Ohio State Football: Next battle in Urban Meyer’s ‘Ten Year War’

Ohio State vs. Michigan State should be another battle.

When Ohio State entertains Michigan State on Saturday, you can expect a battle as the winner will be the frontrunner to win the Big East Division. But also because it’s the next chapter in Urban Meyer’s “Ten Year War”.

Prior to the 2015 season, many thought Urban’s primary battle going forward would be with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. He was preparing for his first season as the Wolverine head coach and it could be a rivalry along the lines of the one Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler had.

I thought differently though and wrote as such before the season even started. Coach Meyer was already in the midst of his Ten Year War’ and it was against a coach from another team in that state up north, Mark Dantonio.

A few months after I wrote the article, I was even more convinced the Urban-Mark rivalry could end up similar to the one between Woody and Bo, as it had heated up to a fever pitch. Michigan State defeated No. 1 ranked Ohio State the next to last game of the regular season which rivaled Michigan’s upset win in 1969. And that was the game that triggered the first Ten Year War.

Ohio State won the national title in 1968 led by a bunch of “Super Sophs” so most of the starters were back. The top ranked Buckeyes rolled through the first eight games of the 1969 season and were presumed to be a lock to repeat as champions. However, they lost 24-12 to the Wolverines which many considered to be the biggest upset in the history of college football to that point.

Prior to the 2015 season, the Buckeyes were the unanimous No. 1 ranked team in the AP Poll. Why not, they were the national champions the year before and the team was led by a bunch of second and third year players. Then Michigan State ended Ohio State’s bid to repeat on a last second field goal.

And that wasn’t the first time a Mark Dantonio team kept Ohio State from having a chance to play for a national title. The Spartans defeated the 12-0 Buckeyes in the 2013 Big Ten Championship Game 34-24.

It has become the norm over the last five years that coach Dantonio’s Spartans are going to be a pain in the side of Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes. And that’s just how it was for Woody in his rivalry with Bo. Take a look at the similarities during the first five years each rivalry.

From 1969 through 1973, the series stood at two wins apiece with one tie. The total margin of victory during that time was 29 points and two of the games were decided by three points each.

Urban Meyers record vs. Mark Dantonio is 3-2. The total margin of victory in those five games is 26 points and two of the Ohio State wins were by one point.

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And in each five-year stretch, two times the Buckeyes were undefeated entering the game but dreams of a national championship went by the wayside afterwards.

The fact that Bo Schembechler and Mark Dantonio built programs that would cause Ohio State grief shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

Each were top assistants for the Buckeyes before taking head coaching positions within the state. Schembechler coached at Miami and Dantonio took over as head coach of Cincinnati before moving north.

With the connections they made around the Buckeye State throughout the years, each were successful in loading their rosters with Ohio recruits. Don’t you think players who felt slighted by Ohio State during the recruiting process get motivated to play the Buckeyes?

The kickoff to the sixth game in the rivalry is fast approaching and the Big Ten East Division title is at stake. I am anticipating quite a battle once again, but then why wouldn’t I?

Next: JT Barrett must carry offense vs. MSU

If Urban Meyer and Mark Dantonio stay at their respective universities another four years, this could be a Ten Year War that will rival the one that began nearly a half-century ago.

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