1916
"The Perfect Play"
The 1916 win over Northwestern was the biggest win the Buckeyes have ever had
over the Wildcats. The 23-3 victory allowed the Buckeyes to win their
first ever conference championship as well as go undefeated. Northwestern
gave the Bucks a struggle at first, but OSU started to break the game open with
the help of Chic Harley's 63-yard TD run around right end. Head Coach John
Wilce went on to dub this famous play "The Perfect Play." The
Buckeyes would score two more times after that play to take home the
championship.
1935
The Greatest Game Ever...?
1935's classic battle between Ohio State and Notre Dame is one that longtime
Buckeye fans and enthusiasts will never forget. It was a clash of two
unbeaten powers meeting for the first time ever in front of over 81,000 at Ohio
Stadium. Things started out great for the Buckeyes as they took an early
13-0 lead, but the Fighting Irish would come back (aided by Coach Francis
Schmidt's decision to take out his starting backfield) to cut the lead to
13-12.
Late in the game, OSU was attempting to run out the clock, but they fumbled the ball to Notre Dame. Then on offense, ND QB Andy Tilney took the ball and ran 32 yards downfield. But Tilney injured his leg on the run and had to be removed for back-up QB Bill Shakespeare. The real Shakespeare couldn't have written a better ending for ND however as this Bill Shakespeare threw a TD pass with 32 seconds left to give ND a 18-13 win. The Buckeyes suffered a heartbreaking loss here, but at the time, many fans dubbed this game the greatest game ever played.
1939
The start of something grand
The Buckeyes won their first Big Ten title in 19 years, but it didn't come
easy. The key game was at Minnesota, who had been back-to-back Big Ten
champions and had not lost a game at home in seven seasons. But that would
soon change. Led by QB Don Scott's three TD passes to Esco Sarkkinen, Jim
Langhurst, and Frank Clair, the Buckeyes were able to knock off the defending
champs 23-20 and claim the title.
1942
(OSU Archives)
The Indiana Hoosiers came to the stadium with one of their greatest teams of all
time, but Paul Brown and his Buckeyes were ready for them. The Bucks, led
by three TDs by FB Gene Fekete, downed the Hoosiers 32-21. The
game, which Coach Brown called "The greatest game I ever saw," set
them on course to win their first ever national title. Fekete would go on
to become the first Buckeye player to finish in the top ten for the Heisman
voting.
January 2, 1950
A Good Year for the Roses
By 1950, Ohio State football had achieved many great milestones. They had
conference championships, a national championship, and a Heisman Trophy
winner. But they had not yet achieved a Rose Bowl win. Fate was on
the Buckeyes' side this time though. The Bucks were tied 14-14 with Cal
late in the game, and Cal had to punt from their own 16-yard line. The
snap was poor, causing the Cal punter to kick the ball off the wrong foot and
shank the ball out of bounds at the 13-yard line. OSU took over, ran three
plays and wound up kicking a field goal with 1:55 on the clock. Cal was
not finished though. They took the ball and quickly drove down the field,
but Dick Widdoes intercepted a pass on the OSU 11-yard line to cement the 17-14
victory.
November 25, 1950
The Snow Bowl
(OSU Archives)
Normally, no Buckeye fan would glorify a loss to the Michigan Wolverines. But the 1950 game, despite an OSU loss, is one that is forever etched in football lore.
(OSU Archives)
It was a day that no human being should have even been outdoors, but that didn't stop the Buckeyes and Wolverines from getting it on. The temperature was in the teens, and there was a driving snowstorm. The yard lines could not be seen. It was arguably some of the worst conditions for any football game ever. There was no offense from either team; OSU's Vic Janowicz set a whopping OSU punting record as he kicked 21 times for 685 yards. But it was the Michigan punter, Charles Ortmann, who won the game with his outstanding punting that pinned OSU deep in their own territory. As a result of OSU's poor field position, Michigan was able to block one OSU punt for a safety and one for a touchdown. Vic Janowicz was able to muster a field goal in the first quarter, but the only offense all day would not be enough as the blocked punts gave UM the 9-3 win. Yes, the Buckeyes lost, but the game has gone down in history as one of the more famous college football games ever.
