Michigan, under first-year head coach and former Hayes assistant Bo Schembechler, was ranked 12th in the latest poll on the strength of a 7-2 record. The stakes were high for both teams. The Buckeyes were seeking their second consecutive Big Ten and national titles and a chance to be listed among the all-time greats. Michigan could gain a share of the Big Ten title and a measure of revenge for the previous year’s humiliation and the rookie coach could prove himself against the master.
1969 Game, Bo’s Big Win
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The sideline Celebration Says It All
Jim Otis Scoring First OSU td
The Buckeyes came right back, however, and moved 74 yards, largely on the arm of Rex Kern. A pass interference call and a 28-yard completion to White moved the ball to the Michigan 22. Kern and White then connected for the touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. White made the extra point attempt, but Michigan was called for an offside penalty. Hayes elected to take the point off the board and go for two. Left end Mike Keller sacked Kern far behind the line as he attempted to pass. Ohio State led 12-7. Woody Hayes, roaming the sideline in his trademark short-sleeve shirt despite the cold weather, wouldn’t have guessed the Buckeye’s were done scoring for the day.
Doughty returned the ensuing kick-off 31 yards to get another Michigan scoring drive started. Moorhead connected with Billy Harris for nine yards, Gabler ran for seven, and a nine yare completion to Mandich put the ball on the Ohio 33. Tailback Billy Taylor followed with a 28-yard broken-field run to the 6 yard-line – shedding at least three Buckeye tacklers along the way. Craw gained four yards over the middle and then went off the left-side for his second touchdown. Titas’ kick made it 14-12.
Barry Pierson's 60 yard punt return
Michigan had to settle for a field goal on its next drive after an apparent touchdown pass to Mandich was nullified by an illegal procedure call. Three keepers by Moorhead gained 22 yards.
On third and nine at the Ohio 34, Moorhead found Mandich alone at the Buckeye eight. Going for the score on fourth down from the three, Moorhead hit Mandich in the end zone, but the penalty wiped it out. Titas then kicked a field goal from the 25 to end the day’s scoring.
In the final 1:25 of the half, Michigan’s all-American safety Tom Curtis out-intercepted Ohio State’s future all-American Mike Sensibaugh, 2-1. Curtis returned his first pick 26 yards to set an NCAA career record of 431 yards. He nabbed a Kern bomb in the end zone for his 25th career pick, a Big Ten record.
Michigan’s strategy was to contain the Ohio State running game and force Kern to pass. In Schembechler’s words, “We knew (Jim) Otis would get his yardage, but we knew we had to stop Kern.” Defensive ends Cecil Pryor and Mike Keller kept Kern from making big gains to the outside and when he and his fourth quarter replacement, Ron Maciejowski, were forced to pass, Michigan’s defensive backs had a field day. Barry Pierson intercepted three passes, Tom Curtis two and Thom Darden one.
The second half was a defensive struggle. Ohio mounted several scoring threats, but, as Schembechler noted, “great plays on defense saved us in the second half.” Though the games statistics ended up fairly even, there was no doubt that Michigan dominated the game. Woody Hayes summarized the outcome succinctly, “We got outplayed and outcoached.”