Ohio State On This Date: Urban Meyer’s Last Trip to Ann Arbor and Epic Goal Line Stands Highlight the Buckeyes’ History on Nov. 25

The first game Ohio State played on Nov. 25 was in 1893. The Buckeyes hosted Marietta at Recreation Park and defeated the Pioneers 40-8.

In 2017, Urban Meyer took an Ohio State team to Ann Arbor for the last time. Before the game started, a cameraman ran into J.T. Barrett and injured the signal-caller's knee. Barrett was able to start the game, but the injury hampered him and Ohio State's offense finished the first quarter with minus-six total yards and zero points on the scoreboard.

Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, Barrett broke off a 21-yard run for a score and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Baugh to knot the score at 14 apiece at the mid-game break. 

In the third quarter, Karan Higdon scored for the Wolverines, giving his team a six-point lead (the PAT was blocked). On the ensuing Ohio State drive, Barrett was knocked out of the game after aggravating his cameraman-related knee injury. Facing 3rd-and-1 on their own 21-yard line, the Buckeyes turned to Dwayne Haskins to take the snap.

On the crucial third down play, Haskins handed the ball off to J.K. Dobbins who picked up four yards and the first down. The drive continued and eight plays later the Buckeyes were staring down a 3rd-and-13 near midfield. Meyer put the play in Haskins’ hands and the quarterback connected with Austin Mack for a 27-yard gain to the Michigan 26 for an Ohio State first down.

Three runs later – including a Haskins gain of 22 yards – Dobbins scored giving the Buckeyes a 21-20 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Ohio State would never trail again as the team went on to win 31-20 and earn its sixth straight win over Michigan.

Each of Ohio State’s last 10 games played on this date dating back to 1939 have been against Michigan, with the Buckeyes going 5-5 in those games.

Games to remember

No. 9 Ohio State uses goal-line stands to thwart No. 3 Michigan in 1972

Michigan entered this game with a 21-game winning streak and was ranked No. 3 in the country. The last time the Wolverines had suffered a defeat? 1970, when Ohio State beat them 20-9 in Columbus.

The underdog Buckeyes were ready to end their rival's winning ways when Blair Conway started the game with a 1:31 kickoff. The Wolverines put the 87,040 fans in Ohio Stadium on edge when they had the game's first scoring opportunities. Near the end of the first quarter, Michigan kicker Mike Lantry missed a 44-yard field goal, but his 35-yard attempt early in the second quarter was true.

Ohio State answered with a Champ Henson touchdown run for a 7-3 lead. Following Henson's score, the Wolverines drove 79 yards to the Buckeyes' 1-yard line. Bo Schembechler's team tried four times to punch the ball in, but Ohio State's defense did not buckle. The Buckeyes took a four-point lead into the locker room and received the kick to start the second half.   

Woody Hayes inspired his team during the break as Greg Hare and Archie Griffin marched the team on a 78-yard scoring drive. Hare dodged and weaved on a 35-yard run that took the ball to Michigan's 30-yard line. On the next play, Griffin burst over right guard, cut to the right sideline and scored to put the home team up 14-3.

Like the end of the first half, Michigan moved the ball into Buckeye territory and set up a 1st-and-goal. The Wolverines were stonewalled on three consecutive plays and again faced fourth-and-goal. This time, Ed Shuttlesworth was able to cross the goal line and the two-point conversion cut Ohio State’s lead to 14-11.

In the fourth and final quarter, Michigan had the ball on the doorstep of the end zone twice and was turned away both times. Ohio State's Rick Middleton stopped Shuttlesworth at the 1-yard line on fourth down to thwart the first scoring opportunity.

After Hare threw an interception, Michigan took over at Ohio State's 29-yard line. Again, the defense stood tall and forced another turnover on downs. Schembechler was asked why he didn't kick a field goal to tie the game. He replied, "I never considered it. I didn't want a tie. We wanted to win." 

Ohio State won the Big Ten and the right to play USC in the 1973 Rose Bowl. The Trojans scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions to start the second half and the Buckeyes lost, 42-17.

Buckeyes break several records in 1961 blowout win

The Buckeyes entered this contest with an undefeated record and Woody Hayes was on the cusp of his fourth undisputed Big Ten title and second season without a loss during his 11 years as Ohio State's head coach. 

The 83,107 on hand in Ann Arbor to root on the Wolverines left bitterly disappointed. Bob Ferguson became the first player to rush for four touchdowns in The Game and Ohio State scored a program-record 50 points against Michigan.

After the game, Hayes was asked if Ferguson was the best player he had ever coached. The coach placed Ferguson second behind Hopalong Cassady. However, Hayes followed up by saying: "He's the greatest fullback since I've been at Ohio State. Would I recommend him for the Heisman? You bet I would."

Highlights of the win included Paul Warfield's 69-yard touchdown in which he juked Michigan's Bruce McLenna and caused the defender to fall helplessly to the ground. Joe Sparma and Bob Klein connected on an 80-yard touchdown pass that still stands as Ohio State's longest pass against the Wolverines. 

This game isn't without controversy. With the score 48-20, Hayes attempted and converted a two-point conversion with only 20 seconds remaining in the game. Why did Hayes go for two? He wanted the final score to equal 70 points to honor his kicking coach, Ernie Godfrey, who was turning 70. This happened seven years before the famous "Because I couldn't go for three" game, but the Michigan fans were just as displeased by Hayes' decision.

Although Ohio State was the undisputed Big Ten champion, Minnesota represented the conference in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State's Faculty Council voted 28-25 against allowing the 9-0-1 Buckeyes to play in the bowl game. The educators' fear was that the university was turning into a football factory and they believed the Rose Bowl was too commercial and did not hold educational value.  

Minnesota defeated UCLA in the 1962 Rose Bowl and Ohio State finished second in the AP and UPI polls. However, the Football Writers Association of America awarded the Buckeyes the national championship. 

Stat Superlatives

Five Fun Facts

1. Although he didn't finish two of the games, J.T. Barrett is the only starting quarterback in Ohio State's history to go 4-0 against Michigan.  
2. The win over Michigan in 1970 was Woody Hayes' 14th against the Wolverines.
3. The Buckeyes' 50-20 victory over the Wolverines in 1961 was Ohio State's 400th win. 
4. Paul Warfield rushed for a career-high 122 yards against Michigan in 1961. The only other time he cracked 100 yards rushing was in 1962 against Indiana.
5. Since 1900, Ohio State only has seven receiving touchdowns on Nov. 25.