Fansided

Ohio State vs Michigan: 5 best individual performances of all-time

By Carly Regehr

Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer and Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh prior to the game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer and Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh prior to the game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 5, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; A general view of the helmet of Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 62-3. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; A general view of the helmet of Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 62-3. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2: 152 rushing yards, 4 TD vs. Michigan (1961)

Player: Ohio State RB Bob Ferguson

Final Score: 50 Ohio State, Michigan 20

Head Coaches: Bump Elliott (Michigan), Woody Hayes (Ohio State)

W-L Record in 1961: 6-3 (Michigan), 8-0 (Ohio State)

Backed by this peformance by Bob Ferguson, the Buckeyes would score the most points (50) in the rivalry in 1961. It also took only two minutes for the Buckeyes to wrangle in two scores during the fourth quarter — all credit due to Ferguson.

What J.T Barrett is to Ohio State right now, Bob Ferguson was that man in the 1960s for the Buckeyes. With Ferguson sporting the scarlet and gray, Ohio State maintained a fairly clean win-loss record at 18-7. The same year of his 152-4 game, Ohio State also snatched the National Championship away from Bear Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide.

His accolades continued to pile up in 1961. For starters, he was a runner-up in the Heisman voting, behind Ernie “The Express” Davis. Ferguson was also recognized as the college football player of the year, earning the Maxwell Award in 1961.

Despite all the success he reigned in in one year, Ferguson would shelf football for life due to health problems. He wouldn’t retire as a player, but as a counselor. Fourteen years since that retirement, Ferguson passed away in his hometown of Columbus.

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