Home  News College Football Hall of Fame Unveils "The Bucks and the Blue" Exhibit
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College Football Hall of Fame Unveils "The Bucks and the Blue" Exhibit
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Featuring the History of the Feud, Legends and Little-Known Facts
College Football Hall of Fame
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. - April 1, 2009- Visitors to the College Football Hall of Fame can now witness a rivalry that may have started in the early 1830's with a land dispute. The Hall of Fame's new exhibit: "The Bucks and the Blue: Ohio State versus Michigan, College Football's Greatest Rivalry," features the University of Michigan - Ohio State University rivalry.
Kent Stephens, College Football Hall of Fame Curator, developed this exhibit to highlight one of the most historical and ruthless rivalries in college football.
"Beginning with the Toledo War of 1835, the states of Michigan and Ohio have had contemptuous relations since before the Wolverine State was admitted into the Union. Is it any wonder that the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan would be judged by a consensus of experts as not only the greatest rivalry in college football but also perhaps in all of sport?" Stephens said.
In the Toledo War, both states claimed a piece of land, 468 square miles in size, on the Ohio border: the Toledo Strip. The conflict was virtually bloodless, the dispute was settled, but despite this, each state still appears to harbor some bitterness for the other.
Thus, Ohio and Michigan broke out into a second war, this one would last much longer than the previous war. Instead of land, the Buckeyes and Wolverines do battle for pride, bragging rights and sometimes the Big Ten championship. Between them, the Big Ten championship has been determined 22 times.
The most intense, personal part of the rivalry, The Ten-Year War, lasted from 1969 to 1978 between two legendary coaches. Ohio State's Woody Hayes and Michigan's coach Bo Schembechler fought it out on the field in extreme battles that - in every year but one - determined the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl bid. With nearly identical coaching styles, the games were so hard-fought that no team scored more than two touchdowns in a game, with only three exceptions.
The two schools compete so fiercely that it does seem the continuation of some ancient feud, and it's not just the teams. Students, fans, even the states themselves get involved. Such traditions as the "Gold Pants Club" and the Mirror Lake Jump have resulted out of students and fans being involved in the battles.
Today, the rivalry lives on at the College Football Hall of Fame. In the new exhibit, fans can see such memorabilia as the 1969 Rose Bowl goal post, blueprints from both stadiums, and uniforms, helmets and letterman's jackets from both teams.
Inside the gates to the stadium, the Hall of Fame's all time Michigan and Ohio teams are listed so that fans may vote for which team they think might win. The tally will be kept and displayed along side the lists and hand written letters from Hall of Famers at both schools.
"The Bucks and the Blue: Ohio State versus Michigan, College Football's Greatest Rivalry," will be on exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame from April 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. For more information on this new exhibit and any upcoming events at The College Football Hall of Fame, please call 574-235-5743 or visit us at www.collegefootball.org.
About the College Football Hall of Fame
One of many programs conducted by the National Football Foundation, the College Football Hall of Fame is among the nation's premier sports shrines, preserving the history and ongoing story of college football while promoting an understanding of the positive values of the sport. For more information, visit www.collegefootball.org
About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, the NFF-FWAA Football Forum, the NFF Gridiron Club of New York City, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.
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