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.

Remembering The 'Ten Year War' - 1976 Edition

Every game in the Ten Year War set the table for future games, but there are a couple games that truly impacted the Ten Year War and the legacy that followed.  The 1969 and 1973 games were undoubtedly these types of games and the 1976 was as well.  If Woody Hayes had retired after the 1975 season, his legacy would have been unquestioned.  He would have just ended an undefeated season and would have left with a 4-2-1 record against Bo Schembechler.  Of course, he did no such thing and the tide would once against shift in the 1976 edition of "The Game" back towards Michigan.


Background:
Michigan's 1976 team was something to behold.  Not only did they storm through their first 8 games with a score of 352-58, but they also were ranked #1 through 8 games.  The 1976 defense was impeccable, holding 8 opponents to one score or less and really only allowing three teams to score anything significant.  Even in Michigan's only regular season loss on the road against Purdue, the Boilermakers only scored 16 points.  This loss was pretty important, as it truly removed Michigan from the national championship discussion.  Granted, the Wolverines lost the Rose Bowl to USC, but they probably would have entered that game ranked #1 instead of #2.


What also adds to this performance wass the fact that the 1976 version of "The Game" was the 7th straight time that Michigan entered the game against Ohio State ranked in the top 5.  That much consistency is simply astounding.  Compare it to some of the more modern dynasties.  Bob Stoops and Oklahoma were ranked #6 or higher for 5 straight years, Alabama has been ranked #10 or higher for 4 straight years, Florida was #13 or higher for 5 straight years, Jim Tressel had OSU ranked #9 or higher for 6 straight years.  In fact, the only recent dynasty that can really match Michigan's performance from 1970-1976 was USC.  Pete Carroll had the Trojans ranked #4 or higher for 7 straight years.  However, we all know about the sanctions that removed some of those records so in reality, not even USC could match Michigan's performance during the 1970-1976 period.

Remembering The 'Ten Year War' - 1975 Edition

By 1975, not only were both teams battling hard in their regular season finale in "The Game", but they were also competing heavily on a national level year after year. The Wolverines had visited the Rose Bowl twice, and the Buckeyes had won the 1973 Rose Bowl against USC.



Background:
Michigan jumped into the 1975 season with a big, 23-6 victory against the Wisconsin Badgers, but they were unable to carry over the early momentum to the next two weeks, tying with both Stanford and Baylor. Although the Wolverines hadn't lost a game yet, having only one win through the first three weeks was already setting them back enough. It was vitally important to pick it up and not look back, which is exactly what they did.

The Wolverines pounced out through the rest of the season. Under Bo, Michigan was winning with relative ease, including an astonishing 69-0 victory over Northwestern. The next week was followed up with a 55-7 blow-out win over Indiana. That's 126 points in two weeks of football for the Wolverines, and things didn't cool down after that. Michigan marched on to win their final three games of the season, heading into "The Game" with a record of 8-0-2.

Top Ten (1-5) Players From Ten Year War Part 2

The Ten Year War featured some of the best Wolverine athletes Michigan football has ever had to offer. In Part One of the countdown of the top ten Michigan players through the Ten Year War, there were many impressive names, including Rob Lytle and Randy Logan, but that was  just the first half. Now, we counting down numbers 1-5.

5. Tom Cutis (DB)
Tom Curtis was the greatest pass interceptor to ever play for the University of Michigan. In his three years on the football team, Curtis picked off an amazing 25 passes, including seven his sophomore season, which was a Big Ten record. Eight more INTs in his senior season, along with 45 solo tackles, was more than enough to honor Curtis as an All-American.

At the end of his career at Michigan, Curtis had intercepted 25 passes, returning them for an NCAA record 431 yards. curtis was also named All-Big Ten twice in his college career.

Tom Curtis carried over his career trends into "The Game" with the Buckeyes. Curtis was a constant threat to the OSU offense, picking off a couple passes in three seasons and recording 15 total tackles.

Legends Patch Nominees: Rick Leach

Since Desmond Howard became the first Michigan player to receive a Legends Patch, there has been much debate surrounding which players deserve the award as well.  In an effort to settle some of the debate, we will be breaking down a former Michigan football player that we believe should be analyzed as a nominee for a Legends Patch.  This does not mean our writers believe they should be formally nominated in some way, but only that their credentials should be reviewed. If you have an opinion please comment or contact our writers via Twitter.


Nominee: Rick Leach
One of the finest athletes in Michigan history, Leach three times he was named All-Big Ten quarterback and three times placed in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, finishing third as a senior when he was voted Michigan's and the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player. Named Player of the Year by several athletic clubs and television networks, he was co- most valuable player in the 1979 Rose Bowl and Hula Bowl. All Michigan's career passing, total offense and touchdown records were broken by the lefthander as well as the season record for touchdown passes (17). He set an NCAA record for most touchdowns accounted for (82) and broke Big Ten records for total offense (6,460) total plays (1,034) and touchdown passes (48). He won the Big Ten batting championship as a junior and became one of the few athletes in modern times to become All-American in both football and baseball. He was a first round draft selection by the Detroit Tigers of the American League. - Bentley Historical Library

Top 10 Michigan and Ohio State Games

10.) 1995 Michigan 31 Ohio State 23

Ohio State came in 11-0 and ranked number 2 in the country and were in the national championship hunt. Led by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, many thought OSU would roll over the Wolverines. But then they ran into Michigan and Tim Biakabutuka. Gaining 313 yards on 37 carries, Biakabutuka ran all over the Buckeye defense on his way to having only the second 300 yard rushing game in U of M history. He would later go on to set the Michigan single season rushing record with 1818 yards, in large part because of this game.

