A dominant decade: ‘The Game’s’ horseshoe history

Gabe Burggraf
Thu, 17 Nov 2022 00:29:30 +0000
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Ohio State then-redshirt sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins (7) looks to pass the ball during the second half of the game against Michigan on Nov. 24, 2018. Ohio State won 62-39. Ohio State has not played Michigan at home since. Credit: Amal Saeed | Lantern File Photo

It’s been nearly four years since the Buckeyes welcomed Michigan to Ohio Stadium.?

In 2020, “The Game” was canceled due to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases within the Michigan program during the week leading up to the matchup.

Nonetheless, the ‘Shoe has proved a fortress for the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes have only lost six games in the ‘Shoe since 2010, with two coming in 2011 under former head coach Luke Fickell and the most recent against Oregon Sep. 11, 2021.

However, in the last five Ohio State-Michigan matchups south of Lake Erie, the Buckeyes have dominated the win column, victorious each game in their home stadium.?

Let’s take a look back at the recent editions of “The Game” in the ‘Shoe:

2018: No. 10 Ohio State dominates No. 4 Michigan 62-39

Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins threw three first-half touchdown passes, connecting with wide receiver Chris Olave for two before lofting one to a wide open Johnnie Dixon III, giving the Buckeyes a 21-6 lead in the second quarter

Wolverines quarterback Shea Patterson tossed two touchdowns of his own to keep Michigan within striking distance, cutting the lead to two before Blake Haubeil’s 19-yard field goal gave Ohio State a 24-19 lead at the break.?

That was as close as it would get for Michigan, defensive back Sevyn Banks caught a blocked punt mid-air, returning it 33 yards for an Ohio State touchdown, spurring 17 unanswered points as the Buckeyes stretched the lead to 41-19 headed to the final frame.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines scored two more touchdowns each in the fourth quarter, as Ohio State cruised to a 62-39 win.

Haskins was efficient through the air, completing 20 of 31 passes for 396 yards and six scores.

Patterson played well, completing 20 of 34 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns, but the Buckeyes offensive artillery proved too much to keep pace with.

2016: No. 2 Ohio State wins a battle of inches, outlasts No. 3 Michigan 30-27 in overtime

The Ohio State defense scored the first touchdown, pressuring Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight into a rushed throw from his own end zone, then intercepted and returned 16 yards by safety Malik Hooker to put the Buckeyes up 7-3 with just over four minutes left in the second quarter.

But Michigan answered, as running back Khalid Hill plunged over the goal line from the 1-yard line, giving the Wolverines a 10-7 lead at the half. Hill added an 8-yard receiving touchdown as Michigan took a 10 point lead midway through the third quarter.

After Speight’s second interception of the day gave Ohio State great field position, running back Mike Weber dove over the goal line for a 1-yard score, cutting the deficit to three at 17-14 after three quarters.

Quarterback J.T. Barrett led the Buckeyes down to the Wolverine 6-yard line with six seconds left. Kicker Tyler Durbin’s 23-yard field goal attempt tied the game 17-all, deadlocking “The Game” at the end of regulation.

Barrett scampered in from the 7-yard line on the Buckeyes’ first overtime possession, and the Wolverines threw for a score on fourth and goal to end overtime knotted at 24.

Ohio State forced a Michigan field goal on the first possession of the second overtime period and on fourth and 1 from the 16, Barrett kept the ball on a read option, running left behind his tight end before being knocked down right on the line to gain.

The spot gave Barrett and the Buckeyes the first down, and after review, the play stood as called on the field, giving Ohio State a fresh set of downs from the 15-yard line.

On the next play, Buckeyes receiver Curtis Samuel took the handoff 15 yards untouched behind, pulling offensive linemen to the endzone, ending the game instantly with a touchdown, the final score reading 30-27 in favor of Ohio State.

Despite keeping pace with the Buckeyes on the scoreboard, the Michigan ground game only rushed for 93 yards on 43 attempts.

And despite Weber only gaining 26 yards on 11 attempts, the Buckeyes rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Barrett was only 15 of 32 for 124 yards through the air, throwing no touchdown passes and one interception, but he rushed 30 times for 125 yards.?

2014: No. 6 Ohio State feeds Ezekiel Elliott, runs to 42-28 victory over Michigan

The tight end attack started early.

