft
09-08-1979: In their first game in 29 years without Woody Hayes on the sidelines, Ohio State beats Syracuse, 31-8
11-27-1979: Rookie head coach Earle Bruce beats Michigan, 18-15, to complete a perfect regular season (11-0-0) and earn a #1 ranking in both major polls
01-01-1980: #3 Southern Cal scores late TD to beat #1 Ohio State, 17-16 in Rose Bowl; loss ruins Buckeyes' perfect season and costs them national title
09-26-1981: In a battle of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Art Schlichter outduels John Elway: Ohio State 24, Stanford 19
10-03-1981: Art Schichter throws for a school-record 458 yards, but Ohio State loses to Florida State, 36-27
11-14-1981: Ohio State crushes Northwestern, 70-6, which represents the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory in Big Ten competition
11-20-1982: LB Marcus Marek records 19 tackles and an interception, and Ohio State wins The Game 24-14 ... but Michigan still goes to Rose Bowl[14]
12-17-1982: Ohio State beats Brigham Young by the score of 47-17; this represents the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory in a bowl game
09-17-1983: In a belated rematch with the Sooners, #6 Ohio State beats #2 Oklahoma, 24-14, which evens the all-time series at a game apiece
10-08-1983: Garcia Lane becomes the first (and only) Buckeye to return two punts for touchdowns in one game; Ohio State beats Purdue, 33-22
10-29-1983: Woody "dots the i", and Ohio State tops Wisconsin, 45-27
10-13-1984: Despite losing his shoe, TB Keith Byars rushes for school-record 274 yards and five TDs in a come-from-behind victory over Illinois (45-38)[15]
12-01-1984: Keith Byars led the nation in rushing (1,655 yards) and scoring (22 TDs), but places second in Heisman voting to Boston College QB Doug Flutie
01-01-1985: The Buckeyes lose their fourth straight Rose Bowl: #18 Southern Cal 20, #6 Ohio State 17
09-02-1985: Pre-season Heisman favorite Keith Byars breaks his foot during scrimmage; the injury would keep Byars on sidelines for most of his senior season
11-02-1985: Ohio State picks off Iowa quarterback Chuck Long three times, and the Buckeyes knock off the #1 ranked Hawkeyes, 22-13
12-28-1985: LB Larry Kolic intercepts two passes, returning one for the Buckeyes' only touchdown, and Ohio State beats BYU in the Citrus Bowl, 10-7
09-27-1986: For first time in their history, Ohio State racks up over 300 yards both on ground and in air; Buckeyes blast Utah, 64-6, for their 600th victory
11-22-1986: Linebacker Chris Spielman racks up a school record 29 tackles, but it's not quite enough as Michigan edges Ohio State, 26-24
01-01-1987: Chris Spielman intercepts two passes, taking one to the house, as Ohio State beats Texas A+M in the Cotton Bowl, 28-12
10-10-1987: Indiana pounds Ohio State, 31-10, which marks the first time since 1951 that the Buckeyes lose a game to the Hoosiers
11-14-1987: The Buckeyes melt down in the final seconds and fall to Iowa, 29-27; the come-from-ahead loss drops their record to 5-4-1 on the season
11-16-1987: Ohio State fires Earle Bruce, who agrees to stay on for The Game; AD Rick Bay declines all bowl bids and resigns in support of Bruce
11-21-1987: Sporting "EARLE" headbands and riding a tidal wave of emotion, Ohio State scores an upset victory in Ann Arbor, beating Michigan 23-20
09-24-1988: Ohio State beats Louisiana State, 36-33, which was the Buckeyes' only victory against an SEC squad between 1935 and 2014[16]
11-19-1988: John Cooper loses his first Game; Buckeyes end season with losing record (4-6-1) and negative point differential (229-283) for first time since 1966
10-29-1989: After trailing 31-0, QB Greg Frey leads Buckeyes on record-setting comeback, and Ohio State defeats Minnesota, 41-37, on TD in final minute
09-29-1990: In the midst of a lightning storm and with his team trailing Southern Cal 35-26, Coop concedes defeat with 2:36 still left on the clock
12-27-1990: Buckeyes come out flat and never recover; Ohio State falls to Air Force in the Liberty Bowl by the score of 23-11
11-23-1991: After returning a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, Desmond Howard strikes the Heisman pose in the endzone; Michigan creams Ohio State 31-3
10-10-1992: True freshman tailback Eddie George fumbles twice inside the 5-yard line, and Illinois hangs on to beat Ohio State, 18-16
