Scarlet and Gray Days

[LordJeffBuck]

With 120 years of history, it is not surprising that The Ohio State University football program has experienced many important events since its founding. As with any organization, some of those events have been exhilarating and enjoyable and good, and others have been disheartening and disappointing and bad. In this article, I have tried to compile a comprehensive list of those events, with the "scarlet" days representing the good, and the "gray" days representing the bad. Many of these 300 days will be familiar to you, and will bring back memories, both pleasant and unpleasant; others will be new or forgotten, but reading about them should help to enrich your knowledge of Buckeye history.

Because Ohio State is one of the top football programs of all time by any standard or measure, we have more scarlet days (175) than gray days (125), even though the grays sometimes seem darker than the scarlets seem bright. Moreover, in college football, just one unfortunate gray day can ruin an otherwise scarlet season, as we have seen in 1969, 1970, 1975, 1996, 1998, and 2006, to name but a few. But when everything comes together in just the right way - as it did in 1954 and 1968 and 2002 - then every day is a red letter day. Enjoy!

05-03-1890: Ohio State plays its first game ever, beating Ohio Wesleyan 20-14.
11-01-1890: In its second game, Ohio State suffers its first defeat, falling to Wooster, 64-0; this remains the second worst loss in Buckeye history.
11-27-1890: Ohio State falls to Kenyon College, 18-10, finishing the only winless season (0-3-0) in school history.¹
10-15-1892: In his first game as head coach, 23-year old John W. Heisman leads Oberlin to a 40-0 victory over Ohio State.
11-15-1895: The Buckeyes travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to play their first game outside the State of Ohio; Ohio State beats Kentucky by the score of 8-6.
10-16-1897: The first installment of The Game; Ohio State loses to Michigan by the score of 34-0.
11-25-1897: Ohio State loses to Ohio Weselyan, 6-0, capping the Buckeyes' worst full season ever: a 1-7-1 record, outscored 168-18, shut out 7 times.²
10-22-1898: Ohio State loans a player to a short-handed Marietta squad; that player - Bob Hager - scores on a 67-yard touchdown run, and the Buckeyes lose, 10-0.
10-18-1899: Case battles Ohio State to a 5-5 tie; the Spartans score the only points surrendered by the Buckeyes all season.
11-30-1899: Ohio State completes its first undefeated season (9-0-1) with a 5-0 win over Kenyon; the Buckeyes outscored their opponents by a total of 184-5.
10-28-1901: Buckeye center John Sigrist dies from injuries sustained during the previous week's game; Ohio State nearly drops the "brutal and inhuman" sport of football.
10-25-1902: Ohio State suffers its worst-ever loss, being shut out by Michigan, 86-0.
10-01-1904: Ohio State creams Miami of Ohio, 80-0; this remains the Buckeyes' most lopsided victory against a team currently in Division I-A.
10-20-1906: Michigan spoils a perfect season for Ohio State by shutting out the Buckeyes, 6-0.
11-24-1906: The Buckeyes throw their first-ever forward pass, which results in a 10-yard touchdown; Ohio State beats Wooster, 12-0.
11-29-1906: Ohio State (8-1-0) defeats Ohio Medical, 11-8, to win its first conference championship (the Ohio Athletic Conference).
11-14-1908: The Buckeyes win their 100th game, beating Vanderbilt by the score of 14-6.
04-06-1912: Ohio State joins the Western Conference, which in 1917 became known as the Big Ten Conference.³
11-16-1912: With five minutes remaining in the game and Penn State leading 37-0, Ohio State leaves the field, accusing the Nittany Lions of thuggish play.
11-01-1913: Ohio State plays its first Big Ten game, a 7-6 loss to Indiana.
11-21-1913: At the season's final practice, head coach John W. Wilce allows each senior to have one last hit on the tackling dummy, and a new tradition is born - the Senior Tackle.
11-22-1913: The Buckeyes gain their first Big Ten Conference win, a 58-0 trouncing of Northwestern.
10-14-1916: Ohio State dismantles Oberlin, 128-0, which represents the Buckeyes' highest point total and greatest margin of victory of all time.⁴
11-04-1916: In what was then known as the biggest victory in school history, Ohio State knocks off previously unbeaten Wisconsin, 14-13.
11-25-1916: Ohio State tops Northwestern, 23-3, completing its first perfect (and second undefeated) season (7-0-0), and winning its first Big Ten championship.
11-17-1917: Ohio State knocks off Illinois, 13-0, to capture back-to-back outright Big Ten titles.
11-24-1917: A 0-0 tie versus Auburn breaks Ohio State's 17-game winning streak, and provides the only blemish in the Buckeyes' otherwise perfect season.
11-29-1917: Ohio State beats Camp Sherman, 28-0, completing its third undefeated season (8-0-1); on the year, the Bucks outscored their opponents 292-6.
11-16-1918: Illinois shuts out Ohio State, 13-0, ending the Buckeyes' streak of 22 games without a loss.
10-25-1919: After compiling a record of 0-13-2 in The Game, Ohio State finally beats Michigan, 13-3; Chic Harley makes four interceptions and scores on a 50-yard run.
11-22-1919: In his last game as a Buckeye, Chic Harley suffers the only loss of his college career, as Illinois kicks a last-second FG to beat Ohio State, 9-7.⁵
11-20-1920: Ohio State beats Illinois, 7-0, to complete a perfect (7-0-0) regular season and win its third outright Big Ten title in five years.
01-01-1921: Ohio State plays its first Rose Bowl, but falls to California, 28-0; the loss spoils the Buckeyes' perfect season and national title hopes.
08-03-1921: Governor Harry Davis presides over the official ground-breaking ceremony for Ohio Stadium.
10-08-1921: The Buckeyes suffer their last loss to an in-state rival, as Oberlin beats Ohio State by the score of 7-6.
10-22-1921: Ohio State posts its first shut out over Michigan, defeating that team up north by the score of 14-0.
