How many times has OSU beaten Michigan since 2000? Taking a close look at one of the biggest rivalries in the CFB world
Many young Buckeyes fans want to know how many times OSU has beaten Michigan since 2000. It is a question that Ohio State faithful tend to ask when learning about how legendary "The Game" is.
And it's a good question, too, as the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry is perhaps the biggest in college football history, considering the two programs first met in 1897.
"The Game" is getting its 2023 edition on Nov. 25 when the Wolverines host the Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium. But before we go on, we need to settle the score. OSU has beaten Michigan 17 times since 2000. UM won four times, with back-to-back wins in the past two meetings.
That's the straight answer to this question. Since the turn of the millennium, the Buckeyes have dominated the Wolverines at home and on the road, and the records clearly show it.
A lot of the games were close, too, which gives even more credence to "The Game" being among the most iconic sports rivalries ever.
There's no denying that every single time the Buckeyes and the Wolverines meet, fans can expect a battle to the end - with the winner often not being decided until the last several minutes of play.
Is Ohio State dominating Michigan at every turn?
The head-to-head record between OSU and UM from 2000 is quite one-sided.
Before 2021, Michigan had to endure a full decade of losing to Ohio State. In 2011, the school hosted the Buckeyes in Michigan Stadium and beat them there, 40-34. But they would lose eight straight games before destroying OSU at home ten years later, 42-27, then winning again last year, 45-23.
Safe to say, Wolverines fans must be feeling good about this matchup heading into the new season.
Is UM out to win three straight vs. OSU?
Ask any Michigan Wolverines fan this question, and you'll likely hear them say "yes," as expected. But what are the odds that Michigan can make it three wins in a row against the Buckeyes?
This year's edition of "The Game" will be on the Wolverines' home turf in Ann Arbor. However, many analysts believe that OSU should snap the skid and beat Michigan this time. Because if the school does win, it might immensely impact the Buckeyes' playoff and title chances.
CFB analyst Raymond Lucas Jr., while writing for 247Sports, believes Ohio State doesn't need to beat UM to make it to the College Football Playoffs, but it needs to do so this season for its fans.
"Ryan Day needs to beat Jim Harbaugh in 2023. It's as simple as that," Lucas wrote.
One wouldn't be wrong to assume that if Ohio State recognizes the importance of bouncing back in 2023's "The Game," it will bode well for its national title hopes moving forward.