11-21-1992: Ohio State and Michigan battle to 13-13 tie; after 4 straight losses in The Game, this counts as a red-letter day for OSU president E. Gordon Gee[17]
11-20-1993: Undefeated Ohio State, #5 in the AP poll, travels to Ann Arbor and gets shut out by the unranked Michigan Wolverines, 28-0
12-30-1993: After four consecutive bowl game losses, Ohio State holds on to defeat Brigham Young in Holiday Bowl, 28-21
04-24-1994: After being named a first-team All American, Buckeye defensive tackle "Big Daddy" Dan Wilkinson is selected first in the NFL draft
10-29-1994: The Buckeyes suffer their worst loss in 48 years, as Penn State embarrasses Ohio State, 63-14
11-19-1994: After starting out 0-5-1 in The Game, John Cooper finally breaks the jinx, as Ohio State tops Michigan, 22-6
09-23-1995: Terry Glenn sets a Buckeye single-game mark with 253 yards receiving, and Ohio State trounces Pitt, 54-14
09-30-1995: Ohio State meets Notre Dame for first time in six decades; Terry Glenn's 82-yard TD reception highlights the Buckeyes' 45-26 victory
11-11-1995: Eddie George breaks Keith Byars's single-game rushing record by racking up 314 yards in a 41-3 victory over Illinois
11-25-1995: Tim Biakabutuka rushes for 313 yards as #2 Ohio State falls to #18 Michigan, 31-23; loss ruins Buckeyes' perfect record and ends national title run
12-09-1995: After rushing for a school-record 1,927 yards, Eddie George becomes the fifth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy
01-01-1996: Coop loses another big game, as #4 Ohio State falls to #4 Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl by the score of 20-14[18]
09-21-1996: Ohio State beats Pitt, 72-0, for largest margin of victory since 1935; David Boston scores on 67-yard punt return with only 7 teammates on the field
09-28-1996: Coop couldn't beat Michigan, but he never lost to Notre Dame; the Buckeyes top the Irish, 29-16, squaring the all-time series at two games apiece.
11-23-1996: Shawn Springs slips and Tai Streets races 86 yards for only TD of The Game; #21 Michigan spoils another perfect season for #2 Ohio State, 13-9
01-01-1997: #3 Ohio State scores TD in closing seconds to beat previously undefeated #2 Arizona State, 20-17; Buckeyes' first Rose Bowl victory since 1974
01-03-1997: Rose Bowl winner Ohio State (previously #3) falls behind Sugar Bowl winner Florida (previously #4); Buckeyes finish second to Gators in both polls
04-19-1997: After winning Lombardi Award (1995, 1996) and Outland Trophy (1996), Buckeye OT Orlando Pace becomes top selection in NFL draft
09-27-1997: On route to Butkus Award, LB Andy Katzenmoyer plants Missouri QB Corby Jones into the turf, as Buckeyes beat Tigers, 31-10
11-15-1997: Ohio State crushes Illinois, 41-6, to earn their 700th victory of all time
11-22-1997: Buckeyes miss chance to ruin Wolverines' perfect season when Charles Woodson returns punt for winning score: #1 Michigan 20, #4 Ohio State 14
08-31-1998: Sports Illustrated names Buckeyes preseason No. 1* ... *if Andy Katzenmoyer makes the grade; once again, Ohio State is viewed as football factory
11-07-1998: Despite leading 24-9 midway through third quarter, #1 Ohio State falls apart down the stretch and loses at home to unranked Michigan State, 28-24
11-21-1998: After compiling a miserable 1-8-1 record in The Game, John Cooper beats Michigan, 31-16, to keep Buckeyes in national title contention
12-07-1998: Despite finishing regular season with 10-1-0 record, Ohio State finishes fourth in final BCS rankings and misses out on inaugural title game
01-01-1999: Ohio State handily defeats #8 Texas A+M in Sugar Bowl, 24-14, marking only time that Coop would win The Game and bowl game in same season
01-05-1999: Ohio State (11-1-0) finishes second in the AP poll for the sixth time in school history; undefeated Tennessee (13-0-0) is consensus national champ
10-30-1999: Ohio State retires Archie Griffin's #45; a three-time All American, Griffin remains Buckeyes' all-time leading rusher with 5,589 yards
09-23-2000: Ohio State retires Vic Janowicz's #31; a great all-around athlete, Janowicz handled passing, rushing, kicking, and punting chores
11-18-2000: Ohio State retires Hopalong Cassady's #40; the 1955 AP Athlete of the Year, Cassady was a two-time All American
12-20-2000: Wide receiver Reggie Germany is ruled academically ineligible for Buckeyes' upcoming bowl game after posting a 0.0 GPA for the fall quarter
