Thursday, November 27, 2025

Question: Which historical event was a precursor to the football rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan?

Answer: The 1835 Toledo War was a border dispute between Ohio and the Michigan Territory over the Toledo Strip, resulting in the mobilization of both militias and gunfire at the Battle of Phillips Corners.

Debates over the border continued even after President Andrew Jackson’s 1836 compromise, and the boundary wasn’t officially mapped until 1915—nearly two decades after the two flagship universities began competing in football. Today, “The Game” is commonly referred to as the best rivalry in sports.