What the Ohio State vs. Michigan game means to one Ohio State football fan

The Ohio State-Michigan game means everything to me and my family. As a young kid, I have great memories of watching the Ohio State football vs. Michigan game and rooting for The Ohio State University. The game is still a big part of my life, but it will take on a sadness this year after losing both of my parents in the last two falls. I will no longer be able to call my parents and discuss the game with either of them, but I will always remember watching it with both of my parents.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was watching Ohio State vs. Michigan with my mom and stepdad at the VFW. You could feel the tension between the Michigan and Ohio State fans in the smoked film room. In the area of Northern Ohio where I grew up, there is a strong Ohio State presence, as you expect, but there is also a strong Michigan presence since it is close to the Michigan border.

The adults in the room were stressed about the game. If Ohio State did something good, then the Michigan fans would get upset. On the reverse, then, the Ohio State fans would get angry. I am sure there was plenty of drinking, but as an 8 or 9-year-old kid, I just remember watching the game and hoping Ohio State won the game, but of course, I was excited to play the pin pal machine. A lot of memories fade as I get older, but I think I always remember watching those Ohio State Games at the VFW.

Fast forward to 1995. At this point, I was in High School, and I now knew the importance of the Ohio State vs. Michigan game. Anyways Ohio State had entered the game undefeated. Most Ohio State fans thought it was our year to beat Michigan and win two years in a row against them.

Then the starting running back for Michigan took over. "Who is Tim Biakabutuka, and why is he killing our Buckeyes?" I said to my dad. He just sat there in shock seeing our Buckeyes collapse again.  That's exactly what my dad and I thought while we watched the game.

This can't happen again. We are undefeated and are a good team, but it did happen as Ohio State lost to Michigan. Biakabutuka rushed for a Michigan of 313 yards in a 31-23 victory for Michigan. My dad and I just didn't understand. Why are we losing again? Is there a curse? We just sat on the couch realizing another wasted year for our Buckeyes. This was a usual type of season for Ohio State during the John Cooper tenure when he went 2-10-1 against Michigan

This Saturday, I will sit down and watch the next Ohio State vs. Michigan game with my wife (a fellow Ohio State graduate like me), my 10-year-old son, and my 8-year-old daughter. Both are turning into Ohio State fanatics as they both went to an Ohio State Football game for the second year in a row this season.

I will also think of the legendary Buckeye players like Archie Griffin, Eddie George, and many others. I will also think of my parents because no matter what happened in our lives, this game meant everything to them. I think of those cold Novembers in Northern Ohio watching this game with my parents and knowing for three hours all we needed was a Buckeye win to make us happy.

Sometimes, we were happy, sometimes sad, but no matter what, we realized that we loved the Buckeyes, and we loved each other. Go Bucks!!