01-01-2001: Buckeyes sleepwalk through Outback Bowl, get hammered by South Carolina, 24-7; the revenge of Ryan Brewer (214 all-purpose yards, 3 TDs)[19]
01-02-2001: John Cooper fired due to "deteriorating climate within the football program"; in other words, Coop was 2-10-1 vs Michigan and 3-8 in bowl games
01-18-2001: Ohio State hires Jim Tressel, who promptly *guarantees* a victory "in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan"[20]
09-08-2001: Jim Tressel wins his first game as Ohio State's head coach, as the Buckeyes rip the Akron Zips, 28-14
10-06-2001: Ohio State retires Les Horvath's #22; in 1944, Horvath amassed a school-record (since broken) 1,268 total yards
11-10-2001: Ohio State retires Eddie George's #27; Eddie ranks third in career rushing yards (3,768) and third in career touchdowns (44) for Buckeyes
11-24-2001: Jim Tressel makes good on his *guarantee*, as unranked Ohio State beats #11 Michigan in Ann Arbor by the score of 26-20
01-01-2002: Ohio State rallies from 28-point deficit in Outback Bowl, but South Carolina kicks last-second field goal to spoil Buckeyes' comeback, 31-28.
08-24-2002: In his debut, true freshman Maurice Clarett rushes for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns as #13 Ohio States topples Texas Tech, 45-21
09-07-2002: True freshman linebacker A.J. Hawk grabs a pick-six, as #8 Ohio State routs Kent State, 51-17
09-14-2002: Maurice Clarett rushes for 230 yards (194 in the second half) and two touchdowns, and #6 Ohio State throttles #10 Washington State, 25-7
09-21-2002: Safety Will Allen intercepts a pass in the end zone with 26 seconds left, and the Buckeyes avoid the upset: Ohio State 23, Cincinnati 19
10-26-2002: Chris Gamble, Buckeyes' first two-way player in decades, returns an interception 40 yards for TD, as #4 Ohio State beats #18 Penn State, 13-7
11-09-2002: On 4th down with time running out, Craig Kenzel connects with Michael Jenkins on 37-yard TD pass as Ohio State beats Purdue, 10-6. Holy Buckeye!
11-16-2002: In Buckeyes' first-ever overtime game, seldom-used tailback Maurice Hall scores tie-breaking touchdown, and Ohio State squeaks by Illinois, 23-16
11-23-2002: Will Allen's interception at the goal line as time expires preserves a 14-9 victory over #12 Michigan, and the #2 Buckeyes head to the BCS title game
12-30-2002: Maurice Clarett publicly blasts Ohio State for refusing to let him return to Youngstown during bowl week to attend the funeral of a friend[21]
01-03-2003: With a 31-24 victory in double overtime, Ohio State snaps Miami's 34-game winning streak; the Buckeyes' 5th perfect (and 9th undefeated) season
01-04-2003: Sporting the best record in major college football in over a century (14-0-0), Ohio State claims its 7th recognized national title, and first since 1968
07-12-2003: The New York Times publishes an article accusing Ohio State of giving Maurice Clarett preferential academic treatment
09-10-2003: Athletic Director Andy Geiger suspends Maurice Clarett for the 2003 season due to off-the-field improprieties
09-13-2003: The Buckeyes prevail in a triple-overtime thriller, as Ohio State knocks off North Carolina State, 44-38
10-11-2003: #23 Wisconsin beats #3 Ohio State, 17-10, ending the Buckeyes' 19-game winning streak
11-22-2003: With a berth in the BCS title game still a possibility, #4 Ohio State falls to #5 Michigan, 35-21
01-02-2004: #7 Ohio State knocks off #8 Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, 35-28, to finish the season with an 11-2 record and a top-five ranking
09-11-2004: Mike Nugent kicks a personal-best 55-yard field goal as time expires, and Ohio State beats Marshall, 24-21
10-02-2004: Ohio State loses to Northwestern, 33-27, which marks the Buckeyes' first loss to the Wildcats since the 1971 season
10-16-2004: Iowa blows out Ohio State, 33-7; the inexperienced Troy Smith replaces the ineffective Justin Zwick at quarterback
10-30-2004: Ohio State retires Chic Harley's #47; the Buckeyes' first three-time All American, Harley led team to record of 21-1-1 and two outright Big Ten titles
11-20-2004: Troy Smith amasses 386 total yards and Ted Ginn returns a punt 82 yards for a TD as unranked Ohio State stuns #7 Michigan, 37-21
12-20-2004: A month after his historic performance in The Game, Ohio State suspends starting quarterback Troy Smith for taking cash payments from a booster