January 1, 1955
OSU defeats USC for the national title
In some of the worst conditions ever for a Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes drove through
rain, mud and fog to take out the USC Trojans 20-7 and gain the school's second
national title and the first under Coach Woody Hayes. The Buckeye offense
was three yards and a pile of mud on this day as despite the bad conditions, OSU
rushed for 295 yards, including 95 from Hopalong Cassady, who was playing with a
cracked rib.
November 16, 1957
The Bob White Drive
Have you ever said about a team that they wouldn't be able to stop anything even
if they knew what was coming? That was the case for the Iowa Hawkeyes on
this day. The Buckeyes were locked in a close 13-10 struggle with Iowa late in
the game when Woody ball took over. But the Buckeyes would embark on an
eight play, 66-yard drive for the game-winning TD that was led by fullback Bob
White. White was given the ball seven out of eight times on the drive, but
remarkably, Iowa just could not stop him. "We knew what was
happening," said Iowa coach Forest Evashevski after the game, "But we
were just powerless to stop it." This tremendous drive was the
clincher in the 17-13 victory that gave OSU the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl
berth.
January 1, 1958
A narrow Rose Bowl victory
The Buckeyes had gotten into the Rose Bowl with the help of Bob White vs.
Iowa. They were going up against the Oregon Ducks in a game where OSU was
a solid favorite. But the Ducks very nearly shocked the Buckeyes as they
gave a tremendous effort but lost 10-7. Oregon really played up to the
level of OSU and very well could have won the game, but the Buckeyes got the
breaks as they caused four Oregon turnovers. "The field goal and the
four breaks -- two interceptions and two recovered Oregon fumbles -- were the
only real edge in the game, and we got 'em all," said Woody Hayes. It
was a moral victory for the Ducks, but on the scoreboard, it was a victory, a
second Rose Bowl title, and a national championship for Ohio State.
November 15, 1958
Bob White and the Buckeyes stick it to Iowa once again
The Buckeyes were not having a great season as they were 3-2-1 in the Big
Ten. The Hawkeyes were 5-1 in the Big Ten and had clinced a Rose Bowl
berth. Needless to say, the Buckeyes were not expected to walk into Iowa
City and come out with a win. But that's exactly what they did. Led
by Bob White's three TDs and Don Clark's two TDs, the Buckeyes shocked the
Hawkeyes and their fans as they went on to win 38-28. Ironically, it was a
White-led drive that did the trick. Tied 28-28, the Buckeyes took over the
ball on their own 20 and drove the ball 80 yards on a 14-play drive, 11 of which
were carries by White. After that, the Buckeyes didn't trail again, and
the upset was complete. After the game, Woody Hayes told the team,
"You were the greatest football team I ever saw out there today."
November 23, 1968
National Title-bound Buckeyes destroy Michigan
It's always wonderful to beat Michigan. But it must have been extra sweet
in 1968 as the Buckeyes gave the Wolverines their worst loss in the history of
the rivalry, 50-14. The Buckeyes completely dominated, much to the delight
of the then-record Ohio Stadium crowd of 85,370. The win sent the unbeaten
and #2 OSU Buckeyes off to Pasadena for a showdown with #1 USC in the Rose Bowl.
January 1, 1969
Buckeyes squeeze the Juice for the National Championship
(OSU Archives)
The great 1968 Buckeyes had their work cut out for them if they wanted to win
the national championship. They had to beat #1 USC and their Heisman
Trophy winner O.J. Simpson to do it. But that's exactly what OSU did, and
they left no doubt as to who was tops in the nation. Simpson got off to a
good start, running for 137 yards and helping USC jump out to a 10-0 lead in the
first half. But the Buckeye defense turned in a tremendous performance in
the second half as they limited the Juice to just 34 yards and moved on to a
27-16 win. It would be OSU's fourth national
championship.