9.) 1972 Ohio State 14 Michigan 11 Ranked number 3, Michigan went into the game hoping to secure a Rose Bowl trip. The Buckeyes would have other ideas, as they were trying to end Michigan’s 21 game regular season winning streak. The Wolverines actually outgained the Buckeyes in the contest, but were unfortunately stopped on the goal line twice, and had a winning touchdown taken away from them late when officials ruled that Harry Banks never got in. OSU played astute defense all day and earned the trip to Pasadena, where they would be trounced by the USC Trojans 42-17.

8.) 1975 Ohio State 21 Michigan 14

Ohio State rolled into this game undefeated in Big 10 play, and were led on the ground by Archie Griffin who had broke 100 yards rushing in every game. Michigan came in with record that featured eight wins, no losses, and two ties coming in non-conference action. The Wolverines were also being led by a freshman quarterback by the name of Rick Leach. With three minutes left in a game defined by stout defense, both teams were tied at 14 and Michigan had just received the ball. But the freshman would falter against the OSU defense and was picked off on third down by Ray Griffin, who took the ball down to the three. OSU would punch it in from there and go on to victory and earn a trip to Pasadena. However, the number one ranked Buckeyes would lose to UCLA, which ruined their national championship dreams.

7.) 1986 Michigan 26 Ohio State 24

Entering the game, Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh publicly guaranteed a victory against the Buckeyes. Early on it looked like Ohio State would force the confident young player to eat his words as they took a 14-3 lead. However, the Wolverines would ride the back of workhorse runningback Jamie Morris, as he gained 210 yards and had two touchdowns. Late in the game, with Michigan holding a slight 26-24 lead, Ohio State sent out kicker Matt Frantz to win the game. The kick ultimately missed, and sent the Wolverines to the Rose Bowl, where they would lose to the Arizona State Sun Devils 22-15.

6.) 1968 Ohio State 50 Michigan 14

Many reading are probably wondering why such a blowout would be included in a top 10 list, but there is a method to the madness. Other than being famous for the famous Woody Hayes “Couldn’t go for three” quote, this was also the last time until 1990 that the game did not involve Bo Schembechler. The game featured the number one ranked team in the Buckeyes, and the number four ranked Wolverines. This was only a one score game at halftime as OSU was up 21-14; however the Buckeyes would rattle off 29 unanswered points to complete the thrashing. The embarrassment of this game would be all the motivation that Bo would need leading into his 1969 debut in the rivalry, setting up a great run of success.

5.) 1997 Michigan 20 Ohio State 14 Sealing a dream national championship season for the Wolverines, this game was almost as memorable for the Heisman-clinching punt return touchdown for Charles Woodson. Tempers flared in this rivalry game as OSU’s David Boston and Woodson got into a fistfight during play. Michigan took a 13-0 lead with the punt return, and added another touchdown in the third to go up 20-0. The Buckeyes would try and mount a comeback, scoring twice. But the Wolverine defense was just too stifling, and Michigan took the win. They would go onto to earn a share of the championship with Nebraska as they beat the Washington State Cougars in the Rose Bowl.

4.) 2006 Ohio State 42 Michigan 39

In the first matchup of number 1 vs. number 2 in the rival’s history, the game was overshadowed by the death of legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler just the day before. The team went in with heavy hearts, and consisted of a high scoring game in which Michigan would not lead following the first quarter. The Buckeyes were led by Heisman trophy winning quarterback Troy Smith as he had 316 yards in the air and added four touchdowns. OSU would go on to the BCS national championship against the Florida Gators, and lost 42-14.

3.) 1950 Michigan 9 Ohio State 3 In a game known as the “Snow Bowl” because of the frigid weather conditions, the Wolverines pulled off an upset in some of the worst playing conditions in football history. This was the ultimate field position game, as both teams combined for an incredible 45 punts, sometimes electing to kick it away on first down rather than try to handle the ball. Ohio State scored on a field goal, and Michigan was able to capitalize on a blocked kick that went through the endzone for a safety and a blocked punt recovered for a touchdown. The Wolverines went on to beat California in the 1951 Rose Bowl 14-6.

2.) 1973 Michigan 10 Ohio State 10

In a much anticipated matchup of number one OSU vs. number four Michigan, a lot was at stake for both teams. On the line was the Big 10 championship, a trip to Pasadena, and maybe even a national championship. Late in the game, Michigan’s Tom Drake picked off a Buckeye pass to set up a potential game-winning field goal by Mike Lantry. Unfortunately the kicked sailed wide right, and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. With both tying atop the conference leaderboard, the Big 10 decided to leave the decision up to a vote among the athletic directors as to who would best represent the conference in the Rose Bowl. The vote swung the way of the Buckeyes, sending the Michigan camp into an outrage. Conspiracy theories were developed, and letters to the editor by Michigan fans flooded into the newspapers. The most widely accepted reason for selecting the Buckeyes was that Michigan’s quarterback Dennis Franklin broke his collarbone in the Ohio State game. OSU would go on to beat the USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl 42-21.

1.) 1969 Michigan 24 Ohio State 12

In maybe the most widely known Michigan-Ohio State matchup, this game marked the first time Bo Schembechler would face his mentor Woody Hayes in what would become “The Ten Year War.” OSU came into the game as 14 point favorites and on a 22 game winning streak. Being the defending national champions, and after the 50-14 shellacking the year before, no one expected the Wolverines to pull off the upset. Michigan was 7-2 and ranked 12^th in the nation coming in. Michigan was led by an inspired defense, and upset the previously thought to be “Team of the Century.” The Wolverines went on to play USC, and lost 10-3.