Michigan can rewrite century of history with another win over Ohio State -- and probably make CFP field

Ninety-nine years ago — back when Woody Hayes was just a teenager and Bo Schembechler was but a glint in his father's eye — Michigan pulled off something it hasn't managed since: five straight wins over Ohio State.

Nearly a century later, the No. 15 Wolverines (9-2) are staring at the same possibility. Beat the No. 1 Buckeyes (11-0) on Saturday and Michigan ties a streak that predates Route 66 and the Great Depression, a run almost no one saw coming when this rivalry flipped four years ago.

"This four-year run, especially with that strange, strange result last year, is remarkable," said Greg Dooley, a university lecturer and Michigan football historian.

Last season's shocker in Columbus added more powder to the keg. A 13-10 Michigan win as a 19.5-point underdog sparked turmoil after Michigan planted its flag at midfield. Tempers flared, chaos ensued and police cleared the scene with pepper spray.

Michigan enters Round 121 of The Game as a 10.5-point underdog, per FanDuel. Everything feels bigger this time. A win could propel Michigan into the College Football Playoff and possibly set up a postseason rematch.

"They acknowledge, they understand the importance of this game, that it's different than last year," Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. "You're playing for something big. And that's what you want."

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This isn't just another meeting. Ohio State and Michigan fans have lived, breathed, obsessed and verbally sparred over this rematch since the players cleared from The Horseshoe in Columbus a year ago.

"Every single day. That's what this game means to me. It means everything to me," said senior Michigan tight end Marvin Klein. "If you ask me what the greatest day of my life was, it was last year, going down there and beating them in their place. It was the best day of my life so far. Trying to repeat that this year."

The stakes are high. A playoff spot for Michigan is on the line. An undefeated record and possibly a No. 1 seed for Ohio State is at stake. And Ryan Day is still trying to quiet the critics -- even after winning the national title last season -- because of his 1-4 record against The Team Up North.

"Like I say, fun is kicking ass, and that's what we want to do on Saturday," Day said. "So we're preparing to do that, and that's it. There's nothing funny about this at all, but the fun part is winning."

The Game is a pressure cooker. Last year's loss aggravated some Ohio State fans so much that Day was compelled to hire security to guard his home. His family was reduced to tears.

Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr knows the cycle better than most. He started 3-0 against OSU and went 5-1 before dropping six of his final seven.

"When you're on a streak, there's nothing like it," Carr told CBS Sports. "And when you're on the downside, you live every day with the thought that you have to lead this team into victory in this game."

Michigan's current run began in 2021 when Jim Harbaugh hopped off the hot seat and snapped Ohio State's eight-year stranglehold with a 42-27 win. That win sparked the program's run to the 2023 national championship. 

Since that afternoon in 2021, when fans stormed the field and grown men cried in the snow, the rivalry has only become more serious. On-field drama. Off-field controversy. And a sign-stealing scandal that added jet fuel to Ohio State's fury.

Then came 2023: an undefeated showdown, Harbaugh suspended and Michigan sealing a 30-24 win with a late interception. It became a defining moment in the rivalry for Michigan.

"It's undeniable that it's the biggest game in the history of the rivalry when you look at it," Dooley said. "But it frankly almost felt like a relief for Michigan fans."

For comparison, you have to rewind to the 1990s when Michigan ambushed four Ohio State teams -- including three undefeated Buckeye teams -- ranked in the top five.

"In the '90s, the tables were turned," Dooley said. "Ohio State had these superpower teams. It has a similar feel to today, where it just seems so unlikely for us to get them again -- and we kept doing it."

The Game is an unbreakable spell. It can make grown men tumble to their knees and create moments that imprint on generations. It has produced a Ten-Year War, a Game of the Century, a Snow Bowl, gold pants, and heroes and villains in sweater vests. Michigan even began rewarding players with their own gold pendants in 2021, a nod to Ohio State's gold pants tradition that began in 1934 and sparked a four-game winning streak against the Wolverines. 

"By the way, it set off a series of victories in a row that ended up with our coach being fired," Dooley laughed.

If Michigan stretches this run to five, it would stitch a new page into a rivalry saga that hasn't seen a twist like this in almost a century.

"I just know that being a part of rivalries, the other games don't matter," Moore said. "Whatever happened in the past doesn't matter. So all we can do is focus on now."