Ohio State won again a year later 56-17 in Ann Arbor, but the 2020 edition of The Game was canceled because of the coronavirus situation in the Michigan program.
Last season, Michigan romped to a 42-27 victory to snap an eight-game losing streak in the series and clinch the Wolverines’ first trip to the conference title game.
Michigan has not won at Ohio State since a 38-26 decision in 2000.
The Buckeyes have won 10 in a row against Michigan in Columbus and 17 of the last 20 meetings in a series that began in 1897.
The Wolverines 13 of the first 15 meetings and tied the other two before Ohio State got its first victory in 1919.
All-American Chic Harley starred in a 13-3 victory that day with four interceptions and the game’s only touchdown.
After winning three in a row, Ohio State dropped the next six to fall behind in the series 19-3-2.
Heading into the 2022 edition of The Game, Michigan leads the series 59-52-6.
The Buckeyes’ eight-game winning streak from 2012-19 brought the series as close as it had been since 1905, the last season before the forward pass was legalized.
Michigan last won consecutive games in the series in 1999 and 2000, the end of a stretch in which Ohio State went 2-10-1 against the Wolverines.
Although big games are often scheduled to be played at 3:30 or in the evening to maximize TV viewership — and pregame party time for fans — Fox has in recent years found a winning formula in scheduling its most-appealing matchup of the day in the Noon Eastern window.
That has done well in ratings, and it matches up well with tradition in the case of The Game.
Ohio State and Michigan have never played at night, and The Game often has been played in the early afternoon with the 3:30 kickoff of the 2006 matchup between the top two teams in the polls a notable exception.
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