No rivalry in college football carries the cultural weight or season-defining stakes of Michigan vs Ohio State. Across more than a century, a handful of coaches and players have done more than win games.
They’ve helped reshape how both programs approach the matchup, and in some cases changed the rivalry forever.
Here are the five figures I think have had the biggest influence on The Game.
1. Woody Hayes: the embodiment of Ohio State’s identity
No one shaped the identity and emotional temperature of the Ohio State–Michigan rivalry more than Woody Hayes, the Buckeyes’ fiery and uncompromising head coach from 1951 to 1978.
Hayes didn’t just coach The Game, he truly lived it. His open disdain for Michigan, from refusing to even speak their name to the legendary quote, “I went for two because I couldn’t go for three,” transformed the matchup from competitive to deeply and overly personal.
On the field, Hayes built Ohio State into a national powerhouse, winning multiple national titles and Big Ten championships behind his trademark physicality and run-heavy philosophy. His combative, mentor turned adversary relationship with Bo Schembechler ignited the iconic Ten Year War (1969–1978). A decade that really elevated the rivalry to national prominence and defined the modern intensity that still surrounds every meeting today.
Without Woody Hayes, The Game simply would not be The Game.
2. Bo Schembechler: Michigan’s foil and co-architect of the rivalry’s golden era
Bo Schembechler arrived at Michigan in 1969 as the long-awaited counterpunch to Woody Hayes’ growing empire, and his impact was immediate.
In his very first season, Bo led one of the biggest upsets in college football history. Michigan 24, No. 1 Ohio State 12, snapping the Buckeyes’ 22-game winning streak and igniting what would become the infamous Ten-Year War.
Over 21 seasons, Schembechler’s toughness, discipline, and uncompromising standards produced 194 wins, 13 Big Ten titles, and a program built around one foundational priority, beat Ohio State. His annual showdowns with Hayes, mentor vs. protege, transformed the rivalry from a regional tradition into a national obsession.
The narratives, mythology, and emotional stakes forged during the Hayes-Schembechler era still define The Game today.
3. Jim Tressel: the modern Ohio State architect who made The Game a must-win
In the 2000’s Jim Tressel redefined how Ohio State handled rivalry weeks.
Meticulous preparation, conservative game management, and an ability to win close, high-pressure games. Tressel’s teams went 9–1 against Michigan and his “Tresselball” approach, field position, defense and special teams, turned The Game into a matchup Ohio State fans expected to control.
For a generation of Buckeye alumni and players, Tressel restored a culture where a win over Michigan often signified an entire season’s success.
4. Charles Woodson: a single-season and single-game performance that still echoes
Charles Woodson’s 1997 campaign and his performance against Ohio State that season are the archetype of a rivalry-defining individual day.
Woodson won the Heisman in 1997 in part because of game-changing plays against the Buckeyes, including a long punt return for a touchdown that swung the outcome of that season’s meeting and highlighted how one player can alter the trajectory of both programs on a single saturday afternoon.
That game remains one of the signature individual performances in The Game’s long history.
5. Archie Griffin: consistency, Heisman history, and rivalry legacy for Ohio State
Archie Griffin is the only two-time Heisman winner in college football history, and his sustained excellence in the mid-1970s gave Ohio State a powerhouse running attack that routinely dominated Michigan and the Big Ten.
Griffin’s Hall of Fame career and the championships tied to his era helped define Ohio State’s identity as a national contender, a status that turned games against Michigan into season-defining opportunities and added historical weight to every subsequent meeting.
Honourable Mention: Desmond Howard (the heisman pose)
The single most iconic moment in rivalry history
In 1991, Desmond Howard returned a punt against Ohio State, sprinted into the end zone, and struck the Heisman pose in front of a national audience. It was instantly immortalized. That single moment, audacious, symbolic, and unforgettable transcended the rivalry and became one of the most famous images in college football history.
Whether you’re wearing maize and blue or scarlet and gray, you know exactly where you were when you first saw it.
Why these figures stand alone
These coaches, players, and moments didn’t just influence the rivalry, they shaped the identity of the entire sport. From the Ten-Year War to countless iconic highlights, from Heisman winners to untouchable coaching legacies. Ohio State vs Michigan is what it is today because of these people above.
And every November, when the countdown ends and the helmets collide, their legacies still shape The Game.