11-19-1921: Illinois upsets Ohio State, 7-0; in praise of the team's fortitude that day, a Chicago Tribune writer dubs them "The Fighting Illini".
10-07-1922: Ohio State beats Ohio Wesleyan, 5-0, marking the first game in Ohio Stadium, which is often referred to as "The House That Harley Built".
11-22-1924: In the first game to decide the fate of the Illibuck, Illinois tops Ohio State, 7-0; the Buckeyes finish with a 2-3-3 record, for their third straight losing season.
10-17-1925: Ohio State upsets Columbia, 9-0, for the Buckeyes' first-ever win over a traditional East Coast power.
11-13-1926: A single point is all that separates the Buckeyes from a perfect season, as Ohio State (7-1-0) loses to Michigan, 17-16.
10-22-1927: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 21-0, for the Wolverines' sixth straight victory in The Game.
10-06-1928: Ohio State shuts out Wittenberg, 41-0, for the program's 200th victory.
10-20-1928: After six losses in a row, Ohio State finally beats Michigan, 19-7; the win marks the Buckeyes' first over the Wolverines in Ohio Stadium.
01-16-1929: Ohio State agrees to hire legendary coach Knute Rockne, but Notre Dame refuses to let him out of his contract; the Buckeyes appoint Sam Willaman instead.
09-27-1930: The Buckeyes rush for a team-record 718 yards, and Ohio State beats Mount Union, 59-0.
12-20-1930: End Wes Fesler, a three-time All American and the best Buckeye player since Chic Harley, wins the Silver Football as the MVP of the Big Ten.
11-07-1931: The Buckeyes get Navy's goat: the team wins, 20-0, and the fans dye the mascot scarlet and grey.
10-01-1932: Ohio State plays its final game against neighboring Ohio Wesleyan; the Buckeyes win the contest 34-7, and take the all-time series, 26-2-1.
10-15-1932: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 14-0; this would be the Buckeyes' only loss on the year, and the team would finish with a record of 4-1-3.
10-07-1933: Ohio State crushes Virginia, 75-0; this remains the Buckeyes' most lopsided victory against a team currently in the BCS.
10-21-1933: Michigan beats Ohio State, 13-0, spoiling the Buckeyes' perfect season and national title hopes; Ohio State would finish with a 7-1-0 record that year.⁶
01-30-1934: Head coach Sam Willaman resigns after just five seasons at the helm; his record at Ohio State was an uninspiring 26-10-5 (.695), with no conference titles.
03-02-1934: Ohio State hires head coach Francis Schmidt, who states: "How about Michigan? They put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as we do!"
__-__-1934: The founding of the Buckeye Grove; the school plants one buckeye tree in the grove for each Ohio State player who makes first team All American.
10-13-1934: Illinois uses trick plays to edge Ohio State, 14-13; the Buckeyes would finish the season with a 7-1-0 record, missing perfection by a single point.
11-15-1934: With a record of 5-1-0, Ohio State is ranked ninth in the first-ever AP poll.
11-17-1934: Ohio State beats Michigan, 34-0; in honor of Coach Schmidt's famous quip, each of the victorious Buckeyes earns a gold pants charm, and a new tradition is born.
11-18-1934: This was the year of traditions, as Ohio State holds its first Captains' Breakfast, at the Scioto Country Club.
10-19-1935: Ohio State racks up a team-record 39 first downs in an 85-7 romp over Drake.
11-02-1935: Ohio State plays Notre Dame for the first time; after leading most of the way, the Irish rally late to win 18-13, ending the Buckeyes' hopes for a national title.
11-23-1935: The Buckeyes (7-1-0) beat Michigan, 38-0, which still represents their largest margin of victory in The Game; Ohio State's first Big Ten title since 1920.
10-10-1936: The Ohio State Marching Band performs Script Ohio for the first time; the formation soon becomes one of the most venerable traditions in college football.
10-31-1936: Once again, Ohio State falls to Notre Dame, this time losing 7-2; the two Midwest powers will not play again for nearly sixty years.
11-21-1936: Quarterback Tippy Dye leads Ohio State to its third straight shut out over Michigan, as the Buckeyes prevail, 21-0.
10-09-1937: Ohio State plays Southern Cal for the first time, but the Buckeyes lose the game, 13-12.⁷
11-06-1937: In 1937, the Buckeyes shut out six of their eight opponents, but they lose their other two games; Indiana tops Ohio State, 10-0.
11-20-1937: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-0, for its fourth straight shut out in The Game; the Bucks finish the season ranked in the AP poll for the first time (#13).⁸
11-19-1938: Michigan snaps Ohio State's winning streak in The Game at four, as the Wolverines earn a shut out of their own, 18-0.
11-18-1939: Ohio State shuts out Illinois, 21-0, to clinch its fourth outright Big Ten title, and its first since 1920.
11-23-1940: Michigan halfback Tom Harmon is responsible for 34 points and 371 total yards, and the Wolves hammer the Bucks, 40-0.
12-16-1940: With the team's performance and morale in serious decline, head coach Francis Schmidt "resigns" after compiling a career mark of 39-16-1 (.705).
01-14-1941: After building a dynasty at Massillon High School, 32-year old Paul Brown is hired to be the head coach at The Ohio State University.
10-04-1941: Ohio State travels to Los Angeles and dominates Southern Cal, 33-0; the win marks the Buckeyes' first against a team from the West Coast.
10-12-1942: After defeating USC, 28-12, the previous Saturday, Ohio State gains the top spot in the AP poll; this marks the Bucks' first #1 ranking in any poll.
10-31-1942: With half of the team suffering from dysentary, #1 Ohio State loses to #6 Wisconsin, 17-7, in the "Bad Water Game".
11-07-1942: Gene Fekete races for a school-record 89-yard touchdown run, and Ohio State clobbers Pitt, 59-19.
11-21-1942: Ohio State beats Michigan, 21-7, to earn an outright Big Ten championship, just the fifth in school history.
12-01-1942: Ohio State earns its first national championship, as the Buckeyes (9-1-0) finish #1 in the final AP poll.
