Explanation: The inaugural football contest between Michigan and Ohio State occurred on October 16, 1897, not 1907.

Explanation: The historical record confirms that Michigan secured a decisive victory of 34-0 against Ohio State in their first football meeting in 1897.

Explanation: The game's site has alternated annually between Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Columbus, Ohio, since 1918, rather than being exclusively held in Ann Arbor.

Explanation: The 86-0 score in the 1902 game represented a victory for Michigan. This significant loss prompted an Ohio State student to write the alma mater 'Carmen Ohio' on the train ride home.

Explanation: Ohio State became a member of the Big Ten Conference in 1912. The rivalry was first contested as a conference matchup in 1918, establishing its significance within the league.

Explanation: The inaugural football contest between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes occurred on October 16, 1897.

Explanation: The inaugural football contest on October 16, 1897, resulted in a 34-0 victory for the Michigan Wolverines over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Explanation: Since 1918, the venue for the Michigan-Ohio State football game has alternated annually between Ann Arbor, Michigan (in odd-numbered years), and Columbus, Ohio (in even-numbered years).

Explanation: The 86-0 score, achieved by Michigan in the 1902 game, holds historical significance as it inspired a student to compose the Ohio State alma mater, 'Carmen Ohio,' during the journey home.

Explanation: The Toledo War, a territorial dispute between Michigan and Ohio during the 1830s, is cited as a potential historical precursor to the animosity between the two states, which may have influenced the subsequent development of their football rivalry.

Explanation: The 1919 game saw Ohio State, under the leadership of Chic Harley, achieve their inaugural victory against Michigan with a score of 13-3. This win represented a significant shift, marking an end to Michigan's early dominance in the series.

Explanation: The period from 1969 to 1978 is indeed known as the 'Ten Year War,' characterized by the intense competition between legendary coaches Woody Hayes of Ohio State and Bo Schembechler of Michigan.

Explanation: During the 'Ten Year War' (1969-1978), Bo Schembechler's Michigan teams held a superior record against Woody Hayes' Ohio State teams, with a mark of 5-4-1.

Explanation: The 'Ten Year War' denotes a period of intense competition in the rivalry from 1969 to 1978, defined by the strategic duels between legendary coaches Woody Hayes of Ohio State and Bo Schembechler of Michigan, frequently involving both teams ranked within the AP Top 10.

Explanation: The 1968 game, won by Ohio State 50-14, was significant as it clinched the Big Ten title for the Buckeyes and marked a crucial step toward an AP national championship. It also featured Woody Hayes' notable quote regarding a two-point conversion attempt: 'because they wouldn't let me go for three.'

Explanation: Michigan secured victory in the 100th meeting of the rivalry in 2003, defeating Ohio State with a final score of 35-21.

Explanation: The 'Snow Bowl' is the colloquial designation for the 1950 contest, played amidst severe blizzard conditions, where Michigan narrowly defeated Ohio State 9-3.

Explanation: The 2006 game, dubbed the 'Game of the Century,' was the first time both teams entered the contest ranked #1 and #2 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings, not necessarily the AP Poll.

Explanation: The 2006 contest, widely acclaimed as the 'Game of the Century,' holds historical significance as the inaugural instance where both rival teams commenced the contest undefeated and ranked first and second, respectively, in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings. Ohio State ultimately prevailed with a score of 42-39.

Explanation: The 1940 contest saw Michigan achieve a decisive 40-0 victory in Columbus. This performance is often cited as a benchmark for what many historians consider one of Michigan's all-time greatest teams.

Explanation: The 'Snow Bowl' is the informal designation for the 1950 contest between Michigan and Ohio State, characterized by severe blizzard conditions, a high frequency of punts, and a low final score of 9-3 in favor of Michigan.

Explanation: The 2003 matchup, marking the 100th encounter between the rivals, established a then-NCAA record for attendance in a football game, drawing 112,118 spectators in Ann Arbor.

Explanation: The 2016 contest saw No. 2 Ohio State defeat No. 3 Michigan 30-27 in double overtime. The game remains controversial due to a pivotal fourth-down spot favoring Ohio State, a decision that continues to be debated by Michigan supporters.

Explanation: In a remarkable coincidence, the Ohio Lottery PICK 4 evening drawing numbers for the date of the 2006 Michigan-Ohio State game were 4-2-3-9, precisely matching the final score (Ohio State 42, Michigan 39), which led to a substantial payout for winning tickets.

Explanation: While the rivalry is intense, its widely recognized common name is "The Game," not "The Rivalry."

Explanation: Historically, the game has aired on networks such as ABC, and since 2017, it has been broadcast on Fox, not ESPN or CBS.

Explanation: In 2000, ESPN actually ranked the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry as the greatest North American sports rivalry, not the second-greatest.

Explanation: While Francis Schmidt's 1934 quote did inspire a tradition, Ohio State players receive a gold pants pendant, not a silver football, after defeating Michigan.

Explanation: Woody Hayes famously employed the phrase 'That team up north' to refer to the University of Michigan, deliberately avoiding uttering the team's name.

Explanation: The widely recognized appellation for the football rivalry between the University of Michigan Wolverines and The Ohio State University Buckeyes is "The Game."

Explanation: In the year 2000, ESPN designated the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry as the preeminent North American sports rivalry. Furthermore, during the 1990s and early 2000s, ESPN's acclaimed 'College GameDay' program frequently originated from the site of this contest.

Explanation: Coach Francis Schmidt's 1934 assertion, 'Of course we can win, Michigan puts their pants on one leg at a time just like we do,' served as the impetus for a tradition wherein Ohio State players are awarded a gold pants pendant upon defeating Michigan.

