Countdown To Kickoff 2022: Ohio State Demolishes Michigan, 50-14

We’re counting the days until the 2022 season by the number of points the Buckeyes scored in some of their greatest victories.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Jul 15, 2022 12:01 PM EDT

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Ohio State Buckeyes

There are many ways to countdown to the upcoming college football season, though none may be more popular than naming the best player in school history by jersey number.

We've decided to do something a little different, though, and will be counting the days until Ohio State's season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3 by the number of points the Buckeyes scored in some of their greatest victories.

For example, Ohio State scored 48 points in its win over Utah in the Rose Bowl back in January. That game could very well be highlighted when there are 48 days remaining in the offseason.

We understand that this approach won't allow us to do a daily countdown, especially with higher point totals, but we're hopeful that looking back at some of the more notable games in school history will build anticipation for the upcoming season.

With that said, let's continue the countdown...

Ohio State 50, Michigan 14 - Nov. 23, 1968

With a Big Ten championship and berth in the Rose Bowl on the line, second-ranked Ohio State demolished No. 4 Michigan, 50-14, in the 1968 regular season finale.

Fullback Jim Otis rushed for 143 yards and four touchdowns to break Howard “Hopalong” Cassady’s single-season school record of 14 scores in a single season, while quarterback Rex Kern completed 5-of-8 passes for 41 yards and rushed 19 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

The Buckeyes’ defense picked off Wolverines quarterback Denny Brown three times, with safety Jack Tatum and linebackers Doug Adams and Arthur Burton each pulling down an interception.

Burton’s fourth-quarter interception set up Otis’ fourth score of the game, which put Ohio State ahead 50-14. Legend suggests head coach Woody Hayes then went for two because the Buckeyes “couldn’t go for three,” but there is no evidence to support that claim.

“The best victory we ever had,” Hayes said after the game. “This is a good football team and we played a good football team. All of our kids played real good football.

“What happened before is that the offense would have a good day and the defense would stutter around some. Then, another game, it would be the other way around. We said that if they ever put it together and both played well the same day, we would have something. This was it.”

The win marked Ohio State’s second-largest margin of victory over Michigan, trailing only a 38-0 win in 1935. It was also tied for the most points the Buckeyes had ever scored against the Wolverines, matching the 50-20 victory in 1961.

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