Ohio State On This Date: John Cooper Ends His Losing Streak, Hopalong Cassady Plays His Last Game and The Wooden Illibuck Trophy is Created

The first game Ohio State played on Nov. 19 was in 1892. The Buckeyes traveled to Cleveland and were waylaid by Western Reserve in a 40-18 loss.

In 1910, Oberlin came to Columbus and left the capital city with a 0-0 tie. The scoreless result made the Yeomen champions of the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Buckeyes were a founding member of the OAC in 1902 and left the conference at the conclusion of the 1912 season. 

Heading into Ann Arbor on Nov. 19, 1949, Wes Fesler and his seventh-ranked Buckeyes needed a win or a tie to punch their ticket to Pasadena for the first time in 29 years. No. 5 Michigan was fighting for its third consecutive outright Big Ten title. 

The Wolverines drew first blood in the opening quarter when Wally Teninga completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Leo Koceski. Through three quarters, Michigan clung to a 7-0 lead. Curly Morrison brought the Buckeyes to within one point in the fourth quarter when he scored from three yards out. Jimmy Hague, who had not missed an extra point in five games, picked the wrong time to end his streak. His attempt sailed wide right, but a Michigan player was offside and Hague was given a second chance. The bonus try was true and the game ended in a 7-7 tie. 

Ohio State claimed a share of the Big Ten title and headed to Pasadena to take on the Cal Bears. The Buckeyes defeated Cal, 17-14, to win the Rose Bowl for the first time in program history.

Games to remember

Gonzalez goes gonzo

In the 2005 version of The Game, a share of the Big Ten title was on the line. The ninth-ranked Buckeyes traveled to Ann Arbor to take on No. 17 Michigan. Ohio State needed a win to tie Penn State for a share of the conference title.

Jim Tressel's team led 12-7 at halftime, but the Wolverines scored 18 straight and held a nine-point lead with under eight minutes to play. A 26-yard strike from Troy Smith to Santonio Holmes cut the deficit to 21-19.

Following a Michigan punt from a field goal formation, the stage was set for a game-winning drive that started with 4:18 to go in the game and Ohio State taking over possession at its own 12-yard line. In nine plays, Smith marched the Buckeyes down the field and the offense was at the Michigan 30-yard line with 0:47 on the clock.

Smith dropped back and as the pocket collapsed around him, No. 10 scrambled out of trouble to his right and heaved the ball downfield. Gonzalez made an athletic play as he jumped in the air and snagged the ball away from Michigan's Grant Mason for a 26-yard gain to the Wolverines' four-yard line.

Two plays later, Antonio Pittman punched it in and Ohio State had its first of three straight victories in Ann Arbor.

A victory for Cooper over Michigan

For six years, John Cooper felt the heat for his inability to defeat Michigan. Many believed that if his No. 22 Buckeyes did not defeat No. 15 Michigan on this unseasonably warm 60-degree November Saturday, he would not be on the sidelines in 1995. 

On the first play following Scott Terna's punt that was downed at the Wolverines' one-yard line, Michigan quarterback Todd Collins stumbled and fell into the end zone for a safety. Shawn Springs received the free kick and returned it 21 yards to the Michigan 40 and helped set up Ohio State's first touchdown of the day.

On 3rd-and-goal from the Wolverine's five-yard line, Bobby Hoying scrambled into the end zone to give Ohio State a 9-0 lead. The teams traded field goals and the Buckeyes took a 12-3 lead into halftime.

Although his team was winning, Cooper was not pleased and wanted more from his players. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cooper's halftime speech motivated the team:

"That got a real spark under us," offensive tackle Korey Stringer said. "Coach Cooper came in, and he was as excited as I've ever seen him. He was so fired up, the next thing you know, he hauled off and knocked the blackboard out. He put a good dent in it, too."

That move, as out of character for the mild-mannered Cooper as the victory was to his previous 0-5-1 record as OSU coach against the Wolverines, lent further urgency to Ohio State's first victory in the series since 1987.

"That really showed us how much he wanted to pull out the victory," OSU tailback Eddie George said. "He's usually laid back and calm. He's not usually into emotional speeches, but that definitely pumped us up."

Early in the fourth quarter, Michigan's Remy Hamilton trotted onto the field to attempt a 32-yard field goal and cut into Ohio State's slim 12-6 lead. Marlon Kerner had other plans and blocked the kick and the Buckeyes returned it to the Wolverines' 47-yard line. 

Ohio State capitalized with a 36-yard Josh Jackson field goal and Eddie George added a touchdown run for a 22-6 victory. For the first time in 111 contests, Michigan did not score a touchdown and Cooper celebrated the first of his two wins in The Game.

Buckeyes beat Blue Bullies in Ann Arbor  

A then-record crowd of 97,369 filled Michigan Stadium to watch the 1955 Buckeyes' defense completely dominate their beloved Wolverines.

How impressive were the Silver Bullets? Michigan only snapped the ball one time in Ohio State territory and promptly lost yardage on the next play and never crossed the 50-yard line again. Michigan was outgained 337 to 109 in total yards. Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, who would go on to win the Heisman, rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown in his final game as a member of the scarlet and gray.

The Wolverines did not take kindly to the loss and started to play dirty. A recount of their unsportsmanlike play, as described by the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

The violent warfare reached its climax late in the last period, when three successive penalties on Michigan for personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct landed the ball 18 inches from the Wolverine goal.

From that point, Vicic plunged for Ohio's second touchdown, at 13:44 of the fourth quarter.

More penalties filled the tumultuous closing minute, with fans crowding the sidelines and trying to rip down the goal posts before the game was over.

This was Ohio State's first victory over Michigan in the Michigan Stadium since 1937, in the era of Francis Schmidt 18 years ago -- and its fifth all time in the huge bowl opened in 1927.

The Buckeyes won their second straight Big Ten title and this game marked Ohio State's 13th consecutive conference win, a program first. However, Michigan State went to the Rose Bowl because the Buckeyes played in Pasadena the previous year.

Stat Superlatives

Five Fun Facts

1. In 1921, Harvey Woodruff of the Chicago Tribune called Illinois the “Fighting Illini” after Robert Zupke had his starting 11 play both sides of the ball and never subbed. Ohio State outgained Illinois 251-128 in total yards and 14 to 5 in first downs, but the Illini won 7-0 in a stunning upset that prevented the Buckeyes from winning the conference title. 
2. The touchdown Illinois scored on this date in 1921 was the second of two touchdowns surrendered by the Buckeyes that season. Both touchdowns led to Ohio State's only two losses.  
3. The Buckeyes have lost 10 games on Nov. 19, more losses than any other day in November. 
4. The first Illibuck trophy was created after the game on Nov. 19, 1927. The original “trophy” was a live turtle that didn't survive its only year in Columbus after the Buckeyes won in 1926.
5. Ohio State defeated Michigan, 17-0, in the Wolverines' 600th game on this date in 1955.