The Game.
That’s the moniker assigned to the annual matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines—two bitter and battle-torn rivals that share as much animosity for each other as they do respect.
The Game, declarative in nature, suggests an event that’s all encompassing. On a year-to-year basis, that’s certainly the case for these two teams, grafted together by state lines and decades of history.
On November 18, 2006, The Game transcended past its Midwest roots and captured the attention of the college football world.
It was No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Michigan.
The Buckeyes and the Wolverines took the field and orchestrated a three-hour symphony of football perfection. Every play, series and momentum swing—pieced together by two brilliant conductors in Jim Tressel and Lloyd Carr—dazzled those fortunate enough to see it unfold.
In the aftermath, it was dubbed “The Game of the Century.”
A title like that, though, isn’t earned by four quarters of quality play. Three months of anticipation, and stakes higher than The Game had ever seen, set the 2006 contest apart.
A Season of Hype
After ending the 2005 season with a 34-20 demolition of No. 5 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, Ohio State entered 2006 as the country’s top-ranked team. The Buckeyes were returning eight starters to an explosive offense led by Heisman Trophy frontrunner Troy Smith at quarterback.
Michigan, however, entered the…
Continue Reading: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Michigan: Remembering the Classic 2006 Game
