Road to College Football: Experiencing The Game at Michigan Stadium

Here’s what it’s like to experience The Game between Ohio State and Michigan live in person.

As seconds were ticking away in the fourth quarter in Ann Arbor, the unwelcome guests from down south held a commanding 31-20 lead. Ohio State had the ball and Michigan was out of timeouts, and the Buckeye faithful began to celebrate. Tens of thousands of Ohio State fans began the famous “O-H-I-O” chant around the Big House, which picked up so much momentum that it could be heard on the national broadcast.

I was among those fans in scarlet and grey shouting a hearty “O!” when it was our section’s turn. The tradition is incredible when it’s heard in the Horseshoe, but even more incredible when it’s heard in your most bitter rival’s stadium.

It was Week 13 of the inaugural year of Road to CFB, and I had never dreamed of closing the year out watching my favorite team play in one of the most historic rivalries in sports. Tickets to see Ohio State-Michigan usually start at $200, and only go way up from there. In order to be in person at this game, I was going to have to take a big risk.

The Game

No. 7 Ohio State 31, Michigan 20 (November 25, 2017)

Instead of attending my family’s annual Thanksgiving dinner (traditionally held on Saturday), I was driving with my best friend up to Ann Arbor. We were ticket-less, and certain that we were going to be watching The Game from an Ohio State-friendly bar on TV. The plan was to try our hand at negotiating tickets from local scalpers – a daunting task for first-time ticket negotiators.

Traditionally, The Game kicks off at noon E.T., which calls for an 8 a.m. arrival, at least; for many tailgaters, that means 8 a.m. the day before. For the next four hours, I would be negotiating and shopping for a ticket into the game. Inside, the pregame band performance passed, and then the announcement of the teams, and then kickoff. On our final effort to land tickets, the scalper was desperate and sold us tickets for half face-value.  As soon as the tickets hit our hands, we hustled inside to find our seats.

The Game was no disappointment. Michigan jumped out to an early lead, sparking the fans of the unranked Wolverines. Up 14-0, things were looking bad for a Buckeye team ranked 7th in the country and eyeing another Playoff berth. Things were looking even worse when star quarterback J.T. Barrett left the game with an ankle injury, leaving true freshman Dewayne Haskins to save Ohio State’s season. A few remarkable throws and Haskins had brought Ohio State right back into the game. 112,000 fans were going absolutely nuts over the competitiveness of the latest installment to the rivalry.

Up 24-20, running back Mike Weber broke loose for 25 yards into the end zone and sent a dagger through the heart of the state of Michigan. 80,000 fans when completely silent in disappointment and disbelief. A game in which seemed to be going the Wolverines’ way turned right around into a sixth consecutive loss.

Atmosphere

Walking through the tunnel to the main bowl is like entering another world. On this day, over 112,000 spectators jammed themselves into Michigan Stadium in winter attire, making the space far more crammed than usual. Stairs and isles were nonexistent, and shifting our way down to the 30th row was like trying to traverse rush hour traffic. Though our tickets were marked for seats one and two, we settled down in seats 10 and 11 due to the lack of room.

Despite temperatures near freezing, the Michigan student section was decked in bright yellow tees. The student crowd contained tens of thousands of excited fans and stretches the height of the northwest fourth of the stadium and floods into surrounding sections. Thanks to the incredibly dense crowd, temperatures in the stadium rose to comfortable and the energy from the game kept us warm.

For the next 60 minutes of football, we were standing. Sitting wasn’t an option.

This game meant something, and everyone in attendance knew that.

The Rivalry

To fully understand the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry, one has to look back no further than the meeting prior in 2016, when The Game went to overtime for the first time in its 119-year history. Ohio Stadium was 5,000 spectators over capacity, and when wide receiver Curtis Samuel ran in the game-winning touchdown, the stadium exploded. The noise could have measured on the Richter Scale. No. 2 Ohio State secured its spot in the Playoff, and No.3 Michigan was eliminated from their first berth. It also gave my dad and I a good explanation as to why we were showing up to Thanksgiving an hour late.

The Game played its first matchup in 1867, where the nationally dominant Wolverines blanked the Buckeyes 34-0. Though Michigan historically has more wins (58-49-6), Ohio State has dominated the past 17 years, winning 15 times. Many of these games have come with both teams ranking in the top 10, and have had some serious National Championship implications. 10 Heisman trophy winners have taken the field for this rivalry, and the teams have a combined 19 National Championships. Many consider this the most intense rivalry in all of sports.

Tailgating

At Michigan Stadium, dense tailgating is found in all directions around the stadium. The parking lot of local Pioneer High School to the southwest is home to hundreds of RV’s and diehard tailgaters. To the north, wealthy season ticket holders and donors hold their parties. Farther off-site are the Greek house parties, with students overflowing small grass lots and old homes.

Directly to the south of the stadium presents the most popular and one of the more unique tailgating scenes in the country. Thousands of Wolverine fans set up shop on the Ann Arbor Golf & Outing Club course, which stretches for nearly a mile. On a normal game day, tailgaters would be offering food and drink to fans of the opposition walking by.

