As we countdown the rich and storied history of Ohio State football, we look back at the 1932 Buckeyes, the last team to play Ohio Wesleyan.
Despite a 15–8–2 record in his first three seasons as the head coach of the Buckeyes, Sam Willaman was beginning to feel the heat from alumni and fans.
His teams had finished no higher than fourth in the Big Ten Conference and he'd yet to defeat then-power Northwestern.
Sam Willaman was beginning to feel the heat from alumni and fans as he entered his fourth season as Ohio State's head coach. His teams had not finished better than fourth in the Big Ten and had failed to defeat Northwestern.
With All-Americans Carl Cramer and Lew Hinchman back, 1932 was shaping up as a breakthrough season for Willaman. However, hope soon turned to frustration as the Buckeyes had trouble winning the marquee games on the schedule.
| The 1932 Buckeyes | |
|---|---|
| Record | 4–1–3 |
| B1G Record | 2–1–2, 4th |
| Coach | Sam Willaman (4th Year, 19–9–5) |
| Captain | Lewis Hinchman |
Games of Note
October 1st • Ohio Wesleyan • Ohio Stadium
Ohio Wesleyan holds a special place in the history of Ohio State football. The Battling Bishops were the first team to ever face the Buckeyes on the gridiron, when they met on May 3, 1890. They were also the first foe to play a game at Ohio Stadium. That meeting – a 5-0 Ohio State win in 1922 – was the last time the teams had met.
This clash would be a little more lopsided.
Bill “Blond Express” Carroll rushed for 115 yards to help put Ohio Wesleyan away, 34-7 in front of a crowd of 17,113 at the Horseshoe.
This would be the last meeting between the two schools separated by a mere 22 miles. The Buckeyes finished the series with a 26–2–1 advantage, winning the final 25 contests.
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| OCT. 1 | OHIO WESLEYAN | OHIO STADIUM | W, 34–7 |
| OCT. 8 | INDIANA | OHIO STADIUM | T, 7–7 |
| OCT. 15 | MICHIGAN | OHIO STADIUM | L, 0–14 |
| OCT. 22 | PITTSBURGH | PITT STADIUM | T, 0–0 |
| OCT. 29 | WISCONSIN | OHIO STADIUM | T, 7–7 |
| NOV. 5 | NORTHWESTERN | DYCHE STADIUM | W, 20–6 |
| NOV. 12 | PENN | OHIO STADIUM | W, 19–0 |
| NOV. 19 | ILLINOIS | MEMORIAL STADIUM | W, 3–0 |
| 4–1–3, 90–41 |
October 15th • Michigan • Ohio Stadium
Both teams came into this contest with undefeated records. Michigan was 2–0 and Ohio State 1–0–1, following a week two tie against Indiana in Columbus.
The Buckeyes were facing an angry team in the Wolverines due to Ohio State ruining their perfect season in 1931.
With Harry Newman back for Michigan, his passing was the difference in this game. Newman threw for two touchdowns in the first half and that was all of the scoring the Wolverines would need.
Ohio State had scoring chances throughout the game, but interceptions and five stalled drives inside the Michigan 10-yard line proved costly in the 14-0 loss.
Although the Buckeyes lost the game, the defense was able to leave a mark on the Wolverines. Michigan halfback Stanley Fay suffered broken ribs, while his backfield mate, Willie Heston, left the game with a fractured right leg.
Future president Gerald Ford would make his first trip to Ohio Stadium as a backup center for the Wolverines, but would not see action.
Michigan finished the season undefeated and now held a 21–6–2 advantage over the Buckeyes.
The birth of Script Ohio: Although The Ohio State University Marching Band would not perform “Script Ohio” for the first time until halftime of the Pittsburgh game in 1936, the 1932 clash with Michigan was notable for the Wolverine band assembling in the now iconic formation in Ohio Stadium.
The first “Script Ohio” performed by Michigan's marching band in 1932 / Ohio State University Archives
As 1932 was the 10th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, the school's Department of Music had asked opposing teams to work a tribute to the Shoe into their halftime shows.
Michigan's band gave Ohio State a gift it would cherish for decades as TBDBITL's director, Eugene Wiegel, received the charts the Wolverines had used and the rest is the greatest tradition in college athletics.
| OPPONENT | STREAK | RECORD |
|---|---|---|
| OHIO WESLEYAN | W25 | 26–2–1 |
| INDIANA | T1 | 8–6–3 |
| MICHIGAN | L1 | 6–21–2 |
| PITTSBURGH | T1 | 1–1–1 |
| WISCONSIN | T1 | 5–4–2 |
| NORTHWESTERN | W1 | 7–4 |
| PENN | W1 | 1–0 |
| ILLINOIS | W3 | 8–11–2 |
November 5th • Northwestern • Dyche Stadium
In the two games prior, Ohio State tied both Pittsburgh, 0-0, and Wisconsin, 7-7. In five games, the Buckeyes had three ties and fans around town were getting cranky.
Adding to the concern was the fact the Buckeyes had never defeated Northwestern under the tutelage of Willaman.
For this tilt, the Buckeyes traveled to Evanston on a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats. Coach Dick Hanley's Northwestern squads had outscored Ohio State 47-8 during the streak.
Five days after Halloween was the perfect time for Ohio State to exorcise its Northwestern demons. The Wildcats took an early 6-0 lead, but following an injury to quarterback Carl Cramer, Marshall Oliphant entered to lead the Buckeyes to a 20-6 victory in front of the 30,000 fans attending homecoming in Evanston.
Willaman had finally earned a quality win in the 1932 season.
November 12th • Penn • Ohio Stadium
The Quakers were a team that liked to play at home. 25 of the 27 games Penn played between 1930 and 1932 were at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. On this occasion, first-year coach, Harvey Harman, took his 5–1 Quakers outside of the friendly Franklin confines to Ohio Stadium.
The conditions were not ideal and just over 19,000 fans came out to cheer for the 2–1–3 Buckeyes. Those in attendance witnessed Ohio State earn a 19-0 victory in the first game between the two schools.
November 19th • Illinois • Memorial Stadium
The Illini came into the battle for the Illibuck with a 5–3 record. The fans in Champaign showed little support for the home team as only 6,718 were in Memorial Stadium for this rivalry game.
Those in attendance did not see much action on the muddy field. The only points scored were off the toe of Ohio State's Mickey Vuchinich. With under two minutes remaining in the game, Vuchinich blasted the ball through the uprights from 17 yards out.
The win marked the first time Ohio State defeated Illinois in three-straight games.
1932 Recap
- Ohio State played Ohio Wesleyan for the last time. The Buckeyes ended the series on a 25-game winning streak.
- The Buckeyes ended its longest losing streak to Northwestern (three games).
- Ohio State played Penn for the first time.
- The Buckeyes defeated Illinois in three-straight games for the first time.
- Ohio State finished the 1932 season with a three-game winning streak.
- This is the last time Ohio State had three ties in a season.
- Joe Gailus, Sid Gillman, Lew Hinchman and Ted Rosequist were named All-Americans.
- Hinchman became the third Buckeye to earn All-American honors for the third time.
Disdain for Willaman was growing in the streets of Columbus. Most complaints were about the offense's lack of scoring and players not living up to their potential. There was also the little problem of Ohio State not winning a Big Ten title in 12 years. However, finishing the season with a three-game winning streak gave hope for the 1933 season.