12-29-2004: Ohio State trounces Oklahoma State in Alamo Bowl, 33-7; kicker Mike Nugent breaks Pete Johnson's career scoring record in his final game in S+G
09-10-2005: In first-ever meeting between the two powerhouse programs, #2 Texas (eventual national champ) scores a late TD to edge #4 Ohio State, 25-22
11-19-2005: WR Anthony Gonzalez makes a circus catch and RB Antonio Pittman scores a last-minute TD to propel Ohio State to a 25-21 victory over Michigan
01-02-2006: The Buckeyes use big plays to rack up 617 yards of total offense, as #4 Ohio State pummels #5 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, 34-20
04-29-2006: Five Buckeyes are selected in first round of 2006 NFL draft - A.J. Hawk, Donte Whitner, Bobby Carpenter, Santonio Holmes, Nick Mangold
09-09-2006: In rematch with Longhorns, #1 Ohio State invades Austin and defeats #2 Texas, 24-7; LB James Laurinaitis forces two TOs to seal victory
09-23-2006: QB Troy Smith makes highlight TD pass to WR Brian Robiskie & Buckeye defense nets two pick-sixes; Ohio State beats Penn State, 28-6
11-18-2006: In battle of unbeatens, #1 Ohio State tops #2 Michigan, 42-39; Buckeyes earn first outright Big Ten title since 1984 & trip to BCS title game
12-09-2006: After throwing for 2,542 yards (.653 completion) and 30 TDs, Troy Smith becomes the sixth Buckeye to win Heisman Trophy
01-08-2007: The sluggish Buckeyes manage only 82 yards of total offense, and Florida tramples Ohio State, 41-14, in the BCS title game
11-03-2007: Ohio State retires Bill Willis's #99; twice an All American, Willis would go on to have a Hall of Fame pro career with the Cleveland Browns
11-17-2007: Chris Wells runs for 222 yards and Ohio State defense holds Michigan to just 91 yards of total offense; Buckeyes win The Game again, 14-3[22]
01-07-2008: Once again, #1 Ohio State falls to an SEC squad in the BCS title game, as #2 Louisiana State prevails, 38-24.
03-19-2008: The Buckeyes sign quarterback Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pennsylvania), the most-heralded high school prospect in years.
09-06-2008: The Buckeyes notch their 800th victory, beating Ohio University by the score of 26-14
09-13-2008: #1 Southern Cal blows out #5 Ohio State, 35-3, marking the Trojans' sixth straight victory over the Buckeyes dating back to 1975 Rose Bowl
10-20-2008: In his first game as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback, Terrelle Pryor throws for four touchdowns, as Ohio State beats Troy, 28-10
11-22-2008: Ohio State welcomes Michigan HC Rich Rodriguez to rivalry by spanking Wolverines, 42-7; win marks Buckeyes' fifth in a row in The Game
01-05-2009: Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy throws a last-minute touchdown, as #3 Texas edges #10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, 24-21
09-12-2009: #3 Southern Cal scores a late touchdown, and the Buckeyes drop another big nonconference game, 18-15
11-21-2009: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-10, for their sixth straight win in The Game
01-01-2010: Although the national pundits claim that Ohio State can't handle Oregon's speed, the Buckeyes win the Rose Bowl, 26-17
11-27-2010: Ohio State beats Michigan again, 37-7, for their seventh straight win in The Game; Michigan falls to 1-9 in The Game during the Tressel era
12-07-2010: TatGate breaks - QB Terrelle Pryor & 5 other players traded Buckeye memorablia for tattoos and other extra benefits in violation of NCAA rules
01-04-2011: With TatGate overshadowing the game, #6 Ohio State defeats #8 Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, 31-26
03-07-2011: TresselGate breaks - Jim Tressel knew about the TatGate as early as April 2010, NCAA investigates him for knowingly using ineligible players
05-30-2011: With media allegations swirling and public pressure mounting, Jim Tressel is forced to resign as head football coach of Ohio State
06-08-2011: Terrelle Pryor leaves Ohio State and enters the NFL supplemental draft after new allegations of improper benefits surface
07-08-2011: In anticipation of the upcoming NCAA hearing, Ohio State voluntarily vacates all 12 wins from its 2010 season, including Sugar Bowl victory
10-29-2011: Freshman QB Braxton Miller hooks up with freshman WR Devin Smith for a last-minute touchdown to upset #12 Wisconsin, 33-29
