Michigan football has enjoyed many memorable moments against Ohio State during its four game winning streak over the Buckeyes since 2021, but some of the images from the 2021 game at the Big House between the two teams are difficult to top.
Coming into that one, the Wolverines had lost eight straight matchups to OSU despite having some very quality teams during that stretch. It was a losing streak that many Michigan fans probably wondered whether it would ever end. Then, all the pain from the previous years felt like it was erased, at least for that one day, when Michigan put on an epic performance on both sides of the ball to defeat OSU by a score of 42-27.
That version of The Game had several great individual performances, including from former running back Hassan Haskins, who ran for five touchdowns in the victory. But against such a potent OSU offense that included quarterback CJ Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Wolverines needed the defensive performance of a lifetime to pull off the upset.
While Mike MacDonald's crew had a slew of players play well on the defensive side of the ball, it was now Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson who was the star, sacking Stroud three times and recording 15 pressures. The 15 pressures were the most by a Big Ten players in the last 10 years and Hutchinson did it in the biggest game of his life at the time.
Fox Sports' Joel Klatt ranked Hutchinson's performance on that day in November as the fourth-best he has ever called in the broadcast booth. Klatt detailed the performance in an article on the Fox Sports website, as well as on his show on YouTube.
I remember there were games we called when the Buckeyes would score an avalanche of points (that year) like you'd see in college basketball," Klatt wrote. "All of a sudden, they would be up multiple scores and a comeback would be impossible.
On that day, though, Ohio State couldn't go on that same scoring avalanche against Michigan. Stroud was still sensational, throwing for 394 yards. But Hutchinson was too dominant, particularly on third downs, as Ohio State's scoring drives in the second half took too long for it to make a comeback.
That game also helped send Hutchinson to New York as a Heisman finalist, finishing second that year to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. He was also named the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player and won the Lott Trophy that year, too."
The legendary perfomance from Hutchinson and his team helped change the trajectory of the rivalry as things stand today and turn the momentum into the Wolverines' favor. Michigan leads the all-time series between the two programs with a record of 62-51-6 against the Buckeyes.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!