11-20-1943: Michigan pummels Ohio State, 45-7, as the Buckeyes finish the year with a 3-6-0 mark; Paul Brown leaves at the end of the season to join the Navy.
04-12-1944: Paul Brown reports for duty at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, but remains Ohio State's head coach "in absentia."
04-14-1944: Assistant coach Carroll Widdoes is named "acting head coach" for as long as Paul Brown remains enlisted in the Navy.
10-21-1944: Great Lakes Naval Training Center, led by former Buckeye head coach Paul Brown, invades Ohio Stadium: #4 Ohio State 26, #6 Great Lakes 6.
11-25-1944: #3 Ohio State beats #6 Michigan by the score of 18-14 to complete its second perfect (and fourth undefeated) season (9-0-0).⁹
11-26-1944: The Big Ten refuses to lift its self-imposed ban on post-season games, and Ohio State is forced to refuse its Rose Bowl invitation.
12-01-1944: Les Horvath becomes the first Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy, edging Army's dynamic duo of Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard.
12-05-1944: Despite finishing the season with a perfect record, four All Americans, and the Heisman winner, Ohio State places second (to Army) in the AP poll.
02-18-1945: Instead of returing to Ohio State as previously agreed, Paul Brown signs a contract with the Cleveland franchise of the AAFC.
10-27-1945: The Buckeyes claim their 300th victory with a 20-7 win over Minnesota.
11-10-1945: Ollie Cline rushes for 229 yards in a 14-0 victory over Pitt, becoming the first Buckeye to eclipse the 200-yard mark.
11-24-1945: #8 Michigan edges #7 Ohio State, 7-3; this marks the last game for head coach Carroll Widdoes, who finishes with a career mark of 16-2-0 (.889).
11-23-1946: Michigan pummels Ohio State 58-6; this remains the Buckeyes' worst loss in Big Ten competition.
11-08-1947: Northwestern penalties give Ohio State two untimed downs at the end of regulation, and the Buckeyes use the extra plays to score their only points in a 7-6 win.
11-22-1947: Michigan shuts out Ohio State, 21-0; the Buckeyes finish the season with a 2-6-1 record (.278) and outscored 150-60, their worst season of the 20th century.
11-20-1948: Ohio State holds Michigan's high-powered offense to a season-low 13 points, but the national champion Wolverines still prevail, 13-3.
09-24-1949: Ohio State edges Missouri, 35-34, in the first game to be televised from Ohio Stadium.
11-19-1949: Michigan and Ohio State play to a 7-7 draw and split the conference championship, but the Buckeyes get the Rose Bowl bid.
01-02-1950: #6 Ohio State (7-1-2) wins its first Rose Bowl, besting #3 California by the score of 17-14.
10-28-1950: Vic Janowicz accoutns for 46 points as Ohio State pummels Iowa, 83-21; this represents the Buckeyes' highest point total in Big Ten competition.
11-18-1950: The #1 Buckeyes commit seven turnovers, and Illinois upsets Ohio State, 14-7.
11-25-1950: Playing in blizzard conditions, Ohio State loses to Michigan, 9-3, in the "Snow Bowl", even though the Wolverines can't manage a single first down.
12-05-1950: Halfback Vic Janowicz becomes the second Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy.
02-18-1951: Ohio State hires an unknown named Wayne Woodrow Hayes to be the Buckeyes' 19th head football coach.
__-__-1951: Chic Harley, the man who put Ohio State on the football map, becomes a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
09-29-1951: Ohio State beats SMU (7-0), the first of Woody's 205 wins as the Buckeye head football coach.
11-24-1951: Michigan spoils Woody's first Game, as the Wolverines post a 7-0 shut out; Ohio State finishes the season with a mediocre 4-3-2 record.
09-27-1952: In his first game as a Buckeye, freshman Howard "Hopalong" Cassady scores 3 touchdowns, and Ohio State tops Indiana, 33-13.
11-22-1952: Buckeye DB Fred Bruney picks off three Wolverine passes, and Ohio State romps over Michigan, 27-7, for Woody's first win in The Game.
11-21-1953: Ohio State falls to Michigan, 20-0; with a three-year record of 16-9-2 (.630) and two shut-out losses in The Game, Woody is officially on the hot seat.
10-02-1954: Following a 21-13 win over California, the Victory Bell is rung for the first time.
10-23-1954: Hopalong Cassady returns an interception 88 yards for a touchdown, as #4 Ohio State knocks off #2 Wisconsin, 31-14.
11-20-1954: #1 Ohio State beats #12 Michigan, 21-7, as Woody wins his first Big Ten title, and the program's first outright championship since 1944.
11-30-1954: Ohio State (9-0-0) wins its second AP national championship....
11-30-1954: However, UCLA (also 9-0-0) takes home the UP crown while the Buckeyes finish second in that poll.
01-01-1955: Ohio State (10-0-0) beats Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 20-7, completing its third perfect (and fifth undefeated) season.¹⁰
10-24-1955: Proving that the national media has always been against Ohio State, Sports Illustrated accuses Coach Hayes and boosters of making illegal payments to players.
11-19-1955: Ohio State blanks Michigan, 17-0, to win back-to-back outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1916-1917.
11-29-1955: After rushing for 964 yards and 15 touchdowns, Hopalong Cassady becomes the third Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy.
04-26-1956: Based on the Sports Illustrated revelations mentioned above, the Big Ten places Ohio State on a one-year probation.
11-10-1956: Three Buckeye running backs - Galen Cisco, James Roseboro, and Donald Clark - each crack the 100-yard mark as Ohio State beats Indiana, 35-14.
11-17-1956: After losing to Iowa, 6-0, Woody Hayes displays his legendary temper by attacking a cameraman.
01-11-1957: Following the lead of the Big Ten, the NCAA places Ohio State on a one-year probation.
09-28-1957: Ohio State loses its season opener to TCU, 18-14; this loss would mar an otherwise perfect season for the Buckeyes.
11-16-1957: #6 Ohio State gets back into the national title hunt with a 17-13 victory over #5 Iowa; the Bucks clinch their third outright Big Ten championship in four years.
