There is no better week than the week of Thanksgiving — and it’s not because of turkey.
Every game can be one where a player does something historic, but “The Game” is one where players can become legends for their respective programs, and every player is one play from college football immortality.
Here are 10 Buckeyes who played their way into fans’ hearts and memories against The Team Up North, working in chronological order.
Jim Otis – 1968
Ohio State was ranked No. 1, and Michigan was ranked No. 4.
Michigan scored first to lead 7-0 in the first quarter. Ohio State followed with its own touchdown, and both teams scored at the end of the half, making the score at halftime 21-14 in favor of Ohio State.
Otis put on a display, scoring four of the Buckeyes’ touchdowns, while Rex Kern directed the offense to 421 yards rushing. The final score was Ohio State 50, Michigan 14.
Arnie Jones – 1972
While Chris Spielman’s memorable 29-tackle game in 1986 is the greatest defensive performance in this rivalry, Jones’ outing all the way back in 1972 wasn’t too far behind. The talented Buckeyes’ linebacker was all over the field that day, recording 24 tackles while helping hold Michigan to just 11 points in an impressive defensive performance.
Chris Spielman – 1986
Speaking of Spielman, even though Michigan won this game 26-24, and most of these performances are in wins, what the Ohio native did in 1986 cannot be left out.
Spielman put together one of the greatest defensive performances in college football history. The do-it-all linebacker recorded 29 tackles to break Ohio State’s single-game record.
It was an iconic performance from Spielman, whose game solidified his status as an All-American that year.
David Boston – 1998
There is a long list of All-American wide receivers to play at Ohio State, but none of them had a performance against Michigan as good as Boston did in 1998.
Boston recorded 10 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State’s 31-16 win. Boston is one of the greatest receivers in Buckeye history, leaving Ohio State with a then-school record 191 receptions, 2,855 receiving yards, and 34 receiving scores.
Troy Smith – 2006
In one of the most anticipated games in the history of college football, Smith led the Buckeyes to the 42-39 win and a berth in the 2007 National Championship game (we don’t have to talk about that).
Smith threw for 316 yards on 29-of-41 passing with four touchdowns and just one interception against an exceptional Michigan defense, and went on to win the 2006 Heisman Trophy. Ted Ginn Jr. was his top target, catching eight passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
In a back-and-forth game, Smith made every play to secure the victory.
Chris “Beanie” Wells – 2007
Ohio State traveled to Ann Arbor in 2007 looking to secure consecutive outright Big Ten titles for the first time in 50 years. Wells ran for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Buckeyes to a 14-7 win, their fourth-straight in the series.
Holding a 7-3 lead early in the third quarter, Wells busted open a 62-yard run for a touchdown, which ended up sealing the victory.
Braxton Miller – 2013
In a game where Miller only completed six passes in a 42-41 win in Ann Arbor, Miller ran for 153 yards on 16 carries and recorded five total touchdowns. Carlos Hyde will be put on the honorable mention list because he ran for 226 yards and a touchdown.
Miller finished with 286 total yards and five touchdowns, three rushing and two passing.
Ezekiel Elliot – 2015
Elliott had plenty of outstanding performances during his time at Ohio State, but the standout running back saved his best for last. Elliott rushed for 214 yards and two touchdowns in 2015, helping lead OSU to a commanding 42-13 win over Michigan.
Elliott surpassed 1,500 rushing yards for the season in the contest, joining the great Archie Griffin as the only player in Ohio State history to reach that mark more than once in their career.
Dwayne Haskins – 2018
Haskins put together one of the greatest single seasons by a quarterback in Big Ten history, and it was capped off by one of the greatest performances in the history of this contest, leading OSU to its highest point total in the rivalry in a 62-39 win. Haskins threw for 396 yards on 20-for-31 passing with an incredible six touchdowns.
He averaged a ridiculous 20 yards per completion in this game, including four touchdowns of 24 yards or more. Haskins’ six touchdowns in this game brought his season total to 42, which set the Big Ten record.
J.K. Dobbins – 2019
There have been plenty of standout performances from the running back position in this classic Big Ten matchup, but Dobbins’ showing in 2019 was one of the best in the 116-year rivalry. Dobbins carried the ball 31 times for a career-high 211 yards and four touchdowns in OSU’s 56-27 win.
Dobbins’ performance helped stamp the Buckeyes’ ticket to the Big Ten Championship Game, where they defeated Wisconsin and went on to play in the College Football Playoff.
Honorable Mentions:
- Carlos Hyde (2013) – 27 carries for 226 yards and a touchdown
- Vernon Gholston (2007) – four tackles for loss, three sacks
- Troy Smith (2004) – 241 yards and two touchdowns passing, 145 yards and one touchdown rushing
- Antonio Pittman (2006) – 18 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown
- Ted Ginn Jr. (2006) – eight catches for 104 yards and a touchdown