11-26-2011: For the first time since 2003, Ohio State falls to Michigan, 34-40
11-28-2011: After weeks of rumors, Ohio State finally announces hiring of two-time national champion Urban Meyer as 24th head coach in school's history
12-20-2011: Ohio State receives TatGate penalties from NCAA: vacation of the 2010 season, 9 scholarships lost, 2012 post-season ban, 3-year probation
01-02-2012: Ohio State loses to Florida in the Gator Bowl, finishing the season with a losing record (6-7) for the first time since 1988
09-01-2012: The Urban Meyer Era starts off on the right foot, with a 56-10 win over Miami of Ohio
10-20-2012: Down 22-14 with 47 seconds left in game, reserve QB Kenny Guiton and reserve WR Chris Fields lead Ohio State to victory over Purdue
11-24-2012: Urban Meyer gets his first win in The Game, 26-21, and completes just the sixth perfect season (12-0) in the history of Ohio State football
11-30-2013: Urban Meyer gets his second victory in The Game, 42-41, as the Buckeyes finish the regular season at 12-0
12-07-2013: The Buckeyes suffer their first loss in the Urban Meyer as Michigan State beats them in the Big Ten Title Game, 34-24
01-03-2014: Ohio State loses to Clemson in the Orange Bowl, 40-35
09-06-2014: Ohio State loses to Virginia Tech, 35-21, their first regular season loss in three years
11-08-2014: #14 Ohio State goes on the road and defeats #8 Michigan State, 49-37
11-29-2014: Urban Meyer goes 3-0 in The Game with a 42-28 win over Michigan
12-06-2014: #5 Ohio State blows out #13 Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game, 59-0, as the Buckeyes win their 36th Big Ten title
01-01-2015: Led by Ezekiel Elliott's 230 yards rushing, #4 Ohio State defeats #1 Alabama, 42-35, in Sugar Bowl to earn a berth in national title game
01-12-2015: Ohio State blasts Oregon in the national title game, 42-20, to win the first-ever FBS playoff and claim their 8th national championship
10-03-2015: Ezekiel Elliott rushes for 274 yards including TD runs of 55, 65, and 75 yards as Ohio State beats Indiana, 34-27
11-21-2015: In a driving rainstorm, #3 Ohio State manages only 132 yards as #9 Michigan State ruins the Buckeyes' perfect season, 17-14
11-28-2015: Urban Meyer teaches first-year Wolverine coach Jim Harbaugh a lesson in a 42-13 beat down of Michigan in The Game
01-01-2016: #7 Ohio State blows out #8 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, 44-28, the Buckeyes' fourth straight win over the Golden Domers
04-28-2016: Five Buckeyes are selected in first round of 2016 NFL draft - Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Eli Apple, Taylor Decker, Darron Lee
09-03-2016: Ohio State amasses a school record 776 total yards in a 77-10 rout of Bowling Green
09-17-2016: In just the third ever meeting between the two powerhouse programs, #3 Ohio State defeats #14 Oklahoma, 45-24
10-22-2016: Ohio State blows a 14-point 4th quarter lead, loses to Penn State 24 to 21 on a 60-yard blocked FG return for a TD
11-26-2016: #2 Ohio State beats #3 Michigan in double overtime, 30 to 27. And on further review, the spot was good
12-31-2016: Ohio State earns its second appearance in the CFB Playoffs, but the Buckeyes get blown out by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, 31 to 0
09-09-2017: In a rematch of the 2016 contest, Ohio State gets smoked at home by Oklahoma, 31 to 16
10-28-2017: Down 35-20 entering the 4th quarter, J.T. Barrett (423 total yards, 4 TD) leads a legendary comeback as #6 Ohio State beats #2 Penn State, 39-38
11-04-2017: Still hungover from the Penn State win the previous week, #3 Ohio State gets crushed by unranked Iowa, 55 to 24
11-25-2017: #8 Ohio State beats unranked Michigan, 31 to 10, for the Buckeyes' sixth straight win in The Game
12-02-2017: #8 Ohio State beats #3 Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, 27 to 20, for the Buckeyes' 36th conference title
12-29-2017: #5 Ohio State defeats #8 Southern Cal in the Cotton Bowl, 24 to 7, as the Buckeye defense forces 8 sacks and 4 turnovers
08-01-2018: In the wake of the Zach Smith Affair, Ohio State places head coach Urban Meyer on paid leave for the first 3 games of the 2018 season
09-01-2018: Interim head coach Ryan Day wins the first game of his Ohio State career, defeating Oregon State, 77 to 31
09-29-2018: #4 Ohio State overcomes an early 13-point deficit to defeat #9 Penn State in a White Out
