Ohio State football: 5 best seasons in Buckeyes history, ranked
By Dante Pryor
Ohio State football wins the national championship in 1942.
Before Paul Brown founded both the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals, he spent three years as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. His second year in Columbus, they won the program’s first national championship.
This team laid the foundation of what is the hallmark of great Ohio State football teams; a powerful dominant running game and a smothering defense. The Buckeyes averaged 33.7 points and over 280 rushing yards per game.
Defensively, they surrendered only 11.4 points per game and pitched two shut outs. Offensively, the Buckeyes’ rushing attack was led by Gene Fekete, Paul Sarringhaus, and Les Horvath. They featured five All-Americans; tackle (and team MVP) Charles Csuri, Fekete, Sarringhaus, guard Lindell Houston and end Bob Shaw.
The Buckeyes rolled over everyone in 1942 except for the Wisconsin Badgers. They were defeated by the Badgers who had future NFL Hall of Famer Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch. He was part of a trio that combined for 211 yards on their way to the 17-7 win.
Head coach Paul Brown did not blame the loss to the play of the Badgers trio, rather, he blamed it on the outbreak of dysentery the team contracted either on the way to the game or at the game itself.
The Buckeyes were able to win the Big Ten championship with a victory over rival Michigan 21-7. The Buckeyes and Paul Brown won their first national title over the Iowa Seahawks 41-12.