Both scores in the first quarter were receiving touchdowns, the first from Barrett to tight end Nick Vannett for a 6-yard score and the second from Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner, who connected with tight end Jake Butt for 12 yards.

Michigan running back Drake Johnson and Barrett went back-and-forth, each rushing for two touchdowns. With “The Game” knotted up at 21 midway through the third quarter, Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott tallied a 2-yard touchdown rush, propelling Ohio State to a 28-21 lead after the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Barrett was tackled behind the line, eventually being carted off with a leg injury.?

On fourth and 1 at the Michigan 44-yard line, Elliott burst through a hole on the left side of the line, sprinting 44 yards to the endzone to give Ohio State a two-possession, 35-21 lead with just under five minutes left in regulation.

Linebacker Darron Lee recovered and returned a Gardner fumble 33 yards to the end zone to put the exclamation point on 21 unanswered Buckeyes points, as Ohio State claimed a 42-28 victory.

Ohio State pounded the rock to the tune of 39 carries, 233 yards and four touchdowns. Elliott’s 17 attempts garnered 121 yards and two touchdowns, as Barrett was 13 of 21 for 176 yards and one touchdown pass.

Gardner completed 22 of 32 passes for 233 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Despite Johnson’s two rushing touchdowns, he gained 74 yards on 15 carries as the Wolverines ran for only 121 yards on the day.

2012: Basil’s leg powers No. 4 Ohio State past No. 20 Michigan 26-21

Buckeyes running back Carlos Hyde powered into the endzone from 3 yards out on the game’s first drive to put Ohio State up 7-0.?

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson connected with wide receiver Roy Roundtree, who broke a would-be Buckeye tackle before trotting into the end zone midway through the first quarter to even the score at seven.

Ohio State kicker Drew Basil split the uprights at the end of the first, putting Ohio State up 10-7 after one.

The Wolverines used a quarterback tandem with Robinson and Gardner, who bludgeoned in from two yards out to give Michigan the lead early in the second quarter.

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller connected with wide receiver Corey Brown for a 14-yard passing touchdown to respond late in the half.

The Buckeyes grabbed the lead for all of 50 seconds, as Robinson accelerated and broke a tackle, scrambling 67 yards to put the Wolverines up by four.?

Before time expired, Basil struck his second field goal, this one from 52 yards, through the uprights as time expired, with Ohio State trailing 21-20 headed into the locker room.

Basil knocked a third field goal from 28 yards midway through the third, to give Ohio State the lead, 23-21.

The Buckeyes defense held firm, keeping the Wolverines scoreless in the second half as Basil drilled his fourth field goal from 25 yards to give Ohio State a 26-21 lead.?

Gardner was intercepted by Buckeyes defensive back C.J. Barnett with just under five minutes to play in the game. A 13-yard Hyde rush on third and 7 helped salt the remaining time away, as Urban Meyer won his first game against Michigan as head coach, 26-21.

Hyde carried the ball 26 times for 146 yards and a touchdown. Miller completed 14 of 18 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown and ran 20 times for 57 yards. Brown caught eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.

Robinson rushed 10 times for 122 yards and a touchdown, but the Buckeyes defense stiffened in the second half, recording six tackles for loss and four sacks.

2010: Dan Herron dominates as No. 8 Ohio State cruises past Michigan 37-7

After a scoreless first quarter, a 33-yard Devin Barclay field goal and a 7-yard pass from quarterback Terelle Pryor to wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher gave Ohio State a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.

A Michael Shaw 1-yard rush closed the gap to 10-7 midway through the second, but Michigan wouldn’t score again.?

The Buckeyes scored twice before half time— a Jordan Hall 85-yard kickoff return and a 33-yard passing touchdown from Pryor to wide receiver DeVier Posey — on the way to scoring the game’s final 27 points.

Ohio State running back Dan Herron added a 32-yard rushing touchdown to put the Buckeyes up 21 before two, third quarter, Barclay field goals rounded out the afternoon’s scoring as the Buckeyes won 37-7.

Ohio State rushed 45 times for 258 yards, leaning on the run with the game out of reach in the second half. Herron finished with 22 carries, 175 yards and a touchdown. Pryor was 18 of 27 for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Robinson ran 18 times for 105 yards but threw for under 100 on eight completions as the Wolverines couldn’t muster much through the air.