11-23-1957: #3 Ohio State throttles #19 Michigan, 31-14, in front of 101,001 fans at the Big House.
12-03-1957: Despite suffering an early-season loss, Ohio State (8-1-0) rebounds to earn the UPI and FWAA national championships....¹¹
12-03-1957: But the Buckeyes finish second to Auburn (10-0-0) in the AP poll.
01-01-1958: Ohio State defeats Oregon in the Rose Bowl by the score of 10-7, to finish with a 9-1-0 record.
11-15-1958: All American fullback Bob White rushes for 209 yards, as #16 Ohio State knocks off previously unbeaten #2 Iowa, 38-28.
10-02-1959: In another post-game outburst, Woody Hayes attacks reporters following a 17-0 loss to Southern Cal.
11-21-1959: A 23-14 loss to Michigan caps Ohio State's first losing season since 1947; on the campaign, the offensively challenged Buckeyes (3-5-1) score just 83 points.
11-19-1960: Ohio State salvages an otherwise disappointing season with a 7-0 victory over Michigan; the Bucks (7-2-0) finish #8 in the final AP poll.
09-30-1961: TCU once again mars an otherwise perfect season by playing the Buckeyes to a 7-7 draw; Hayes admits "that was as bad a game as I've ever coached".
11-25-1961: #2 Ohio State completes its sixth undefeated season by pounding on Michigan, 50-20; this win marks the Buckeyes' 400th of all time.
11-28-1961: Believing that Ohio State had become a football factory, the faculty council votes 28-25 to reject the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl invitation.
11-28-1961: Fullback Bob Ferguson loses the Heisman Trophy to Syracuse's Ernie Davis by a mere 53 votes; however, Ferguson did win the Maxwell Award that year.
12-05-1961: Ohio State (8-0-1) finishes a close second to Alabama (10-0-0) in the AP and UPI polls, but the Buckeyes are named the national champion by the FWAA.
11-24-1962: In an otherwise uneventful season (6-3-0), the Buckeyes pound Michigan, 28-0, for their third win in a row in The Game.
11-30-1963: Due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, The Game was postponed for one week; the Buckeyes prevail, 14-10, for their fourth win in a row in the rivalry.
11-07-1964: The second-ranked Buckeyes suffer their first loss of the season, a 27-0 whitewashing by a mediocre Penn State squad.
11-21-1964: In a game that would determine the Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl bid, #6 Michigan shuts out #7 Ohio State, 10-0.
10-09-1965: The Best Damn Band in the Land introduces their rendition of "Hang On Sloopy"; Ohio State beats Illinois 28-14.
10-15-1966: Unranked Ohio State almost upsets #1 Michigan State, but the Spartans score a late touchdown to eke out an 11-8 victory.
11-19-1966: After dropping The Game to Michigan, 17-3, the Buckeyes (4-5-0) suffer their first losing season since 1959.
__-__-1967: Coach Hayes and trainer Ernie Biggs create the Buckeye leaf helmet sticker, the first adornment of its kind in college football.
10-14-1967: Purdue hands Woody his worst loss as Ohio State's head coach, as the Boilermakers steamroll the Buckeyes, 41-6.
11-25-1967: In an omen of good things to come, Ohio State tops Michigan, 24-14, to finish the season with four straight wins.
10-12-1968: The Super Sophs, led by QB Rex Kern, DB Jack Tatum, and DL Jim Stillwagon knock off the top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers, 13-0.
11-23-1968: #2 Ohio State defeats #4 Michigan, 50-14; the Buckeyes attempt a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter because they "couldn't go for three".
12-02-1968: Ohio State (9-0-0) is named the national champion by UPI for the second time in the history of the coaches' poll.
01-01-1969: #1 Ohio State beats O.J. Simpson's #2 Southern Cal team in the Rose Bowl, 27-16, to complete its fourth perfect (and seventh undefeated) season.
01-02-1969: Ohio State (10-0-0) earns its third AP national championship, and its first consensus title (AP, UPI, FWAA).
11-22-1969: The Ten Year War begins: #12 Michigan upsets #1 Ohio State, 24-12; the loss costs the Buckeyes a national title and breaks their 22-game winning streak.
11-21-1970: #5 Ohio State beats #4 Michigan, 20-9; the win not only keeps the Buckeyes perfect on the season (9-0-0), but also spoils the Wolverines' perfect record (9-1-0).
12-08-1970: Even though the Buckeyes finished the regular season with a perfect record, the UPI votes Texas (10-0-0) as the national champion, with Ohio State placing second.
01-01-1971: In the Super Sophs' final game, Stanford upsets Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, 27-17, denying the Buckeyes the AP national title.¹²
10-23-1971: Little-used Morris Bradshaw scores TD's on an 88-yard kick-off return and an 88-yard rush (second longest in school history), as Ohio State rolls Wisconsin, 31-6.
11-20-1971: After the officials miss an obvious pass interference call, Woody tears up the sideline markers; #3 Michigan squeaks by unranked Ohio State, 10-7.
09-30-1972: In just his second collegiate game, true freshman tailback Archie Griffin rushes for 239 yards as Ohio State beats North Carolina, 29-14.
11-11-1972: Undefeated Ohio State, ranked fifth in the AP poll, commits five turnovers and loses to unranked Michigan State, 19-12.
11-25-1972: #9 Ohio State uses two goal line stands to upset #3 Michigan, 14-11, and earn the Big Ten's Rose Bowl bid.
01-01-1973: #1 Southern Cal (12-0-0) wraps up a consensus national championship after hammering #3 Ohio State (9-2-0) in the Rose Bowl, 42-17.
11-24-1973: #1 Ohio State and #4 Michigan each enter The Game with perfect records, but they play to a 10-10 tie.
11-25-1973: With no clear-cut conference champion, the Big Ten athletic directors vote (by a 6-4 margin) to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl.
12-04-1973: Three Ohio State players finish in the top six in the Heisman voting - tackle John Hicks (2nd); tailback Archie Griffin (5th), and linebacker Randy Gradishar (6th).
