2017 is the 75th anniversary of Ohio State's first national championship season. To honor the achievement, this series will post articles from the Columbus Citizen Journal on the day they ran in 1942.

The Citizen Journal did not run a preview the day of the game. Due to this, let's take a look at the recap by Tommy Devine that ran on Sunday. Think of this as the Instacap. Tomorrow you will get to read the multiple articles that were in the CJ's Sunday Sports section.

Ohio State capitalized on alertness and daring here yesterday to defeat Michigan, 21 to 7, and win the undisputed Big Ten football championship.

The victory gave the Buckeyes a conference record of five triumphs against one setback. Wisconsin had beaten Ohio State 17 to 7.

Alertness brought Ohio State its first touchdown early in the second period. Daring accounted for its other two in the third and fourth periods.

Soggy under-footing hampered the work of the fleet backs of both teams, but neither the elements nor a stout Michigan line led by the brilliant Al Wistert could stop the take-a-chance Bucks as they rolled up the fifth Big Ten championship in Ohio State history and gave 33-year-old Paul Brown a grid crown in his second season of "big time" coaching.

Superior Team Won

OHIO STATE/MICHIGAN GAME STATS

STAT CATEGORY	OHIO STATE	MICHIGAN
FIRST DOWNS BY RUSH	7	9
FIRST DOWNS BY PASS	2	8
FIRST DOWNS BY PENALTY	0	0
TOTAL FIRST DOWNS	9	17
NUMBER OF RUSHES	48	44
RUSHING YARDS	115	120
PASS ATTEMPTS	8	22
PASSES COMPLETED	6	10
PASSING YARDS	142	148
PASSES INTERCEPTED	0	2
NUMBER OF PUNTS	10	8
AVG PUNT	31.0	30.0
NUMBER OF KICKOFFS	4	3
AVG KICKOFF	29.0	50.0
KICKOFF RETURNS	2	1
KO YARDS RETURNED	21.0	15.0
NUMBER OF FUMBLES	1	3
FUMBLES LOST	0	2
PENALTIES	1	3
PENALTY YARDS	5	25

Ohio State's first touchdown came as the result of a "break" but it wasn't "breaks" or luck that decided the contest. The team that was far superior won a richly deserved decision.

After Paul Sarringhaus, of Ohio State, and Tommy Kuzma, of Michigan, spent most of the first quarter engaged in a punting duel, the Wolverines took the ball on their own 23-yard line as the second period opened. In three plays Kuzma picked up eight yards. Back to punt on fourth down, his attempted kick was blocked by Charley Csuri, Ohio State tackle. The ball rolled out of bounds and the Bucks took over on Michgan's 31-yard stripe.

On the first play from there Sarringhaus passed to Les Horvath for 22 yards. Gene Fekete, the ramrodding sophomore fullback made three at center. Then Ohio State took to the air again, this time with Horvath passing to Sarringhaus behind the goal line for the touchdown. Fekete converted to put the Bucks in front 7 to 0.

Late in the second period, Michigan made its only real threat of the opening half, but the clock thwarted that bid. After taking a Sarringhaus punt on their own 43-yard line, the Wolverines began to move through the air.

With Kuzma and substitute Halfback Bob Chapplus doing the tossing, Michigan moved to the Bucks' 20-yard line in two aerials. Then a pass from Chapplus to Bob Wiese was good for 17 yards before the Michigan fullback was pulled down by Fekete. The half ended before Michigan could run another play.

Not content to rest on that slim one-touchdown lead, Ohio State gambled---and won---to get its second score in the third period.

A Kuzma punt was downed on the Bucks' own 3(smudged). Fekete smashed center for five. Horvath lost one on a sweep, then the canny George Lynn at quarterback called for a pass and Sarringhaus tossed to rangy Bob Shaw, who gathered the ball in on the Michigan 35-yard line, danced precariously along the chalk stripe of the sideline, eluded two would-be tacklers and raced to the goal. Again Fekete converted and Ohio State was in front 14 to 0.

Ohio State was just as near a perfect football machine as Michigan was a week ago in trimming Notre Dame, 32 to 20.

Missed One Chance

1942 Game 9 Rushing Box Score

OHIO STATE
PLAYER	ATT	YARDS	AVG	TD
FEKETE	18	59	3.3	0
SARRINGHAUS	13	35	2.7	1
HORVATH	17	32	1.9	1
SLUSSER	1	-10	-10.0	0
MICHIGAN
PLAYER	ATT	YARDS	AVG	TD
WIESE	19	50	2.6	1
WHITE	8	44	5.4	0
ROBINSON	2	22	11.0	0
BOOR	2	14	7.0	0
CHAPPLUS	1	2	2.0	0
KUZMA	12	2	0.2	0

The Bucks struck swiftly and with deftness when in scoring position. They "blew" only one good scoring opportunity.

1942 Game 9 Passing Box Score

OHIO STATE
PLAYER	COMP.	ATT.	YARDS	TD
SARRINGHAUS	4	5	121	1
SLUSSER	1	2	11	0
HORVATH	1	1	10	0
MICHIGAN
PLAYER	COMP.	ATT.	YARDS	TD
CHAPPLUS	6	9	74	0
KUZMA	3	10	44	0
WHITE	1	3	30	0

That missed chance came midway in the fourth period when Shaw intercepted a pass by Chapplus to give the Bucks possession on the Wolverines' 33-yard stripe. Horvath circled left end for 13 yards. Three more running plays netted only six yards, so on the fourth down Fekete dropped back to the 17-yard line and attempted a placekick. The effort was short and low.

The miss cost nothing, however. The Bucks merely were attempting to "cushion" a lead that needed no protection.

Outside the drive on which it scored, Michigan was never inside Ohio State's 40-yard line in the second half.

Michigan's failure to show its expected and vaunted punch can't be blamed entirely on the condition of the field. The middle of the Ohio State line constantly piled up Wiese on the spinners which were an integral and vital part of the Wolverines' deception and attack.

Fekete was Ohio State's top ground gainer with a net of  59 yards on 18 ball-carrying attempts. Sarringhaus made 35 yards in 13 attempts. Paul White led Michigan's attack with 44 yards on eight attempts. Wiese picked up 50 yards in 19 tries.

Statistically, Michigan had an edge of 17 to 9 in first downs and outgained Ohio State 268 yards to 237* by rushing and passing. The futility of statistics was shown by the scoreboard "pay off".

*could be 257, the number is blurry.

Ohio State's Gene Fekete off on 10-yard ramble around end..

Ohio's Paul Sarringhaus plunges for first down on Michigan 12-yard line..

Ohio State Coach Paul Brown grins widely as Ohio's Govenor John Bricker tells him how well he liked the Buckeyes title winning victory over Michigan.