10-20-2018: For second year in a row, a highly-ranked Buckeye squad inexplicably gets blown out by an unranked team: Purdue 49, #2 Ohio State 20
11-24-2018: Ohio State scores at will against Michigan's #1 ranked defense to earn 7th straight victory in The Game, 62 to 39
12-04-2018: Head coach Urban Meyer announces his retirement for "medical reasons" effective after the Rose Bowl; Ryan Day named his successor
01-01-2019: In Urban Meyer's last game as Buckeye head coach, #5 Ohio State beats #9 Washington in the Rose Bowl, 28 to 23
08-31-2019: Ryan Day earns his first victory as Ohio State's permanent head coach, with a 45-21 win over Florida Atlantic
11-30-2019: #1 Ohio State defeats #13 Michigan, 56-27, for the Buckeyes' eighth straight win in The Game
12-28-2019: #2 Ohio State loses to #3 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl, 29-23, thanks in part to two horrible calls by the replay official
______________________________
1 The May 3rd game against OWU is not counted as part of the 1890 season because it took place during the previous academic year.
2 Ohio State's only win in 1897, a 6-0 triumph over Ohio Medical in the season opener, was achieved by forfeit.
3 Until 1987, the official name of the conference was The Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives.
4 Unofficial totals for that game have Ohio State gaining 1,140 yards of offense and 43 first downs.
5 This loss likely cost Ohio State (6-1-0) its first national championship, as Illinois (6-1-0) would retroactively earn a title that year.
6 Michigan (7-0-1) would win a retroactive national championship for the 1933 season; an Ohio State victory would likely have given the Bucks the title.
7 Southern Cal would become the Buckeyes' biggest non-conference rival, as the two teams play 22 more times over the next 60+ years, including seven times in the Rose Bowl.
8 The AP poll of November 15, 1934, in which the Buckeyes placed ninth, was not a final poll.
9 This marks the first time that The Game would determine the winner of an outright Big Ten championship.
10 AP champ Ohio State (9-0-0) did not play UP champ UCLA (9-0-0) in the Rose Bowl because the Bruins were barred from participating as a result of the "no repeat" rule that was then in place.
11 FWAA stands for Football Writers Association of America; FWAA national championships are recognized by the NCAA.
12 Ohio State won the pre-bowl National Football Foundation national title in 1970; NFF national championships are recognized by the NCAA.
13 Alabama (11-1-0) was the UPI champ in 1973, but the UPI submitted its final poll before the Crimson Tide lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, 24-23; Ohio State finished #3 in the UPI poll.
14 This was the first time that the loser of The Game got the Rose Bowl bid. Although each team had one Big Ten loss, Michigan (8-1) played one more conference game than Ohio State (7-1).
15 Head coach Earle Bruce called this game "the greatest comeback and the worst start I've ever been associated with."
16 Between beating Kentucky on October 5, 1935 (19-6) and Alabama in in 2015 Sugar Bowl (42-35) Ohio State went 1-10-1 versus SEC schools (plus a vacated win against Arkansas in 2011 Sugar Bowl)
17 In his post-game comments, President Gee called the tie "one of our greatest wins ever."
18 This is not a misprint - Ohio State and Tennessee were tied at #4 in the AP poll (each had 1,325 points) heading into their bowl match-up.
19 Ryan Brewer rushed for 7,656 yards and scored 117 TD's during his high school career, and he was named Mr. Football in the state of Ohio for 1998 ... but Ohio State never offered him.
20 Tressel's actual quote: "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."
21 In response, the school claims that it would have let Clarett attend the funeral, but that he failed to submit the proper paperwork.
22 The victory also earned Ohio State back-to-back outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1954-55.
______________________________
A few notes: I am still looking for the exact dates on which the Buckeye Grove was founded, and the Buckeye leaf helmet stickers were first used. If you have that info, please send it to me by PM.
Also, special thanks to BB73, osugrad21, and LightningRod, who contributed research for this article.
Last edited:
