This is always fun to do, thanks to everyone who submitted questions. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
How accurate has the Vegas point spread against the actual score over the last 30 years for the Rivalry? ~ Meek
Since 1995 (21 years), the average over/under score for The Game by Vegas is 46.2. The average total for the actual score is 49.6. That is a difference of 3.4. Not bad.
The closest Vegas was to predicting the exact total was 2005. The odds makers had 45 and the score was 25-21 for a total of 46. Other close predictions were 2001 (off by 2) and 1997 (off by 3).
The worst prognostication for Vegas was 2006. They predicted a total of 41 and the actual total was 81 for a difference of 40. Other years that were not close were '97 (off by 29.5) and '11 (off by 28.5).
For those wondering, Ohio State is 13–8 (.619) against the spread since 1995.
How many times has the Game been a top 5 contest? Or top 10? And what were the outcomes? ~ Goombay
This will be the eleventh time Ohio State and Michigan have faced off as top 5 opponents. The Buckeyes hold a 6–3–1 advantage in the previous ten match-ups and are 5–0 in Columbus.
| Year | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | No. 1 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Michigan 39 | Columbus |
| 2003 | No. 4 Ohio State 21, No. 5 Michigan 35 | Ann Arbor |
| 1997 | No. 4 Ohio State 14, No. 1 Michigan 20 | Ann Arbor |
| 1977 | No. 4 Ohio State 6, No. 5 Michigan 14 | Ann Arbor |
| 1975 | No. 1 Ohio State 21, No. 4 Michigan 14 | Ann Arbor |
| 1974 | No. 4 Ohio State 12, No. 3 Michigan 10 | Columbus |
| 1973 | No. 1 Ohio State 10, No. 4 Michigan 10 | Ann Arbor |
| 1970 | No. 5 Ohio State 20, No. 4 Michigan 9 | Columbus |
| 1968 | No. 2 Ohio State 50, No. 4 Michigan 14 | Columbus |
| 1942 | No. 5 Ohio State 21, No. 4 Michigan 7 | Columbus |
| Average Score: Ohio St. 22, Michigan 17 |
Over the years, both teams have been ranked in the top 10 twenty times and the series is split 9–9–2. When The Game is played in the Shoe, Ohio State is 7–4.
| Year | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | No. 7 Ohio State 24, No. 6 Michigan 26 | Columbus |
| 1983 | No. 10 Ohio State 21, No. 8 Michigan 24 | Ann Arbor |
| 1980 | No. 5 Ohio State 3, No. 10 Michigan 9 | Columbus |
| 1976 | No. 8 Ohio State 0, No. 4 Michigan 22 | Columbus |
| 1972 | No. 9 Ohio State 14, No. 3 Michigan 11 | Columbus |
| 1964 | No. 7 Ohio State 0, No. 6 Michigan 10 | Columbus |
| 1955 | No. 9 Ohio State 17, No. 6 Michigan 0 | Ann Arbor |
| 1949 | No. 7 Ohio State 7, No. 5 Michigan 7 | Ann Arbor |
| 1945 | No. 7 Ohio State 3, No. 8 Michigan 7 | Ann Arbor |
| 1944 | No. 3 Ohio State 18, No. 6 Michigan 14 | Columbus |
*Combine the tables to get the 9–9–2 Top 10 record.
The Best Damn Band In The Land living up to its title during halftime of the 1950 Snow Bowl.
Lowest offensive output by both teams in a game (doesn't have to be the same game for each)? Elk's Comb Over
The 1950 Snow Bowl created conditions that limited Michigan to 27 total yards and Ohio State to 41 total yards. The Wolverines did not complete a pass or convert a first down, but won the game 9-3.
How much does Michigan suck, and what is the main reason for all of the suckage? ~ Earle
I'm not sure of the quantitative amount of suck that Michigan holds, but it is off the charts when compared to all other teams, in all other sports, throughout the world. You can take the amount of suck from all of the other teams and it still won't match a tenth of the suck coming from Ann Arbor.
The reason for the suckage is simple, that's who they are. Pure Michigan.
Have you ever road tripped to ann arbor? ~ Seattle Linga
No, and I have no desire to visit that cesspool.
Do you prefer to call it the Ga_e or the Gaxe? ~ McBane
The Game.
