Ohio State football: That banner got what it deserved

That banner got what it deserved. When you hold up a banner on the field for your team to run under, but you also force your opponent to choose between running under it as well or meekly trotting onto their sideline in order to avoid the thing, it’s just plain tacky. That banner got what it deserved.

1973 was the middle of The Ten Year War between Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. The Ohio State football team entered the Michigan game as the undefeated number one team in the country-the Wolverines were undefeated and ranked fourth.

When it came time for Ohio State to take the field at Michigan Stadium, they decided to do something about the M Club’s Go Blue banner. Led by All-American offensive tackle John Hicks, the Buckeyes charged onto the field…and proceeded to tear it down. Michigan radio announcer Bob Ufer just about lost his mind.

I’ve never gotten tired of watching this. While it still makes me smile 48 years later, Ufer’s head exploding makes me double over with laughter,

"“And they’re tearing down Michigan’s coveted M Club banner! They will meet a dastardly fate here for that! There isn’t a Michigan man in the stadium who wouldn’t like to go out and scalp those Buckeyes right now! They had the audacity – the unmitigated gall – to tear down the coveted M that Michigan is going to run out from under!”"

Oh, that is priceless!! “They will meet a dastardly fate for that!” I just love it. Well, the game ended in a 10-10 tie and the Buckeyes’ dastardly fate was being voted by the conference’s athletic directors to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. Schembechler whined, cried, huffed, puffed, and stomped his feet to anyone who would listen, but to no avail.

I’ll debate who should have won the game. I’ll debate the outcome of the controversial vote. But, I’ll never debate what the Buckeyes did when they came onto the field. That banner got what it deserved.