Ohio State vs. Michigan: My Favorite Buckeye Win over the Wolverines

With the Buckeyes preparing for their annual match with archrival Michigan Wolverines, B/R writers are sharing some of their favorite accounts of rivalry games.

With that in mind, I will share one of my personal stories of the rivalry, and this comes from my first OSU-Michigan game back in 2008.

I could share my story of watching the classic 2006 showdown, but this one is more meaningful to me because of my experience of being there.

And although Michigan in 2008—their first year under Rich Rodriguez—was just 3-8 at the time and was without starting QB Steven Threet, that did not diminish the intensity of the game.

And believe me, being there is a whole lot different—and more fun—than just watching it on TV.

The atmosphere at kickoff was as energetic as I had seen at OSU as that was the last game of my sophomore year.

Right from the beginning, OSU's defense played big more times than not and locked down a porous Michigan offense. 

It took some time for the Buckeye offense to get going until Beanie Wells broke a 59-yard TD run, similar to what he did to Michigan in 2006. 

Then Terrelle Pryor and the passing game woke up, as he hit the home run ball to Brian Hartline for 53 yards to put OSU up 14-0. 

Michigan scored to cut the score to 14-7, which made plenty of people in the stands around me a little nervous as that score stood through halftime.

But by the third quarter, OSU took the game back over, as they put up consecutive touchdowns and reinvigorated the stadium.

Some Michigan fans had tickets into the south stands where the students stood, but they had all left by the middle of the third quarter after being heckled and watching their team look bad.

The most fun part of the game was the fourth quarter when the students did about 15 to 20 renditions of "We Don't Give A Damn for the Whole State of Michigan" over and over again.

This rivalry always had a few blowouts in its time, but that game, the 42-7 win for Ohio State, seemed just all too easy.

It seemed like we as Ohio State fans couldn't believe that the team our Buckeyes have fought against for over 100 years looked so inept and poor.

But even still, the OSU-Michigan game of 2008 ranks right up there with some of the best games I've personally attended in college football.

Having never personally experienced the pageantry, tradition and energy of the rivalry, to feel that and see it in person is a special experience.

Follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim for more college football news and updates.