2019 Michigan Gameday #12: vs. Ohio State

I'll keep it short today because everyone knows the deal:  it's The Game, the one that's always at the end of the regular season, the one that matters the most no matter each team's record.  Once again Ohio State is rolling into Ann Arbor with an emphasis on "rolling"--they're 11-0 and have destroyed all comers on their way to another likely playoff appearance.  They have a new head coach who can continue the storied Buckeye tradition of winning a lot before leaving in disgrace--Woody, Tressel, and Urban say "hi"--not that the fans remotely care.

This was a true rivalry for the longest time, with each team experiencing peaks and valleys.  While the 30s-40s belonged to the Maize and Blue, the 50s-60s leaned scarlet and gray, until an upstart coach named Glenn "Bo" Schembechler came along to even things out.

Michigan enjoyed the mid-70s through the 90s before OSU went on their current 16-2 run.  The rivalry produced stars coming up huge in crucial moments like Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson, both of whom cemented Heismans with their performances against the Bucks.

In fact, that '97 game was the final push Michigan needed to win it all.

But the aughts and the 2010s were a low point for Michigan as outgoing coach Lloyd Carr let the game pass him by, and replacements Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke (who won UM's most recent game in 2011) made things worse.  Close calls in 2006 and 2013 were just that, and Jim Harbaugh hasn't gotten over that hump yet, though 2016 stands out (J.T. was short!).

Still, Michigan is peaking at the right time, as evidenced by a nice win at Indiana last week that saw the offense perform in a way the fans were hoping they would all offseason.  The reality says that OSU wins their 8th straight in the rivalry, but there's always hope, as The Game from 50 years ago reminds us.  Win or lose, it's been another fun regular season, and now it's time to leave it all on the field, just the way Bo would have wanted.

LET'S GO BLUE!