Michigan vs. Ohio State: Football Rivalry History and Record
Explore the Ohio State–Michigan football rivalry, its all-time series record, milestones and notable games, with records checked against official sources.
Michigan vs. Ohio State: Football Rivalry History and Record
The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry dates to 1897 and remains one of college football's defining annual matchups. Through the November 29, 2025 meeting, Michigan's Bentley Historical Library records 62 Michigan wins, 52 Ohio State wins and six ties, with the qualification that Ohio State's 2010 victory was vacated. Michigan athletics postgame notes use a different played-games convention, reporting 62–53–6 after 2025. The key is to explain how the count is defined rather than present two different totals as an unexplained contradiction. This article covers the series history; the 2026 kickoff and TV schedule belong on the separate game page.
Michigan vs. Ohio State: all-time record through 2025
| Record convention | Michigan wins | Ohio State wins | Ties |
| Bentley Historical Library, excluding vacated 2010 Ohio State win | 62 | 52 | 6 |
| Michigan 2025 postgame notes, counting game result in played meetings | 62 | 53 | 6 |
Michigan won the first matchup 34–0 in 1897. The early decades heavily favored the Wolverines, and that foundation still influences the all-time totals. Ohio State later built prolonged stretches of dominance, particularly in the modern era. The rivalry's story is therefore about changes in control over time, not just which side owns the larger historical number.
How the rivalry began
Michigan played varsity football before Ohio State established its own program. When the teams first met, the sport itself looked different from today's passing-oriented, nationally televised product. Early Michigan teams established the first sustained run in the series, including a nine-game winning streak from 1901 through 1909. Those early results created a statistical lead that the Buckeyes would spend many decades trying to erase.
The Big Ten relationship gradually made the matchup a major conference event. A changing college-football landscape—larger stadiums, more national media attention and evolving championship formats—turned a regional competition into a fixture followed far beyond Ann Arbor and Columbus. The school colors, traditions and geographic proximity matter culturally, but the game remains compelling because results regularly affect seasons in practical ways.
Turning points across different eras
Ohio State's extended period of success in the 2000s and 2010s is an essential part of the modern rivalry record. The Buckeyes won repeatedly during a stretch that included many ranked matchups and conference-deciding games. The most recent dramatic reversal came when Michigan won four consecutive meetings from 2021 to 2024: 42–27 in 2021, 45–23 in 2022, 30–24 in 2023 and 13–10 in 2024.
Ohio State ended that run in 2025 with a 27–9 victory in Ann Arbor. The 2025 result is part of the completed series; the November 28, 2026 meeting is not. A history page should have an explicit record cutoff so it can remain accurate as the rivalry continues.
Selected recent results
| Season | Winner | Final score |
| 2021 | Michigan | 42–27 |
| 2022 | Michigan | 45–23 |
| 2023 | Michigan | 30–24 |
| 2024 | Michigan | 13–10 |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 27–9 |
The run from 2021 through 2024 was noteworthy because Michigan won at both home and away sites. Ohio State's 2025 win stopped that streak. These five games illustrate how a rivalry can change directions over a short period without erasing the significance of a larger historical record.
Why the all-time totals can differ
The 2010 Ohio State win was vacated as a result of NCAA sanctions. Some histories show the result of every played meeting, while an official-record table may omit the vacated win from Ohio State's credited victories. That difference is not the same as awarding Michigan another victory; it is a question of the statistical bookkeeping convention. Whenever comparing rivalry records across sources, check whether they mean played outcomes or credited official wins and make sure their cutoff year matches.
What fans often misunderstand about the rivalry
This is not the same thing as Michigan against Ohio University, which is a different school and football program. Nor does a search for “Michigan football rivals” refer exclusively to Ohio State; Michigan State and other historical opponents are part of that broader discussion. The scope here is deliberately narrow: Michigan Wolverines against Ohio State Buckeyes in college football, from the first meeting through 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the Michigan–Ohio State football series?
Michigan leads. The Bentley Historical Library lists 62 wins to 52 credited Ohio State wins and six ties through 2025; counting the vacated 2010 result as a played outcome produces a different Ohio State win total.
Who won the 2025 game?
Ohio State won 27–9 on November 29, 2025.
Does this page include the 2026 result?
No. The next game was scheduled for November 28, 2026, and this historical record is intentionally frozen at completed meetings through 2025.