01-01-1974: #4 Ohio State pounds on #7 Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 42-21, to complete its eighth undefeated season; Woody proclaims this his "greatest victory".
01-02-1974: Notre Dame (11-0-0) wins the AP national championship, with Ohio State (10-0-1) finishing a close second.¹³
11-09-1974: #1 Ohio State loses to Michigan State, 16-13, as the officials overturn an apparent game-winning Buckeye touchdown as time expired.
11-23-1974: Buckeye kicker Tom Klaban hits four field goals, and #4 Ohio State ruins #3 Michigan's pefect season with a 12-10 victory.
12-03-1974: After rushing for 1,695 yards, tailback Archie Griffin becomes the fourth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy.
01-01-1975: Southern Cal scores a late touchdown and two-point conversion to defeat Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, 18-17; the loss costs the Buckeyes the UPI national title.
09-27-1975: Ohio State trounces North Carolina, 32-7, for the school's 500th victory of all time.
10-25-1975: Archie Griffin sets the NCAA all-time career rushing mark (since broken); Ohio State clubs Purdue, 35-6.
11-08-1975: All American punter Tom Skladany drills a school-record 59-yard field goal, and Ohio State shellacs Illinois, 40-3.
11-22-1975: Quarterback Cornelius Greene leads a fourth-quarter comeback, and #1 Ohio State beats #4 Michigan, 21-14, to preserve a perfect regular season (11-0-0).
12-02-1975: Archie Griffin rushes for 1,450 yards on the season and becomes the only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy.
01-01-1976: #1 Ohio State is upset by UCLA in the Rose Bowl, 23-10; the loss costs the Buckeyes a perfect season and a consensus national championship.
01-01-1977: Ohio State defeats Colorado in the Orange Bowl, 27-10; this marks the first time that the Buckeyes played a bowl game that was not the Rose Bowl.
09-24-1977: In their first ever meeting, #3 Oklahoma edges #4 Ohio State, 29-28 the Sooners score a late TD and use an on-side kick to set up a last-second field goal.
11-19-1977: Once again, Woody unravels in Ann Arbor, this time attacking an ABC cameraman during the game; Michigan wins, 14-6.
01-02-1978: In a battle between the two winningest active coaches, Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide pounds Woody Hayes's Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl, 35-6.
09-16-1978: In his first college game, true freshman quarterback Art Schlichter tosses five interceptions as Ohio State falls to Penn State, 19-0.
10-21-1978: Bob Hope becomes the first honorary "i-dotter", and Ohio State tops Iowa, 31-7.
11-18-1978: The Buckeyes edge Indiana, 21-18; this would be Woody's 205th (and last) win at Ohio State, the 238th (and last) win of his coaching career.
11-25-1978: In Woody's last contest against TSUN, the Wolverines prevail, 14-3; Woody's overall record in The Game was an impressive 16-11-1.
12-29-1978: Ohio State loses to Clemson in the Gator Bowl, 17-15; after a late interception seals the Buckeyes' fate, Woody punches Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman.
12-30-1978: In the aftermath of The Punch, Ohio State fires Woody; in his Buckeye career, Hayes compiled a record of 205-61-10 (.761) and won 13 Big Ten titles.
03-04-1979: After racking up 569 tackles for his career (second best all-time at Ohio State), linebacker Tom Cousineau is selected #1 overall in the NFL draft.
09-08-1979: In their first game in 29 years without Woody Hayes on the sidelines, Ohio State beats Syracuse, 31-8.
11-27-1979: Rookie head coach Earle Bruce beats Michigan, 18-15, to complete a perfect regular season (11-0-0) and earn a #1 ranking in both major polls.
01-01-1980: #3 Southern Cal scores a late touchdown to beat #1 Ohio State, 17-16; the loss ruins the Buckeyes' perfect season and costs them the national championship.
09-26-1981: In a battle of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Art Schlichter outduels John Elway: Ohio State 24, Stanford 19.
10-03-1981: Art Schichter throws for a school-record 458 yards, but Ohio State loses to Florida State, 36-27.
11-14-1981: Ohio State crushes Northwestern, 70-6, which represents the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory in Big Ten competition.
11-20-1982: Linebacker Marcus Marek records 19 tackles and an interception, and Ohio State wins The Game 24-14 ... but Michigan still goes to the Rose Bowl.¹⁴
12-17-1982: Ohio State beats Brigham Young, led by QB Steve Young, by the score of 47-17; this represents the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory in a bowl game.
09-17-1983: In a belated rematch with the Sooners, #6 Ohio State beats #2 Oklahoma, 24-14, which evens the all-time series at a game apiece.
10-08-1983: Garcia Lane becomes the first (and only) Buckeye to return two punts for touchdowns in one game; Ohio State beats Purdue, 33-22.
10-29-1983: Woody "dots the i", and Ohio State tops Wisconsin, 45-27.
10-13-1984: Despite losing his shoe, tailback Keith Byars rushes for a school-record 274 yards and five touchdowns in a come-from-behind victory over Illinois (45-38).¹⁵
12-01-1984: Keith Byars led the nation in rushing (1,655 yards) and scoring (22 touchdowns), but he places second in the Heisman voting behind Boston College QB Doug Flutie.
01-01-1985: The Buckeyes lose their fourth straight Rose Bowl: #18 Southern Cal 20, #6 Ohio State 17.
09-02-1985: Pre-season Heisman favorite Keith Byars breaks his foot during a scrimmage; the injury would keep Byars on the sidelines for most of his senior season.
11-02-1985: Ohio State picks off Iowa quarterback Chuck Long three times, and the Buckeyes knock off the #1 ranked Hawkeyes, 22-13.
12-28-1985: Linebacker Larry Kolic intercepts two passes, returning one for the Buckeyes' only touchdown, and Ohio State beats BYU in the Citrus Bowl, 10-7.
09-27-1986: For the first time in history, Ohio State racks up over 300 yards both on the ground and in the air; the Buckeyes blast Utah, 64-6, for their 600th victory.
