Remembering The 'Ten Year War' - 1978 Edition

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.

Remembering The 'Ten Year War' - 1977 Edition

The 1977 game did not carry as much importance as some of its predecessors like the 1969 and 1976 games, but it still had some important qualities that shaped this rivalry long-term.  It still featured two teams ranked in the top 5 (something that had almost become commonplace in this rivalry) and was decided by just one score, but it definitely did little to change the tide of the rivalry and change its legacy long-term.  This is one of those games that just added to what was already a great series.  One interesting thing to note about this game was that it was the last game to be held in Ann Arbor between Bo and Woody.  


Background:
Michigan's 1977 team, much like Ohio State's 1976 squad had the challenge of replacing one of its best offensive players.  Rob Lytle had graduated and Michigan had to find somebody else to run the ball.  They still had Rick Leach and Glenn Davis, but losing Lytle was a major obstacle.  Roosevelt Smith and Harlan Huckleby did a nice job at replacing Lytle.  This is one of the major things that allowed the 1977 Wolverines to be so successful.


The Wolverines started their 1977 run much like their 1976 run.  They dominated early, winning their first 6 games by a combined score of 193-42.  That's pretty impressive considering that those games included two ranked teams, two road games, and a rivalry game against MSU.  Michigan did fall the next week in a road game against Minnesota, but followed it up with three dominant wins against Purdue, Northwestern, and Iowa.  Michigan spent 4 weeks during the season ranked #1 and entered the OSU game ranked #5.  This would be the 8th consecutive time Michigan entered the OSU game ranked #5 or higher.