Contrary to what Brady Hoke may believe, Ohio and Ohio State are two very different schools and programs. Founded in 1804, just a year after Ohio became a state, Ohio University is the oldest university in the Buckeye State. The Ohio State University was founded in 1870, but in 1890, the Buckeyes began playing college football, followed by the Bobcats in 1894. This year’s Ohio State vs. Ohio matchup will take place in Week 3 on September 13 in prime time. Surprisingly, it’ll be just the eighth time the two flagships face off.
Last year, Ohio won the MAC after demolishing Miami (OH), avenging one of the few losses on the schedule. The Bobcats took down Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl, but will have to replace a handful of starters and their head coach in 2025.
Ohio State vs. Ohio matchups can be described in two halves: pre-“the discovery of flight” and post-“the invention of the internet.”
The History of Ohio State vs. Ohio
Four Pre-Flight Meetings
Orville and Wilbur Wright went to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and embarked on the first flight on December 17, 1903. By that time, there were four Ohio State vs. Ohio matchups.
Unfortunately, for the oldest matchups, there is not much online by way of stats. The first time the Buckeyes and Bobcats faced off was on October 21, 1899, in Columbus. The Buckeyes prevailed, 41-0, en route to the program’s first undefeated season (9-0-1). That year, the Bobcats were feast or famine. In their two wins, they won by a combined score of 78-0. In their two losses, they were outscored 77-0. The following season, the Buckeyes dispatched the Bobcats again, 20-0. The 1900 Ohio State season finished 8-1-1 with a loss to Ohio Medical (yeah…Ohio Medical), and tied Michigan, 0-0. Ohio finished 2-4-1.
The following season, the in-state rivalry ended with a 17-0 Ohio State win. The Buckeyes ended the 1901 season 5-3-1 with losses to Michigan, Oberlin, and Indiana. Meanwhile, Ohio’s season went better. The loss to Ohio State was the only blemish on the year as the Bobcats finished 6-1-2 with ties with Otterbein and Marietta. The following season was the final Ohio State vs. Ohio matchup before the discovery of flight. In the fourth straight game at Ohio Field, the Buckeyes won, 17-0, en route to a 6-2-2 season. Ohio State tied Indiana and Illinois, while losing to Case and running into a Michigan buzzsaw in the program’s golden age (86-0). However, Ohio…struggled. The Bobcats finished 0-6-1, did not score a point all season, and tied Parkersburg…High School.
After a four-year run, Ohio State vs. Ohio did not pick back up for 97 years. The Buckeyes took the four matchups by a combined score of 95 to zero.
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They Scored!
Quarterbacked by a 17-year-old true freshman, Ohio scored its first points against the Buckeyes and led 10-3 late in the second quarter. Then, Ohio State, led by Steve Bellisari, marched down the field to tie it up, and it was 10-10 at halftime. Bobcat players were surprised at how quiet Ohio Stadium was and, for a while, the boos were the most participation from the Buckeye faithful.
Then, Ohio State scored three touchdowns on six plays. Ohio lost its quarterback late in the game, and the Buckeyes went on to win, 40-16. Ohio State finished the season 6-6 in another disappointing season under John Cooper, but it would have been exponentially worse if it had not woken up in the second half.
Bellisari finished the day 12/21 for 243 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. His top receiver on the day was Ken-Yon Rambo with 181 yards and two touchdowns off seven receptions. Michael Wiley paced the Buckeyes with 98 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.
Too Close For Comfort
The 2008 season ended with a Fiesta Bowl loss after 11 wins, so it wasn’t all bad. However, it took the Buckeyes far too long to decide which quarterback was the best of the group. The Week 2 matchup with Ohio exemplified that.
The game started off sleepily with both sides trading punts. On Ohio’s second drive of the day, it was driving until Lawrence Wilson tipped the swing pass to himself and set the Buckeyes up with a first down on the Ohio 24. After Ohio State fizzled out, Ryan Pretorius kicked a 27-yard field goal to get the scoring started. Then, the sides traded punts again. With favorable field positioning, Ohio threw it away with another interception, this time to Malcolm Jenkins. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes squandered the turnover with their turnover on downs on the Ohio 29.
This time, the Bobcats drove 72 yards for the game’s first touchdown. Harden took the toss 15 yards to take a 7-3 lead. Now, down by four, the Ohio State offense had to work uphill, but the Buckeyes missed a field goal, so the Bobcats led, 7-6, at Ohio Stadium.
After forcing a punt out of the half, Ohio State needed to drive the length of the field. Instead, the third-down snap flew over Todd Boeckman‘s head to be recovered in the end zone by the Bobcats. Ohio led, 14-6.
Jim Tressel’s squad remained unwavering; they were accustomed to these kinds of games. Led by Daniel “Boom” Herron, the Buckeyes drove 73 yards to cut into the lead off a one-yard Herron touchdown. After a pair of three-and-outs, Ohio fumbled the return, setting the Buckeyes up for a two-yard Brandon Saine touchdown to stretch the lead to 19-14.
The wheels came off shortly thereafter. James Laurinaitis hauled in an interception. Then, Ray Small returned a punt for a touchdown. In the end, the threat was deposed, 26-14
[Vacated]
According to the history books, the 2010 season ended with no wins and one loss in Columbus. On the field, the most recent Ohio State vs. Ohio matchup occurred. That season was dominant with 10 of the Buckeyes’ 12 wins by multiple scores. One of those dominant victories came against the Ohio Bobcats, 43-7.
Ohio’s first drive was an indicator of how the day would go. On the Bobcats’ second play from scrimmage, the Buckeyes hauled in an interception that set them up for a 32-yard field goal to take an early lead. It was more of the same for Ohio as by the time it managed its first first down of the game (8:03 to go until half), Ohio ran 13 plays for five yards with three punts and two lost fumbles.
Ohio State, meanwhile, took advantage. Including that made field goal, the Buckeyes scored on each of their first six drives to take an early 34-0 lead. Terrelle Pryor finished his day with 235 yards and two touchdowns with only seven incompletions. Two of those incompletions resulted in interceptions, however. Both interceptions were within the five-yard line. One of those ended the half, and the other resulted in a safety, so no harm done.
On the day, the Buckeyes accounted for 439 yards and allowed just 158. Ohio turned the ball over five times and only accrued seven first downs.
Now, heading into 2025, Ohio is coming off its first MAC title since 1968. They’ll be looking to upend the reigning champions under the lights without last year’s head coach and a handful of assistants who all defected to Charlotte.
Main Image: Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
