The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

The Game

Ohio State52-62-6Michigan
Blue Blood#2 of 138–Blue Blood#5 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
Next meeting: Sat Nov 28 · 12 pm ET, 24 days away.

Michigan leads the all-time series 62-52-6. They've met 120 times since 1897. Michigan once took 9 straight.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Ohio State
Transfer portal
-5
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -61
What fans are saying · position battle
fans question why Tavien St. Clair isn't starting
Fahey has had the starting role up to this point. But St. Clair has one more year of experience, 2 more stars, and an extra 5 inches. This guys is BUILT like an NFL QB so my question is why isn’t he playing???
Verified verbatim
Michigan
Win total
6.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-5
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -46
What fans are saying · player performance
One fan thinks Carr can elevate Michigan's offense long-term
Love Tommy Carr. He is one tough player and I see him becoming an elite player for Michigan in the next year or two.
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1897–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeOhio StateMichiganevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Ohio State won, gray: Michigan won)1900192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Michigan was the more pass-heavy program — then Ohio State took it over.

Michigan threw it more in 11 of 12 seasons, 2004–2015. Since 2016, Ohio State has led 9 of 11. Real exceptions: 2006, 2019, 2020.

more passmore runOhio StateMichigan2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262016Ohio State 2.0 ptsOhio State won 30-272020Michigan 15.8 pts2006Ohio State 3.2 ptsOhio State won 42-39
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

The biggest win was Michigan by 86 in 1902. The biggest crowd, 113,511, was in 2013.

The coaching duels

Woody Hayes vs Bump Elliott7-3
Woody Hayes vs Bo Schembechler4-5-1
Earle Bruce vs Bo Schembechler5-4
Woody Hayes vs Bennie Oosterbaan5-3
Jim Tressel vs Lloyd Carr6-1
John Cooper vs Lloyd Carr1-5

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
296-260
Ohio State leads
1st-rounders
82-46
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
Ohio StateMichigan
1960s5-9
1970s37-46
1980s25-30
1990s37-34
2000s69-46
2010s62-37
2020s61-58

Best picks, either side

1979Tom Cousineau Linebacker · Buffalo BillsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1994Dan Wilkinson Defensive Tackle · Cincinnati BengalsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1997Orlando Pace Offensive Tackle · St. Louis RamsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
2008Jake Long Offensive Tackle · Miami DolphinsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
2019Nick Bosa Defensive End · San Francisco 49ersRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2020Chase Young Defensive End · Washington Football TeamRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2023C.J. Stroud Quarterback · Houston TexansRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2022Aidan Hutchinson Defensive End · Detroit LionsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Ohio State1.08×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2025Ohio State27-9
2024Michigan13-10
2023Michigan30-24
2022Michigan45-23Ohio State — both ranked, Ohio State routed by 22
2021Michigan42-27Ohio State — both ranked, Ohio State routed by 15
2019Ohio State56-27
2018Ohio State62-39Michigan — both ranked, Michigan routed by 23
2017Ohio State31-20
2016Ohio State30-27
2015Ohio State42-13
2014Ohio State42-28
2013Ohio State42-41
2012Ohio State26-21
2011Michigan40-34

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Ohio State’s chance to win through that meeting. Ohio State is 0-3 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. The loudest meeting for fans was 2025: firestorm. Fans of both teams were loud at once in 2024. The bracket marks where.

2025Ohio State 27-9Ohio State won 27-9 at Michigan. Chance to win started at 59%, low 43%, high better than 99%.Firestorm
2024Michigan 13-10Ohio State lost 10-13 vs Michigan. Chance to win started at 90%, low 25%, high 93%.Firestorm
2023Michigan 30-24Ohio State lost 24-30 at Michigan. Chance to win started at 47%, low 9%, high 49%.Firestorm
2022Michigan 45-23Ohio State lost 23-45 vs Michigan. Chance to win started at 74%, low under 1%, high 91%.Firestorm
2021Michigan 42-27Ohio State lost 27-42 at Michigan. Chance to win started at 68%, low 1%, high 74%.
2019Ohio State 56-27Ohio State won 56-27 at Michigan. Chance to win started at 68%, low 58%, high better than 99%.
2018Ohio State 62-39Ohio State won 62-39 vs Michigan. Chance to win started at 38%, low 27%, high better than 99%.
“We should do that everytime.”
An Ohio State fan
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “We should do that everytime.”
    An Ohio State fan

Share the loudest meeting

Meetings with their own story page

9 meetings in our archive, 2016 to 2025.