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Michigan vs. Ohio State: History and Results

Considered one of sport’s greatest rivalries, these two storied football programs meet every year in The Game.
Top Questions

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College football is all about rivalries, often colorfully nicknamed or contested for trophies. There’s the Old Oaken Bucket (Purdue vs. Indiana), Paul Bunyan’s Axe (Wisconsin vs. Minnesota), Bedlam (Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State), and the Iron Bowl (Auburn vs. Alabama). But for many fans, the biggest rivalry is Michigan vs. Ohio State (OSU). For more than 100 years, the two schools have battled it out for bragging rights. While Michigan currently holds the overall record, 62–53–6, OSU has won 18 of the last 25 games.

By the Numbers
Michigan Ohio State
Longest win streak 11 (1897–1909) 8 (2012–19)
Largest margin of victory 86 points (1902) 38 points (1935)
National titles 12 9
Rose Bowl wins 9 10
Heisman winners 3 7

Why are the two schools such rivals? It might have something to do with their home states. In 1835–36 troops from Ohio and Michigan actually skirmished in a border dispute that became known as the Toledo War. (While Ohio was ultimately awarded Toledo, Michigan was granted the Upper Peninsula. You decide the winner.) Beginning in 1897, the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes renewed this border battle (annually since 1918), often fought with the Big Ten title at stake (prompting the old characterization of the conference as the β€œBig Two and Little Eight”). In 2011 the conference introduced a championship game, but while the stakes changed, the animosity did not.

The 1960s and ’70s were the rivalry’s classic eraβ€”when coaching legends Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes guided Michigan and Ohio State, respectivelyβ€”but for many football fans this remains The Game. Listen to the sarcastic vitriol in Michigan fans’ voices when they reference β€œThe” Ohio State University. Then try to get a Buckeye to even mention the name of β€œThat School up North.” The two schools faced off for the 121st time on November 29, 2025. The top-ranked Buckeyes went to The Big House in Ann Arbor, where they defeated the 15th-ranked Wolverines.

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All-time results

Michigan–Ohio State Football Games
date location winning team losing team score
*Tied; home team listed first.
**Ohio State vacated all games that season.
***Canceled due to COVID-19.
October 16, 1897 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 34–0
November 24, 1900 Ann Arbor Michigan* Ohio State 0–0
November 9, 1901 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 21–0
October 25, 1902 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 86–0
November 7, 1903 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 36–0
October 15, 1904 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 31–6
November 11, 1905 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 40–0
October 20, 1906 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 6–0
October 26, 1907 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 22–0
October 24, 1908 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 10–6
October 16, 1909 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 33–6
October 22, 1910 Columbus Ohio State* Michigan 3–3
October 21, 1911 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 19–0
October 19, 1912 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 14–0
November 30, 1918 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 14–0
October 25, 1919 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 13–3
November 6, 1920 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 14–7
October 22, 1921 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 14–0
October 21, 1922 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 19–0
October 20, 1923 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 23–0
November 15, 1924 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 16–6
November 14, 1925 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 10–0
November 13, 1926 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 17–16
October 22, 1927 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 21–0
October 20, 1928 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 19–7
October 19, 1929 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 7–0
October 18, 1930 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 13–0
October 17, 1931 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 20–7
October 15, 1932 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 14–0
October 21, 1933 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 13–0
November 17, 1934 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 34–0
November 23, 1935 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 38–0
November 21, 1936 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 21–0
November 20, 1937 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 21–0
November 19, 1938 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 18–0
November 25, 1939 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 21–14
November 23, 1940 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 40–0
November 22, 1941 Ann Arbor Michigan* Ohio State 20–20
November 21, 1942 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 21–7
November 20, 1943 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 45–7
November 25, 1944 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 18–14
November 24, 1945 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 7–3
November 23, 1946 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 58–6
November 22, 1947 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 21–0
November 20, 1948 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 13–3
November 19, 1949 Ann Arbor Michigan* Ohio State 7–7
November 25, 1950 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 9–3
November 24, 1951 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 7–0
November 22, 1952 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 27–7
November 21, 1953 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 20–0
November 20, 1954 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 21–7
November 19, 1955 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 17–0
November 24, 1956 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 19–0
November 23, 1957 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 31–14
November 22, 1958 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 20–14
November 21, 1959 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 23–14
November 19, 1960 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 7–0
November 25, 1961 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 50–20
November 24, 1962 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 28–0
November 23, 1963 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 14–10
November 21, 1964 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 10–0
November 20, 1965 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 9–7
November 19, 1966 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 17–3
November 25, 1967 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 24–14
November 23, 1968 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 50–14
November 22, 1969 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 24–12
November 21, 1970 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 20–9
November 20, 1971 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 10–7
November 25, 1972 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 14–11
November 24, 1973 Ann Arbor Michigan* Ohio State 10–10
November 23, 1974 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 12–10
November 22, 1975 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 21–14
November 20, 1976 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 22–0
November 19, 1977 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 14–6
November 25, 1978 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 14–3
November 17, 1979 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 18–15
November 22, 1980 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 9–3
November 21, 1981 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 14–9
November 20, 1982 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 24–14
November 19, 1983 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 24–21
November 17, 1984 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 21–6
November 23, 1985 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 27–17
November 22, 1986 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 26–24
November 21, 1987 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 23–20
November 19, 1988 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 34–31
November 25, 1989 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 28–18
November 24, 1990 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 16–13
November 23, 1991 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 31–3
November 21, 1992 Columbus Ohio State* Michigan 13–13
November 20, 1993 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 28–0
November 19, 1994 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 22–6
November 25, 1995 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 31–23
November 23, 1996 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 13–9
November 22, 1997 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 20–14
November 21, 1998 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 31–16
November 20, 1999 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 24–17
November 18, 2000 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 38–26
November 24, 2001 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 26–20
November 23, 2002 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 14–9
November 22, 2003 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 35–21
November 20, 2004 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 37–21
November 19, 2005 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 25–21
November 18, 2006 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 42–39
November 17, 2007 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 14–3
November 22, 2008 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 42–7
November 21, 2009 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 21–10
November 27, 2010 Columbus Ohio State** Michigan 37–7
November 26, 2011 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 40–34
November 24, 2012 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 26–21
November 30, 2013 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 42–41
November 29, 2014 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 42–28
November 28, 2015 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 42–13
November 26, 2016 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 30–27
November 25, 2017 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 31–20
November 24, 2018 Columbus Ohio State Michigan 62–39
November 30, 2019 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 56–27
2020***
November 27, 2021 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 42–27
November 26, 2022 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 45–23
November 25, 2023 Ann Arbor Michigan Ohio State 30–24
November 30, 2024 Columbus Michigan Ohio State 13–10
November 29, 2025 Ann Arbor Ohio State Michigan 27–9
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.