But this isn’t a normal game day.

Instead, I was met with cold shoulders and the occasional comment about the scarlet block O on my baseball cap. While not the friendliest welcome I’ve received at a stadium, I expected a much more hostile environment.

Traditions

Michigan carries some of the most iconic traditions in all of college football. Before every game, the Wolverines flood onto the field from the visiting 50-yard line tunnel to the sound of “Hail to the Victors.” Above them is the GO BLUE banner given to them by the U.M. Undergraduate Club, which each player jumps and pats. The team also traditionally wears their ages-old maize helmets with the maize winged stripe.

The GO BLUE, M CLUB SUPPORTS YOU banner has been in use for nearly 50 years, and has solidified itself as one of the most recognizable traditions in college football today. Michigan’s winged football helmet design has been around since 1938, where then-Athletic Director Herbert Crisler brought them from Princeton, where he coached. Ironically, Ohio State was one of the earliest teams to use the winged helmet design as far back as 1934.

Away from the tailgating and most hustle and bustle of the pregame festivities, dozens of busses arrived to the welcome of lucky fans on the north end of the stadium. Large charter busses dropped off Urban Meyer and his talented troops in Ann Arbor to a chorus of hissing, boos, and jeers. Among the ranks were Heisman-contender Barrett (playing his last regular season game for Ohio State), first-round draft pick Denzel Ward, and fan-favorites Sam Hubbard and Nick Bosa.

Following some time later arrived blue city busses carrying the home team, lead by a charismatic Jim Harbaugh. Courtesy of the university, the Wolverines choose to arrive in less-lavish transport than your average college football program. The most passionate Wolverine fans were there to greet the dynamic Wolverine backfield composed of Chris Evans, Karan Higdon and Ty Isaac.

Stadium

Michigan Stadium sits up on a hill in Ann Arbor that overlooks campus. The massive maize “M” keeps watch over all of the students and can be seen for miles. Inside, all 107,000 seats stand in one enormous bowl, painted in blue. Everyone is shadowed by massive press boxes and suites and looks down upon a remarkably well-kept natural grass field. The away stands have a maize painted block “M” right above the Wolverines’ tunnel at the 50-yard line.

On this day, you wouldn’t know what color the stands are or whether there is a maize painted block “M” on the away stands. The only thing seen during The Game is 112,000 fans in coats and hats eagerly waiting to watch the next chapter in history.

The Big House opened in 1927, and was already a colossal structure. It opened with 72,000 seats and eclipsed the 100,000 capacity mark in 1956. Seating reached its peak between 2010 and 2015, where it reached 109,901, but was reduced with the most recent renovations in 2015 to the current 107,601. Since 1956, the capacity in the stadium has always ended in “-01,” which has been rumored to be the seat for Michigan’s athletic director, though this has never been confirmed.

Local Summary

Where to eat: Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger

• If you have a legendary appetite, this is the place for you. Dozens of records and challenges are written on the walls, ranging from 12 burgers eaten in just 30 minutes to a toddler finishing a small fry in a single sitting. Regardless, the small-diner feel is cozy and the burgers are grilled to perfection.

Must-see’s:

• Vault of Midnight – A comic book and pop culture shop with a lot of character. Find everything from old 60’s Marvel comics to the latest issue of Batman. Go downstairs to find the classics.
• Downtown – All of the best restaurants, shops, and bars are between State Street and Main Street in Ann Arbor. You can find everything from Irish Pubs to artisan shops to the M Den (the best Michigan swag shop in the city).
• UM Campus – Historic, beautiful, grand. These are all words that describe the University of Michigan’s campus. Catch it after construction on the student union, and you’ll see one of the best campuses in the nation.

What to wear: Navy blue, Maize if you sit in the student section. Something warm after September.

• The Great Lakes region can get brutally cold after September. Ann Arbor sits less than 50 miles from Lake Erie, and some of the most iconic games in Michigan Stadium have included brutal temperatures and snow. But don’t cover up your blue and maize. Don’t be afraid to sport the opposing team, as Wolverine fans are generally kind and accommodating, even to Ohio State fans – a rarity in sports.

Where to tailgate: Ann Arbor Golf Course on the south side of campus.

• Thousands of cars and trucks find their spot on the golf course to the south of the stadium. Tailgating begins at the crack of dawn or earlier, depending on the kickoff time and opponent. Be prepared to walk, though.

3 Ways to Improve:

• Though iconic, the giant single-bowl layout severely inhibits back-row spectators and almost removes them from the game.
• Shape of the stadium doesn’t direct crowd noise and the place isn’t overwhelmingly loud.
• That’s it. Minor gripes, this place is incredible.

The Best

• 110,000 people in one place is amazing. The size of this place is beyond amazing.
• The tradition is historic and rich. One of the most tradition-rich places in the country.
• Ann Arbor is an amazing college town. There is so much to do and eat. Amazing town.

Follow the Road to CFB journey on Instagram @roadtocfb. Michigan vs. Ohio State 2018 can be found on FOX on Nov, 24 at noon ET.