Is the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry dead?

I read an interesting article on detnews.com earlier this week about the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry and it got me to thinking, is this rivalry dead? This Michigan-Ohio State rivalry really began in 1969, the year Bo Schembechler arrived. The year before he arrived, Michigan got trampled over, losing 50-14. That loss led to the resignation of then head coach Bump Elliot. Bo, who was an assistant under Woody Hayes, from day one, had beating Ohio State on his mind. He understood that the results against Ohio State had to get better. Leading up to the 1969 game, Ohio State had piled up a 22-game winning streak and was the top ranked team in the nation. Michigan came out of that game with a 24-12 upset win and it lead to what the rivalry is today. Well, I think it’s still a rivalry.

Michigan leads the overall series 57-42-6, but as of recently Ohio State has dominated the series. During the ten year battle of Bo-Woody, the series was competitive. It went back and forth every year. Bo finished that ten year battle with a 5-4-1 record against Woody and Ohio State. Then Earle Bruce came in for Ohio State from 1979-1987 and he had a 5-4 record against Michigan. If you have only one school in the rivalry winning every year, then it becomes no rivalry anymore. Since Jim Tressel’s hiring in 2001, his record is 7-1 against the Wolverines. When John Cooper was there at Ohio State his record was 2-10-1 and Michigan fans were happy. Now Buckeye fans are happy. This rivalry has gone so far down since the so called “game of the century” in 2006. Going into that game the two teams were one and two in the country respectively. That game finished a 42-39 Ohio State win, but if you look back Ohio State really took control of that game from the start. Now Michigan is no where near being the number 1 or 2 team in the country. Last year Michigan lost this game 42-7. Never in my young years have I not looked forward to this game. Michigan needs to spice up this rivalry again. 40 years ago they brought in Bo Schembechler to spice the rivalry up; I think it might be time to do it again. Please Michigan; hire someone that can bring the Bo and Woody rivalry spirit back.


*Note- On a sad note. I want to send out my condolences to Ohio State and Detroit Lions great Chris Spielman and his family. Chris’ wife, Stefanie, lost her long battle with breast cancer on Thursday. During her 12 year battle, she helped raise over $6 million through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research. For her work, she was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 2002. Stefanie Spielman is survived by her husband and their four children, Madison, Noah, Macy and Audrey.