50 years ago, an unlikely Ohio State hero almost single-handedly beat Michigan

For most of the 1970’s, Ohio State-Michigan games were tightly played affairs. It wasn’t just every yard mattered, but it felt like every inch mattered. The 1974 meeting was decided by a foot. A foot that belonged to a most unlikely Buckeye hero, a native of Czechoslovakia who kicked four field goals to almost single-handedly beat the Wolverines.

Coming into the season-ending meeting with their undefeated rival, Tom Klaban had attempted just six field goals through the first the Buckeyes’ first ten games and had made only four. He had a long of 43 yards and had missed from 45. It’s safe to say there wasn’t anyone out there who could have predicted Klaban was about to become an Ohio State legend.

The 71st meeting between the two college football titans did not start well for the Buckeyes when Michigan jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead. But the Ohio State defense buckled down and the offense began to gain some traction. On the first play of the second quarter, Klaban hit the first of his four tries, which was a season-long 47-yarder to get the Buckeyes on the board.

Not long after, linebacker Bruce Elia intercepted Michigan quarterback Dennis Franklin (from Massillon). From 25 yards out, Klaban made it a 10-6 game. That would be his shortest attempt of the game.

The Buckeyes’ first-half scoring wasn’t quite finished. Taking over at their own 20-yard line with 1:11 to go in the half, they drove into scoring position again. The key play was when Cornelius Green found split end Dave Hazel wide open down the right sideline for a 26-yard gain that put the ball inside the Michigan 30 with just seconds remaining. Klaban brought the Buckeyes to within a point when he nailed a 43-yarder as time expired in the half.

Klaban’s final field goal did not come on the game’s final play after a last-minute desperation drive by the Buckeyes. Rather, it came early in the third quarter after a poor Michigan punt and a good return by Brian Baschnagel put the ball in Wolverine territory.

What proved to be the game-winning points came with 10:09 left in the quarter when Klaban drilled his 45-yard attempt from the right hashmark to give Ohio State a 12-10 lead. When Michigan kicker Mike Lantry missed a last-second 33-yard field goal attempt, Klaban’s place as an Ohio State legend had been cemented.

With that miss, Lantry also cemented himself a place in Michigan football history. It was the second year in a row that the Vietnam veteran had missed a potential game-winning kick against the Buckeyes.

While 50 years is certainly a long time, I feel like it was just yesterday I watched this game. It is one of my all-time favorite Ohio State wins over their bitter rival. In what is more than a bit of irony, Tom Klaban would one day make his home in…Michigan.