What quantity of head coaches have coached in the rivalry? Which head coach for each side has the highest win count, and which has the best record? ~ Meek
36. The Buckeyes have had 21 coaches and the Wolverines 15.
Woody Hayes leads Ohio State coaches with 16 wins and Fielding Yost was victorious 16 times for our rivals.
Urban Meyer (4–0) is the only Buckeye coach to never lose in the series. Two Michigan coaches are undefeated, Gustava Ferbert (1–0) and George Little (1–0).
The coaches with the best winning percentage after playing in The Game at least five times are Jim Tressel – who was 9–1 (.900) – and Field Yost 16–3–1 (.825).
Tressel set the bar with his 9–1 record against Michigan, but with a win on Saturday, Urban Meyer will become the first Ohio State coach to start his career 5–0 in The Game.
What player for the Buckeyes played the most "up" for The Game? Meaning, who played above his normal game time ability the most in this rivalry? ~ Buckeye Knight
Let's compare three players, Archie Griffin, Troy Smith and Beanie Wells.
| Opponent | Games | Carries | Yards | YPC | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 4 | 22.8 | 98.8 | 4.3 | 0.3 |
| Other Oppoents | 42 | 19.8 | 123.7 | 6.2 | 0.6 |
Archie Griffin played in 46 games during his Ohio State career and four of them were against Michigan. In the 42 other games Griffin averaged 123.4 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry. His career averages against the Wolverines were 98.8 ypc.
Griffin carried the ball more against Michigan, but on average gained fewer yards and scored less.
| Opponent | Games | Completions | Atts. | Pass % | Yards | TD | Rush Att. | Yards | YPC | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 3 | 23.0 | 33.7 | .680 | 285.7 | 2.3 | 11 | 64.7 | 5.9 | 0.7 |
| Other Opponents | 29 | 12.1 | 19.6 | .620 | 167.7 | 1.6 | 8.9 | 33.1 | 3.7 | 0.4 |
In the three games against the Wolverines, Smith had a higher completion percentage, threw for more yards and tossed more touchdown passes than his average against all other opponents. The Heisman Trophy winner also rushed the ball better as well.
| Opponent | Games | Attempts | Yards | YPC | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 3 | 19.7 | 140.0 | 7.1 | 1.3 |
| Other Opponents | 33 | 15.9 | 89.8 | 5.6 | 0.8 |
Beanie Wells played his best against Michigan. Tressel increased his workload and Wells responded with more yards, a higher yards per carry average and more touchdowns than he did against other opponents.
To me it's a toss-up between Troy Smith and Beanie Wells, but I'll give a slight edge to Beanie.
Is it true that TTUN's "two Cokes for two tickets" gimmick negatively impacted Coca-Cola sales? ~ QuadCitiesBuckeye
Yes. Anything associated with Michigan is negatively impacted by the suckage of that program.
Does the last 15 years make up for the Cooper era in your opinion?
How many TTUN players are too young to remember TTUN being good?
If TTUN somehow wins, can APACK be blamed since he is going to the game? ~ Jumar
The past 15 years do not make up for the Cooper era, but it has been a hell of a ride. All of them are too young to consciously remember Michigan being good.
Apack being blamed goes without saying.
How many times did Coach Cooper lose both the Michi game and the bowl game? Can you name the years and the bowls?
Did Coach Tressel ever lose both those games? ~ SilverHaven
Cooper lost to Michigan and the bowl opponent six times during his Ohio State career. In 1992 he tied the Wolverines and lost to Georgia in the Citrus Bowl. In 1988 and 1999 Cooper lost to Michigan, but his team did not qualify to play in a bowl game.
1998 is the only season he defeated Michigan and the bowl opponent.
| SEASON | BOWL GAME | OPPONENT | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | HALL OF FAME | NO. 9 AUBURN | 14–31 |
| 1990 | LIBERTY BOWL | AIR FORCE | 11–23 |
| 1991 | HALL OF FAME | NO. 16 SYRACUSE | 17–24 |
| 1995 | CITRUS BOWL | NO. 4 TENNESSEE | 14–20 |
| 1997 | SUGAR BOWL | NO. 4 FLORIDA STATE | 14–31 |
| 2000 | OUTBACK BOWL | SOUTH CAROLINA | 7–24 |
Tressel only lost once to the Wolverines (2003) and defeated No. 8 Kansas State 35-28 in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl.
Chad Henne is a fucking joke! True or False ~ BuckeyeSki
True. However, Harbaugh is a bigger fucking joke.