November 21, 1970
Buckeyes bulldoze Wolverines
The Buckeyes were upset the year before by Michigan, and ever since then, they
had been itching for payback. The Wolverines came in with a high-powered
offense that had been averaging 31 points a game, but the Buckeyes defense, led
by legendary LB Jim Stillwagon, held UM to a single touchdown and field goal as
they would grind out a 20-9 victory to finish the regular season 9-0 and win the
Big Ten title. "I've been waiting for this moment a whole year,"
said defensive coordinator Lou McCullough. "They only get one
touchdown, only one touchdown. What a job."
September 30, 1972
The arrival of a legend
(OSU Archives)
He was an undersized and unheralded freshman from Columbus Eastmoor High
School. But on this day, he would arrive in a big way and begin his legend
as a Buckeye. On this day, in his second game as a freshman, Archie
Griffin came off the bench and rushed for an OSU-record 239 yards as the
Buckeyes toppled North Carolina, 29-14. Archie, never one to boast,
credited his offensive line for the performance. "They did a hell of
a job blocking for me," he said. It was indeed a sign of things to
come for Archie Griffin.
January 1, 1974
Griffin, Greene lead Bucks to Rose Bowl win
Just a year ago, OSU had been drilled 42-17 by USC in the Rose Bowl. The
two teams would meet again, and this time, the result was exactly the opposite
as OSU was a 42-21 victor. QB Cornelius Green went 6 of 8 passing for 129
yards and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Archie Griffin ran
for 149 yards on 22 carries. Coach Hayes said of the performance,
"We've never been this good in a Rose Bowl game."
Nov. 22, 1975
Buckeyes come back on Michigan
The Buckeyes trailed in every statistical category except punting. They
were outplayed for much of the game. Yet, on this day, OSU managed to beat
UM on the road for the first time in seven years, 21-14, and seal a trip to
their fourth Rose Bowl in a row. UM was actually the underdog in the game,
but they looked like they were about to put the Buckeyes away when OSU scored
two TDs in a one-minute span in the fourth quarter to take the victory.
Woody called it "The greatest comeback I've ever had as a coach."
November 17, 1979
Schlichter leads Bucks to victory
(OSU Archives)
The Buckeyes had not had much success against Michigan over the previous few
seasons. They had dropped the last four contests to the Wolverines, and
they had not even scored a touchdown in the past 15 quarters played against the
Wolverines. But on this day, in front of what was then an NCAA-record
crowd of 106,255, the Buckeyes would end those streaks. Behind the arm of
QB Art Schlichter and the leg of K Vlade Janakievski, the Buckeyes controlled
the second half to win 18-15 and clinch an unbeaten regular season and a Rose
Bowl berth.
October 13, 1984
Buckeyes rally to top the Illini
(OSU Archives)
In one of the more memorable games in OSU history, the Buckeyes, behind Keith
Byars' 274 yards rushing, came back from a 24-point deficit to beat Illinois,
45-38. The Illini raced out to a 24-0 lead, but Byars, QB Mike Tomczak and
WR Cris Carter helped lead Ohio State back to take a 27-24 lead in the third
quarter. The Illini didn't quit though as they would come back to tie the
game 35-35, but Keith Byars led the final 80-yard scoring drive to seal the
45-38 win. Byars' effort was a school record at the time, and the win sent
OSU into first place in the Big Ten.
November 2, 1985
Buckeyes shock Hawkeyes
(OSU Archives)
It was Iowa's year. They were unbeaten, they had a Heisman Trophy
contender in QB Chuck Long, and they were supposed to go on to the Rose
Bowl. But all that would vanish with one single trip to Columbus. On
a rainy, sloppy November day, the Buckeyes, without star RB Keith Byars, knocked
off the #1 team in the nation, 22-13. The key to the game was how the
Buckeye defensive backs put the clamps on Chuck Long's passing attack as they
limited him to a 169-yard day on 17 of 34 passing. They also picked him
off four times. Long and Auburn RB Bo Jackson were neck and neck in the
Heisman race, and this game may have done a lot to help Jackson overtake
Long. LB Chris Spielman had a tremendous game as he intercepted two of
those Long INTs along with 19 tackles.
