Between Ohio State defending its national championship, the arrival of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, the sustained success of Michigan State and renewed optimism for Penn State, Wisconsin and Nebraska, never has the league seemed so loaded on the eve of its season. The sudden excitement surrounding the Big Ten could make for several instant classics on the field, particularly in the East Division, where the Buckeyes, Spartans, Nittany Lions and Wolverines are arguably the conference's four most intriguing teams. But while everyone is looking forward to the coming season, now's the perfect time to look back at the matchups that have already made for some of the greatest games in Big Ten history. With that in mind, here is my countdown of the 10 best games in Big Ten history. Historical significance, star power and the overall entertainment of each matchup were taken into account while creating and ranking the list.īraxton Miller takes off against Michigan in 2013. There isn't a series in all of the Big Ten-if not college football-more capable of consistently delivering an instant classic than the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan, and 2013 was no exception. The Braxton Miller-led Buckeyes headed to Ann Arbor with a 23-game winning streak, prepared to face a struggling Wolverines squad with a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game on the line. But despite Michigan entering the game having lost four of its previous six contests, Brady Hoke's team still gave Ohio State all it could handle in a high-scoring shootout that saw the two teams combine for 83 points. "That was an instant classic," Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer said afterward. He would have wanted a 10-9 game, but he would have wanted to see the two teams playing as hard as they can." "Coach Hayes was from a different generation. There was no doubt that the Buckeyes and Wolverines did just that, with the final play coming down to Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell intercepting a two-point conversion attempt that would have given Michigan the lead with 1:48 remaining in the game. "We played the game to win," Hoke said of his decision to bypass an extra-point attempt that would have likely sent the game to overtime. Walking away from the Big House with a 42-41 victory, the Buckeyes would see their 24-game winning streak snapped the following week in the Big Ten title game against Michigan State. Michigan State running back Tico Duckett.īut Ohio State's 2013 team-and Michigan's-will always have the distinction of having participated in one of the most entertaining editions of The Game. In what was one of the most controversial finishes in the history of the Big Ten, the 1990 game between Michigan and Michigan State came to an end with the Spartans upsetting the top-ranked Wolverines. It wasn't just the finish, however, that made the battle between the two co-conference champions so memorable, but also one of the most exciting quarters in the history of college football.Īfter entering the fourth quarter with the game tied at 14, Michigan State's Hyland Hickson ripped off a 26-yard touchdown run, with Michigan's Desmond Howard answering with a 95-yard score on the ensuing kickoff. Spartans running back Tico Duckett would put his team back on top with a nine-yard run with just under two minutes remaining, before Elvis Grbac capped a drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Alexander.Īttempting a two-point conversion to go ahead rather than tie up the score, Grbac's pass to Howard fell short, preserving the Spartans victory. Michigan fans, however, are adamant that Howard was interfered with by Eddie Brown on the play and that it should have resulted in a penalty.
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