11-22-1986: Linebacker Chris Spielman racks up a school record 29 tackles, but it's not quite enough, as Michigan edges Ohio State, 26-24.
01-01-1987: Chris Spielman intercepts two passes, taking one to the house, as Ohio State beats Texas A+M in the Cotton Bowl, 28-12.
10-10-1987: Indiana pounds Ohio State, 31-10, which marks the first time since 1951 that the Buckeyes lose a game to the Hoosiers.
11-14-1987: The Buckeyes melt down in the final seconds and fall to Iowa, 29-27; the come-from-ahead loss drops their record to 5-4-1 on the season.
11-16-1987: Ohio State president Edward Jennings fires Earle Bruce, who agrees to stay on for The Game; AD Rick Bay declines all bowl bids, and resigns in support of Bruce.
11-21-1987: Sporting "EARLE" headbands and riding a tidal wave of emotion, Ohio State scores an upset victory in Ann Arbor, beating Michigan 23-20.
09-24-1988: Ohio State beats Louisiana State, 36-33, which remains the Buckeyes' only victory against an SEC squad between 1935 and the present.¹⁶
11-19-1988: John Cooper loses his first Game; the Buckeyes end the season with a losing record (4-6-1) and a negative point differential (229-283) for the first time since 1966.
10-29-1989: After trailing 31-0, quarterback Greg Frey leads the Buckeyes on a record-setting comeback, and Ohio State defeats Minnesota, 41-37, on a TD in the final minute.
09-29-1990: In the midst of a lightning storm and with his team trailing Southern Cal 35-26, Coop concedes defeat with 2:36 still left on the clock.
12-27-1990: The Buckeyes come out flat and never recover; Ohio State falls to Air Force in the Liberty Bowl by the score of 23-11.
11-23-1991: After returning a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, Desmond Howard strikes the Heisman pose in the endzone; Michigan creams Ohio State 31-3.
10-10-1992: True freshman tailback Eddie George fumbles twice inside the 5-yard line, and Illinois hangs on to beat Ohio State, 18-16.
11-21-1992: Ohio State and Michigan battle to a 13-13 tie; after four straight losses to the Wolverines, this counts as a red-letter day for OSU president E. Gordon Gee.¹⁷
11-20-1993: Undefeated Ohio State, #5 in the AP poll, travels to Ann Arbor and gets shut out by the unranked Michigan Wolverines, 28-0.
12-30-1993: After four consecutive bowl game losses, Ohio State holds on to defeat Brigham Young in the Holiday Bowl, 28-21.
04-24-1994: After being named a first-team All American, Buckeye defensive tackle "Big Daddy" Dan Wilkinson is selected first in the NFL draft.
10-29-1994: The Buckeyes suffer their worst loss in 48 years, as Penn State embarrasses Ohio State, 63-14.
11-19-1994: After starting out 0-5-1 in The Game, John Cooper finally breaks the jinx, as Ohio State tops Michigan, 22-6.
09-23-1995: Terry Glenn sets a Buckeye single-game mark with 253 yards receiving, and Ohio State trounces Pitt, 54-14.
09-30-1995: Ohio State meets Notre Dame for the first time in six decades; Terry Glenn's 82-yard touchdown reception highlights the Buckeyes' 45-26 victory.
11-11-1995: Eddie George breaks Keith Byars' single-game rushing record by racking up 314 yards in a 41-3 victory over Illinois.
11-25-1995: Tim Biakabutuka rushes for 313 yards as #2 Ohio State falls to #18 Michigan, 31-23; the loss ruins the Buckeyes' perfect record and ends their national title run.
12-09-1995: After rushing for a school-record 1,927 yards, Eddie George becomes the fifth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy.
01-01-1996: Coop loses another big game, as #4 Ohio State falls to #4 Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl by the score of 20-14.¹⁸
09-21-1996: Ohio State beats Pitt, 72-0, the Buckeyes' largest margin of victory since 1935; David Boston scores on a 67-yard punt return with only 7 teammates on the field.
09-28-1996: Coop couldn't beat Michigan, but he never lost to Notre Dame; the Buckeyes top the Irish, 29-16, squaring the all-time series at two games apiece.
11-23-1996: Shawn Springs slips, and Tai Streets races 86 yards for the only touchdown of The Game; #21 Michigan spoils another perfect season as the #2 Buckeyes fall, 13-9.
01-01-1997: #3 Ohio State scores a TD in the closing seconds to beat previously undefeated #2 Arizona State, 20-17; the Buckeyes' first Rose Bowl victory since 1974.
01-03-1997: Rose Bowl winner Ohio State (previously #3) falls behind Sugar Bowl winner Florida (previously #4); the Buckeyes finish second to the Gators in both polls.
04-19-1997: After winning the Lombardi Award (1995, 1996) and the Outland Trophy (1996), Buckeye offensive tackle Orlando Pace is the top selection in the NFL draft.
09-27-1997: On route to a Butkus Award, linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer plants Missouri quarterback Corby Jones into the turf, as the Buckeyes beat the Tigers, 31-10.
11-15-1997: The Buckeyes crush Illinois, 41-6, to earn their 700th victory of all time.
11-22-1997: The Buckeyes miss the chance to ruin the Wolverines' perfect season when Charles Woodson returns a punt for the winning score: #1 Michigan 20, #4 Ohio State 14.
08-31-1998: Sports Illustrated names the Buckeyes its preseason No. 1* ... *if Andy Katzenmoyer makes the grade; once again, Ohio State is viewed as a football factory.
11-07-1998: Despite leading 24-9 midway through the third quarter, #1 Ohio State falls apart down the stretch and loses at home to unranked Michigan State, 28-24.
11-21-1998: After compiling a miserable 1-8-1 record in The Game, John Cooper beats Michigan, 31-16, to keep the Buckeyes in national title contention.
12-07-1998: Despite finishing the regular season with a 10-1-0 record, Ohio State finishes fourth in the final pre-bowl BCS rankings, and misses out on the inaugural title game.