(OSU Archives)
"Everyone told us that Iowa was going to pass for 1,000 yards," said OSU coach Earle Bruce, "But they didn't... It's one of the finest victories I've been associated with."
October 28, 1989
The great comeback
The Buckeyes came out horrible. "That was probably the worst half
I've ever been associated with," Coach John Cooper said. The Buckeyes
fell into a 31-0 hole against Minnesota on the road in the second quarter, and
they were behind 31-8 at halftime. But the Buckeyes didn't quit.
They came out with guns blazing in the second half and behind Greg Frey's 327
second-half passing yards, the Buckeyes outscored Minnesota 33-6 to take an
amazing 41-37 victory. The comeback tied the then-current record for
biggest college comeback. "I didn't think there was any way possible
they could come back," Gopher DE Eddie Miles said. But Greg Frey
said, "We've got a lot of guys who don't want to quit. We proved that
today."
September 30, 1995
Buckeyes romp on the Irish
There was as much excitement for this game as any regular non-conference game
the Buckeyes had played in years. It was the first time Notre Dame and
Ohio State faced off since that legendary 1935 game. And for the Buckeyes,
it was a glorious day indeed. The Irish looked good in the first half as
they led 17-14 at halftime, but they fell apart in the second half, and the
Buckeyes and Eddie George, Bobby Hoying and Terry Glenn took over to make it a
45-26 blowout. George had 35 carries for 207 yards and officially made
himself a serious Heisman contender. "I don't know how much anybody
paid for tickets," said Coach Cooper, "But I guarantee you they got
their money's worth."
January 1, 1997
One for the ages
(OSU Archives)
The Buckeyes were rolling through the regular season, and a shot at the national
title was in their sights. But in the final game, OSU lost to UM
again. The players were down and weren't as excited about playing in the
Rose Bowl as they might have been -- until an upstart 11-0 Arizona State team
started opening their mouths. The Sun Devils' pre-game trash talking fired
up OSU, and we would have a clash on our hands.
It was a classic clash indeed. Momentum swung back and forth the whole game. OSU scored the first TD, then Arizona State tied it at 7 by halftime, then ASU kicked a field goal to make it 10-7 in the third, then OSU scored on an 82-yard TD pass to make it 14-10, then ASU drove 65 yards to pull ahead 17-14 with 1:40 on the clock. It looked like ASU had the game in control and was about to capture a national championship.
But on the arm of Joe Germaine and the help of some defensive pass interference penalties, the Buckeyes marched down the field to score the winning TD with just seconds left. ASU didn't have enough time to make a final run, and the Buckeyes won 20-17. John Cooper, who had finally won his first Rose Bowl at OSU, summed it up by saying, "It doesn't get better than this."
2002
Getty Images
The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes sent fans on an incredible ride, posting the first ever 14-0 record in Division I-A and delivering plenty of unprecedented thrills along the way. One could write a book on all the memorable moments during this season, including Ohio State's squeaker over Cincinnati, the defensive masterpiece against Penn State, the "Holy Buckeye" play at Purdue, and the showdown against Michigan that was sealed by a last second interception.
In fitting fashion, the season was capped off by possibly the greatest college football game of all time as Ohio State bested Miami 31-24 in two overtimes in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. The Buckeyes came in a heavy underdog to the No. 1 high-powered Hurricanes, but in a game filled with unreal twists and turns, Ohio State did the improbable and won this game for the ages. Many teams won't have as many memorable moments in their entire season as there was in this game alone. Fans who watched the game will never forget the final goal line stand where OSU stopped Miami on four straight plays on the one-yard line, the improbable 4th-and-14 conversion where Craig Krenzel hit Michael Jenkins for a first down, the controversial 4th down interference call in overtime (Miami players and staff stormed the field, thinking victory was theirs, but had to be called back to continue the game), Maurice Clarett's strip of Sean Taylor's interception, and so many more memorable moments.
Those who were fortunate enough to be in Sun Devil Stadium that night experienced what will most likely be the greatest sporting event they have ever attended and will ever attend in their lives, and those who followed the 2002 dream season from day one will agree that there will never be another football season quite like it.
What will the next great OSU moment be? Stay tuned!