UM Band, 1897
OSU Band, 1894

Just as the Michigan - Ohio State football rivalry has been called the greatest in college sports, the competition between marching bands has been equally spirited. Both make justifiable claims to being the best in the land. Michigan's band claims a number of firsts in its long history, including first Big Ten band to play at a Rose Bowl game and first Big Ten band to play at a Superbowl Game. For a time the UM Band was known as the "Transcontinental Band" because it played in both Yankee Stadium and the Rose Bowl in 1950.

The Ohio State band can cite an equally impressive list of firsts and humbly bills itself under the acronym TBDBITL (The Best Damn Band In The Land). If those claims seem a bit outlandish, the judges of the Sudler Trophy, given annually to the college band of particular excellence, confirmed them by awarding Michigan the first trophy in 1982 and Ohio State the third in 1984.