Bo Schembechler
Bo makes a point
Woody Hayes on sidelines
Woody makes a point

The Ten Year War


Of all the coaching match-ups in the long Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, none has been more intense and at times bitter than that between Woody Hayes and "Bo" Schembechler. For ten years the two dominated the "Big 2 and Little 8," splitting ten conference titles between and finishing second eight times. Hayes supposedly could not bring himself to speak the name of "that school up north" and Schembechler, who played for Hayes at Miami of Ohio and was an Ohio State assistant coach, savored nothing more than putting it to his old mentor. After a decade of memorable on-field stratagems, sideline antics, and locker room psychological ploys, the two coaches came out almost dead-even, Schembechler holding a slim 5-4-1 advantage.

 


Wayne Woodrow HayesGlenn E. Schembechler
Feb. 14, 1913BirthdateApril 1, 1929
Newcomerstown, OH
(born in Clifton, OH)
HometownBarberton, OH
Denison University, 1935College Miami of Ohio, 1951
Denison University, 1946-1948
Miami of Ohio, 1949-1950
Prior Coaching
Experience
Ohio State, 1952-53 (graduate assistant)
Presbyterian College, 1954 (assistant)
Bowling Green, 1955 (assistant)
Northwestern, 1958 (assistant)
Ohio State, 1959-1963 (assistant)
Miami of Ohio, 1964-1968
238-72-10Career Record 234-65-8
191-1978
28 seasons
Years at OSU/UM 1969-1989
21 seasons
20-61-10OSU/UM Record 194-48-
12-38-7Big Ten Record143-24-3
16-11-1UM vs OSU 11-9-1
4--1Woody vs "Bo" -4-1
13Big Ten Titles 13
5National Championships 0
4-4Rose Bowl Record 2-8-0
5-6All Bowl Games 5-12-0
56All-Americans39
3Heisman Trophy Winners 0
291st Round Picks13
2National Coach of the Year 1

Woody and Bo
Bitter rivals on the field, Woody and "Bo" had a deep respect
for each other and their mutual commitment to winning.

Woody on Bo:
"If 'Bo' is not a winner, I never saw one and I should know. He beat me the last three games we played. We've fought and quarreled for years but we're great friends." [Quoted in The Lantern February 10, 1986.]

Bo on Woody:
"There was plenty to criticize about Woody Hayes. His methods were tough, his temper was, at times, unforgivable. And, unless you knew him or played for him, it is hard to explain why you liked being around the guy. But you didn't just like it, you loved it. He was simply fascinating." [From Bo by "Bo" Schembechler and Mitch Albom.]

Ufer on Woody and Bo:
Michigan radio announcer Bob Ufer recites his epic "Burying Wood Hayes"


Woody vs Bo, 1969-1978
Ranking Results Big 10 Finish
Date Site UM OSU W UM OSU UM OSU Attendance
11/22/1969 Ann Arbor 12 1 UM 24 12 1st (T) 1st (T) 103,588
11/21/1970 Columbus 4 5 OSU 9 20 2nd (T) 1st 87,331
11/20/1971 Ann Arbor 3
UM 10 7 1st 3rd (T) 104,016
11/25/1972 Columbus 3 9 OSU 11 14 1st (T) 1st (T) 87,040
11/24/1973 Ann Arbor 4 1 T 10 10 1st (T) 1st (T) 105,233
11/23/1974 Columbus 3 4 OSU 10 12 1st (T) 1st (T) 88,234
11/22/1975 Ann Arbor 5 3 OSU 14 21 2nd 1st 105,543
11/20/1976 Columbus 4 8 UM 22 0 1st (T) 1st (T) 88,250
11/19/1977 Ann Arbor 5 4 UM 14 6 1st (T) 1st (T) 105,312
11/25/1978 Columbus 6 16 UM 14 3 1st (T) 4th 88,38