The final edition of the Ten Year War. Thinking about what unfolded over the previous 9 games, that statement should mean something. The great upset of 1969, Woody's revenge in 1970, the epic tie and the drama that followed in 1973, and the return of Michigan in 1976. The tide had switched multiple times over the series and before the 1978 game, Michigan had almost all the momentum. The Ten Year War wouldn't finish in quite the same way as the first match-up, but the Victors would be the same.Background:
Michigan returned much from its 1977 squad. Not only the momentum from its 2nd consecutive Big Ten championship, but also from its 2nd consecutive Rose Bowl berth and 2nd consecutive win over the Buckeyes. Things had been going well for Michigan since their loss to Ohio State in 1975. Not only had Michigan been rolling, but they returned some great players for 1978. Michigan returned quarterback Rick Leach and had a solid running back group containing Harlan Huckleby, Roosevelt Smith, Butch Woolfolk, and Stanley Edwards.
The defense, as usual, was fantastic. Not only did the defense shutout 4 opponents before the Ohio State game, but it only allowed 20 points or more in one contest. Simply astounding considering that Michigan played some challenging road games at Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Michigan did fall to MSU in their 5th game, but they followed that game with 5 consecutive victories leading into the Ohio State game with a combined score of 201-30. Another interesting thing to note is that the 1978 loss to Michigan State was only the 2nd time Bo had lost to the Spartans since becoming coach at Michigan. There's no doubt that the matchup with the Buckeyes was Michigan's #1 rivalry, but this is just another thing displaying Michigan's full dedication to beating OSU.