01-01-1999: Ohio State handily dispatches of #8 Texas A+M in the Sugar Bowl, 24-14, marking the only time that Coop would win The Game and a bowl game in the same season.
01-05-1999: Ohio State (11-1-0) finishes second in the AP poll for the sixth time in school history; undefeated Tennessee (13-0-0) is the consensus national champ.
10-30-1999: Ohio State retires Archie Griffin's #45; a three-time All American, Griffin remains the Buckeyes' all-time leading rusher with 5,589 yards.
09-23-2000: Ohio State retires Vic Janowicz's #31; a great all-around athlete, Janowicz handled passing, rushing, kicking, and punting chores while wearing the scarlet and gray.
11-18-2000: Ohio State retires Hopalong Cassady's #40; the 1955 AP Athlete of the Year, Cassady was an All American performer on both sides of the ball (halfback, cornerback).
12-20-2000: Wide receiver Reggie Germany is ruled academically ineligible for the Buckeyes' upcoming bowl game after posting a 0.0 GPA for the fall quarter.
01-01-2001: The Buckeyes sleepwalk through the Outback Bowl and get hammered by South Carolina, 24-7; the revenge of Ryan Brewer (214 all-purpose yards, 3 touchdowns).¹⁹
01-02-2001: John Cooper is fired due to a "deteriorating climate within the football program"; in other words, Coop was 2-10-1 versus Michigan, and 3-8 in bowl games.
01-18-2001: Ohio State hires Jim Tressel, who promptly *guarantees* a victory "in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan."²⁰
09-08-2001: Jim Tressel wins his first game as Ohio State's head coach, as the Buckeyes rip the Akron Zips, 28-14.
10-06-2001: Ohio State retires Les Horvath's #22; in 1944, Horvath amassed a school-record (since broken) 1,268 total yards, and led the Buckeyes to a perfect season.
11-10-2001: Ohio State retires Eddie George's #27, Eddie ranks second in career rushing yards (3,768) and third in career touchdowns (44) for the Buckeyes.
11-24-2001: Jim Tressel makes good on his *guarantee*, as unranked Ohio State beats #11 Michigan in Ann Arbor by the score of 26-20.
01-01-2002: Ohio State rallies from a 28-point deficit in the Outback Bowl, but South Carolina kicks a last-second field goal to spoil the Buckeyes' comeback, 31-28.
08-24-2002: In his debut, true freshman Maurice Clarett rushes for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns as #13 Ohio States topples Texas Tech, 45-21.
09-07-2002: True freshman linebacker A.J. Hawk grabs a pick-six, as #8 Ohio State routs Kent State, 51-17.
09-14-2002: Maurice Clarett rushes for 230 yards (194 in the second half) and two touchdowns, and #6 Ohio State throttles #10 Washington State, 25-7.
09-21-2002: Safety Will Allen intercepts a pass in the end zone with 26 seconds left, and the Buckeyes avoid the upset: Ohio State 23, Cincinnati 19.
10-26-2002: Chris Gamble, the Buckeyes' first two-way player in decades, returns an interception 40 yards for a touchdown, as #4 Ohio State beats #18 Penn State, 13-7.
11-09-2002: Facing a fourth down with time running out, Craig Kenzel connects with Michael Jenkins on a 37-yard TD pass, and Ohio State beats Purdue, 10-6. Holy Buckeye!
11-16-2002: In the Buckeyes' first-ever overtime game, seldom-used tailback Maurice Hall scores the tie-breaking touchdown, and Ohio State squeaks by Illinois, 23-16.
11-23-2002: Will Allen's interception at the goal line as time expires preserves a 14-9 victory over #12 Michigan, and the #2 Buckeyes head to the BCS title game.
12-30-2002: Maurice Clarett publicly blasts Ohio State for refusing to let him return to Youngstown during bowl week to attend the funeral of a friend.²¹
01-03-2003: With a 31-24 victory in double overtime, Ohio State snaps Miami's 34-game winning streak; the Buckeyes' fifth perfect (and ninth undefeated) season.
01-04-2003: Sporting the best record in major college football in over a century (14-0-0), Ohio State claims its fifth recognized national title, and first since 1968.
07-12-2003: The New York Times publishes an article accusing Ohio State of giving Maurice Clarett preferential academic treatment.
09-10-2003: Athletic Director Andy Geiger suspends Maurice Clarett for the 2003 season due to off-the-field improprieties.
09-13-2003: The Buckeyes prevail in a triple-overtime thriller, as Ohio State knocks off North Carolina State, 44-38.
10-11-2003: #23 Wisconsin beats #3 Ohio State, 17-10, ending the Buckeyes' 19-game winning streak.
11-22-2003: With a berth in the BCS title game still a possibility, #4 Ohio State falls to #5 Michigan, 35-21.
01-02-2004: #7 Ohio State knocks off #8 Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, 35-28, to finish the season with an 11-2 record and a top-five ranking.
09-11-2004: Mike Nugent kicks a personal-best 55-yard field goal as time expires, and Ohio State beats Marshall, 24-21.
10-02-2004: Ohio State loses to Northwestern, 33-27, which marks the Buckeyes' first loss to the Wildcats since the 1971 season.
10-16-2004: Iowa blows out Ohio State, 33-7; the inexperienced Troy Smith replaces the ineffective Justin Zwick at quarterback.
10-30-2004: Ohio State retires Chic Harley's #47; the Buckeyes' first three-time All American, Harley led his team to a record of 21-1-1 and two outright Big Ten titles.
11-20-2004: Troy Smith amasses 386 yards of total offense and Ted Ginn returns a punt 82 yards for a touchdown as unranked Ohio State stuns #7 Michigan, 37-21.
12-20-2004: A month after his historic performance in The Game, Ohio State suspends starting quarterback Troy Smith for taking cash payments from a booster.
12-29-2004: Ohio State trounces Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl, 33-7; All American kicker Mike Nugent breaks Pete Johnson's career scoring record in his final game in S+G.