Explanation: Woody Hayes frequently employed the epithets 'That state up north' or 'That team up north' to refer to the University of Michigan, deliberately circumventing the utterance of its name. An illustrative anecdote posits his refusal to purchase gasoline in Michigan, declaring he would push his vehicle to the Ohio state line first.

Explanation: The rivalry's pervasive influence extends into popular culture, evidenced by its inclusion in ESPN commercials, an episode of the television series '8 Simple Rules,' 'The Daily Show,' an HBO documentary, and various books, underscoring its cultural resonance beyond athletic competition. A movie directed by Steven Spielberg is not mentioned.

Explanation: The tradition of singing 'Carmen Ohio' post-game is historically connected to the 1902 contest, where Michigan's 86-0 triumph inspired a student to compose the song during the return journey, reflecting on the team's performance and the rivalry's intensity.

Explanation: While the rivalry has frequently influenced conference championship outcomes, through the 2010 season, Michigan and Ohio State had directly decided the Big Ten Conference championship on 22 occasions, not over 40.

Explanation: As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, Michigan holds the lead in the all-time series against Ohio State with 62 wins, 51 losses, and 6 ties.

Explanation: As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, the all-time series record indicates Michigan leading Ohio State with 62 victories, 51 defeats, and 6 ties.

Explanation: Since the inception of the AP Poll's continuous release in 1936, Michigan and Ohio State have faced each other on 14 occasions while both were ranked within the top 5, a frequency unmatched by any other pair of rival institutions.

Explanation: Based on the provided data, Michigan has accrued 12 national championships, whereas Ohio State has secured 9 national championships.

Explanation: Michigan has participated in 3 College Football Playoff (CFP) tournaments, while Ohio State has made 6 appearances.

Explanation: Players from Michigan have been awarded 3 Heisman Trophies, while players from Ohio State have received 7 Heisman Trophies.

Explanation: Ohio State's longest consecutive winning streak in the rivalry comprises six games, accomplished between 2012 and 2017 during Urban Meyer's tenure.

Explanation: While the rivalry has been played annually since 1918, the streak was interrupted in 2020 due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Michigan football program.

Explanation: Due to NCAA violations, Ohio State was required to vacate all victories from their 2010 season, which consequently removed the win against Michigan from the official series record.

Explanation: Michigan's 2021 victory concluded an eight-game losing streak against Ohio State, not a ten-game streak.

Explanation: The 2022 contest marked the first time since 2006 that both Michigan and Ohio State entered the rivalry game undefeated. Michigan emerged victorious with a score of 45-23 in Columbus.

Explanation: Michigan's 2023 victory secured their first three-game winning streak in the rivalry since the period of 1995-1997, marking a significant achievement.

Explanation: In the 2024 matchup, Michigan, entering as significant underdogs, defeated Ohio State 13-10. This victory extended their current winning streak in the series to four games.

Explanation: Following the 2010 Big Ten realignment, Michigan and Ohio State were placed in separate divisions (Legends and Leaders). Their game was designated a 'protected crossover' to ensure it remained an annual fixture, not a divisional contest at that time.

Explanation: Disciplinary action, including institutional fines, was imposed by the Big Ten Conference following a post-game altercation in 2024, which occurred after Michigan players planted their flag on the Ohio State logo.

Explanation: The game has been played annually since 1918, with the singular exception of the 2020 season, which was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Michigan football program.

Explanation: As a consequence of NCAA violations, Ohio State was compelled to vacate all victories from their 2010 season, thereby excluding the win against Michigan from the official historical record of the rivalry.

Explanation: Michigan's decisive 42-27 victory in 2021 was highly significant, as it terminated an eight-game losing streak versus Ohio State, represented Jim Harbaugh's inaugural win against the Buckeyes, and secured Michigan's first appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game along with their first outright conference title since 2003.

Explanation: The 2022 contest saw both Michigan and Ohio State enter the rivalry game undefeated, a scenario not seen since 2006. Michigan achieved a commanding 45-23 victory in Columbus, marking their first win in that city since 2000 and securing their first undefeated regular season since 1997.

Explanation: Michigan emerged victorious in the 2023 matchup with a score of 30-24, thereby securing their first three-game winning streak in the rivalry since the 1995-1997 period. This win was instrumental in Michigan achieving a perfect 15-0 record and ultimately securing their first national championship since 1997.

Explanation: The 2024 contest featured Michigan, entering as considerable underdogs, defeating Ohio State 13-10. This outcome extended Michigan's winning streak in the series to four games, represented the most significant upset in the rivalry's history, and prevented Ohio State from qualifying for the Big Ten Championship Game for the fourth consecutive year.

Explanation: Subsequent to the 2024 game, a physical altercation erupted between participants from both teams after Michigan players planted their flag on the Ohio State logo at midfield. In response, the Big Ten Conference levied $100,000 institutional fines upon both universities for contravening the conference's sportsmanship policy.

Explanation: During his tenure as Michigan's head coach from 2015 to 2023, Jim Harbaugh's teams suffered losses in all seven matchups against Ohio State. He was the first Michigan coach to lose his initial five contests against the Buckeyes.

Explanation: The 'protected crossover' designation guarantees that Michigan and Ohio State will compete against each other annually at the conclusion of the regular season, irrespective of their divisional alignment, thereby preserving 'The Game' as a traditional season finale.

Explanation: The 'Flex Protect Model,' implemented by the Big Ten Conference beginning in 2024, establishes eleven annually protected rivalry games, notably including the Michigan-Ohio State matchup. This model also permits teams to potentially play each other in consecutive weeks should they both qualify for the championship game.