Last season, the Buckeyes, ranked No. 2 in the country at the time, hosted then-No. 5 Indiana in the penultimate game of the regular season. There was no way they could overlook Indiana for The Game the following
week, even though both games were in The Shoe.
Against Indiana, Ohio State totally dismantled the previously unbeaten Hoosiers 38-15. It was a statement win—we won’t discuss what happened the next week.
Speaking of which, I’m always fascinated by rivalry games from the perspective of the opponents the two teams play the week before the big game. We often hear the term “trap game” used in college football, and it can apply to the Buckeyes and Wolverines.
This week, Ohio State is hosting Rutgers and Michigan is at Maryland. We’ll see how both of those games play out.
In this week’s edition of Beyond the Box Score, we’re going to look at how the Buckeyes and Wolverines have fared in previous seasons in their respective games before The Game.
Ohio State Buckeyes
2024: vs. Indiana (W 38-15)
2023: vs. Minnesota (W 37-3)
2022: @ Maryland (W 43-30)
2021: vs. Michigan State (W 56-7)
2019: vs. Penn State (W 28-17)
2018: @ Maryland (W 52-51, OT)
2017: vs. Illinois (W 52-14)
2016: @ Michigan State (W 17-16)
2015: vs. Michigan State (L 17-14)
2014: vs. Indiana (W 42-27)
2013: vs. Indiana (W 42-14)
2012: @ Wisconsin (W 21-14)
2011: vs. Penn State (L 20-14)
2010: @ Iowa (W 20-17)
2009: vs. Iowa (W 27-24, OT)
2008: @ Illinois (W 30-20)
2007: vs. Illinois (L 28-21)
2006: @ Northwestern (W 55-10)
2005: vs. Northwestern (W 48-7)
2004: @ Purdue (L 24-17)
2003: vs. Purdue (W 16-13)
2002: @ Illinois (W 23-16)
2001: vs. Illinois (L 34-22)
Record: 18-5
It’s clear the Buckeyes have done well the week before The Game in terms of winning. Eighteen wins in 23 games is very impressive, regardless of how they were achieved.
The win at Maryland in 2018 and the win at Michigan State in 2016 were both one-point wins. Both of those wins also featured the Spartans and Terrapins going for two to either take the lead or win the game outright. Ohio State held serve both times.
J.T. Barrett was just 10-of-22 passing for 85 yards in the game at Michigan State, but he made up for it with 105 rushing yards on 24 carries. Despite allowing 340 rushing yards at Maryland in 2018, Dwyayne Haskins threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-51 overtime win. The Buckeyes racked up 688 total yards in the win.
Easily the two most disappointing losses in the game before Michigan over the last 23 years came in 2015 and 2007. In 2015, the Buckeyes hosted Michigan State in a top-10 matchup. The Buckeyes had just five first downs and 132 total yards in a 17-14 loss.
In 2007, Illinois scored 21 unanswered points to turn a 14-7 deficit into a 28-14 lead. Despite Chris Wells running in a 17-yard touchdown to cut it to 28-21, the Buckeyes couldn’t overcome three turnovers and 260 rushing yards allowed in their first loss that season.
Michigan Wolverines
2024: vs. Northwestern (W 50-6)
2023: @ Maryland (W 31-24)
2022: vs. Illinois (W 19-17)
2021: @ Mayrland (W 59-18)
2019: @ Indiana (W 39-14)
2018: vs. Indiana (W 31-20)
2017: @ Wisconsin (L 24-10)
2016: vs. Indiana (W 20-10)
2015: @ Penn State (W 28-16)
2014: vs. Maryland (L 23-16)
2013: @ Iowa (L 24-21)
2012: vs. Iowa (W 42-17)
2011: vs. Nebraska (W 45-17)
2010: vs. Wisconsin (L 48-28)
2009: @ Wisconsin (L 45-24)
2008: vs. Northwestern (L 21-14)
2007: @ Wisconsin (L 37-21)
2006: @ Indiana (W 34-3)
2005: vs. Indiana (W 41-14)
2004: vs. Northwestern (W 42-20)
2003: @ Northwestern (W 41-10)
2002: vs. Wisconsin (W 21-14)
2001: @ Wisconsin (W 20-17)
Record: 16-7
Six of Michigan’s seven losses before The Game in the last 23 years came from 2007 to 2014. Those were some lean years for the Wolverines, led by two different head coaches. Then, of course, came Jim Harbaugh. Since 2015, Michigan has lost just once in the week leading up to The Game.
Michigan has mixed dominant wins with close calls in its games before playing Ohio State in the last 23 instances. They’ve also played multiple opponents frequently: Wisconsin six times, Northwestern four times, Indiana five times, and Maryland three times.
Even in 2024, a down season compared to what the Wolverines achieved from 2021 to 2023, they still handled their business against Northwestern the week before The Game. Since Harbaugh took over in 2015, the Wolverines have won their penultimate regular-season game by an average of 17.8 points per game. That’s almost three touchdowns per victory. Six of their eight wins have been by double-digits.
Ohio State and Michigan are a combined 34-12 in their games before The Game. That combined record shows that they aren’t overlooking the teams they play in these games. Despite some close wins, they have both mostly gone out and handled their business, securing victory. Expect both teams to win in their respective games this week, leading up to The Game, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