09-10-2005: In the first-ever meeting between the two powerhouse programs, #2 Texas (the eventual national champ) scores a late touchdown to edge #4 Ohio State, 25-22.
11-19-2005: WR Anthony Gonzalez makes a circus catch and RB Antonio Pittman scores a last-minute touchdown to propel Ohio State to a 25-21 victory over Michigan.
01-02-2006: The Buckeyes use big plays to rack up 617 yards of total offense, as #4 Ohio State pummels #5 Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, 34-20.
04-29-2006: Five Buckeyes are selected in the first round of the NFL draft - A.J. Hawk, Donte Whitner, Bobby Carpenter, Santonio Holmes, and Nick Mangold.
09-09-2006: In the rematch with the Longhorns, #1 Ohio State invades Austin and defeats #2 Texas, 24-7; linebacker James Laurinaitis forces two turnovers to seal the victory.
09-23-2006: Troy Smith makes a highlight reel scramble and touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie, and the Buckeye defense nets two pick-sixes; Ohio State beats Penn State, 28-6.
11-18-2006: In a battle of unbeatens, #1 Ohio State tops #2 Michigan, 42-39, as the Buckeyes earn their first outright Big Ten title since 1984 and a trip to the BCS title game.
12-09-2006: After throwing for 2,542 yards (.653 completion percentage) and 30 touchdowns, Troy Smith becomes the sixth Buckeye to win the Heisman Trophy.
01-08-2007: The sluggish Buckeyes manage only 82 yards of total offense, and Florida tramples Ohio State, 41-14, in the BCS title game.
11-03-2007: Ohio State retires Bill Willis's #99; twice an All American, Willis would go on to have a Hall of Fame professional career with the Cleveland Browns.
11-17-2007: Chris Wells runs for 222 yards and the Ohio State defense holds Michigan to just 91 yards of total offense; the Buckeyes win The Game again, 14-3.²²
01-07-2008: Once again, #1 Ohio State falls to an SEC squad in the BCS title game, as #2 Louisiana State prevails, 38-24.
03-19-2008: The Buckeyes sign quarterback Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pennsylvania), the most-heralded high school prospect in years.
09-06-2008: The Buckeyes notch their 800th victory, beating Ohio University by the score of 26-14.
09-13-2008: #1 Southern Cal blows out #5 Ohio State, 35-3, marking the Trojans' sixth straight victory over the Buckeyes dating back to the 1975 Rose Bowl.
10-20-2008: In his first game as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback, Terrelle Pryor throws for four touchdowns, as Ohio State beats Troy, 28-10.
11-22-2008: Ohio State welcomes Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez to the rivalry by spanking the Wolverines, 42-7; the win marks the Buckeyes' fifth in a row in The Game.
01-05-2009: Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy throws a last-minute touchdown, as #3 Texas edges #10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, 24-21.
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¹ The May 3rd game against OWU is not counted as part of the 1890 season because it took place during the previous academic year.
² Ohio State's only win in 1897, a 6-0 triumph over Ohio Medical in the season opener, was achieved by forfeit.
³ Until 1987, the official name of the conference was The Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives.
⁴ Unofficial totals for that game have Ohio State gaining 1,140 yards of offense and 43 first downs.
⁵ This loss likely cost Ohio State (6-1-0) its first national championship, as Illinois (6-1-0) would retroactively earn a title that year.
⁶ Michigan (7-0-1) would win a retroactive national championship for the 1933 season; and Ohio State victory would likely have given the Bucks the title.
⁷ Southern Cal would become the Buckeyes' biggest non-conference rival, as the two teams play 22 more times over the next 60+ years, including seven times in the Rose Bowl.
⁸ The AP poll of November 15, 1934, in which the Buckeyes placed ninth, was not a final poll.
⁹ This marks the first time that The Game would determine the winner of an outright Big Ten championship.
¹⁰ AP champ Ohio State (9-0-0) did not play UP champ UCLA (9-0-0) in the Rose Bowl because the Bruins were barred from participating as a result of the "no repeat" rule that was then in place.
¹¹ FWAA stands for Football Writers Association of America; FWAA national championships are recognized by the NCAA.
¹² Ohio State won the pre-bowl National Football Foundation national title in 1970; NFF national championships are recognized by the NCAA.
¹³ Alabama (11-1-0) was the UPI champ in 1973, but the UPI submitted its final poll before the Crimson Tide lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, 24-23; Ohio State finished #3 in the UPI poll.
¹⁴ This was the first time that the loser of The Game got the Rose Bowl bid. Although each team had one Big Ten loss, Michigan (8-1) played one more conference game than Ohio State (7-1).
¹⁵ Head coach Earle Bruce called this game "the greatest comeback and the worst start I've ever been associated with."
¹⁶ Since beating Kentucky on October 5, 1935, by the score of 19-6, Ohio State is 1-10-1 versus SEC schools.
¹⁷ In his post-game comments, President Gee called the tie "one of our greatest wins ever."
¹⁸ This is not a misprint - Ohio State and Tennessee were tied at #4 in the AP poll (each had 1,325 points) heading into their bowl match-up.
¹⁹ Ryan Brewer rushed for 7,656 yards and scored 117 TD's during his high school career, and he was named Mr. Football in the state of Ohio for 1998 ... but Ohio State never offered him.
²⁰ Tressel's actual quote: "I can assure you that you will be proud of your young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan."
²¹ In response, the school claims that it would have let Clarett attend the funeral, but that he failed to submit the proper paperwork.
²² The victory also earned Ohio State back-to-back outright Big Ten titles for the first time since 1954-55.
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A few notes: I am still looking for the exact dates on which the Buckeye Grove was founded, and the Buckeye leaf helmet stickers were first used. If you have that info, please send it to me by PM.

Also, special thanks to BB73, osugrad21, and LightningRod, who contributed research for this article.

[HineyBuck]

Congratulations LordJeff!! That is one heckuva compilation. Worth noting that the highest ratio of scarlet to gray days appears to be during the Tressel era. These are the good old days.