Ohio State Buckeyes	Michigan Wolverines ©
Played November 21, 1981 at Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, Michigan

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Ohio State	2	9	4	1	.679	5	0	1	.917	4	0	0	1.000	0	4	0	.000
Michigan ©	3	13	6	0	.684	6	2	0	.750	6	2	0	.750	1	2	0	.333

 

 

Coach Earle Bruce led his 7-3 Ohio State Buckeyes to Ann Arbor to meet the 7^th ranked, 8-2 Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler.  This was the first time since 1975 Ohio State & Michigan had met for The Belt – the Buckeyes won that meeting 21-14.  It also marked the first time in since 1968 one of these teams would not be traveling to Pasadena as the Big Ten representative in the Rose Bowl as Iowa had all but clinched that berth.  This Buckeyes' team was talented with All-Big Ten QB Art Schlichter, All-Big Ten OG Joe Lukens, All-Big Ten RB Tim Spencer, & All-Big Ten LB Marcus Marek but under-achieving.  Four times Michigan moved inside the Ohio State 10-yard line but could not get into the end zone & Ohio State's defense intercepted Michigan's QB Steve Smith three times in a 14-9 Buckeye victory.  Things looked bleak for the Buckeyes when Michigan's All-American WR Anthony Carter returned the opening kick-off 52 yards.  That drive was stopped at the Ohio State 25-yard line when Buckeyes' S Doug Hill intercepted Smith's pass.  Michigan's next drive pushed to the Ohio State 2-yard line before the Wolverines settled for a 19-yard field goal from PK Ali Haji-Sheikh.  The Buckeyes got on the board in the 2^nd quarter with a grinding 13-play, 83-yard drive.  Schlichter scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak for a 7-3 Ohio State edge with 9:57 left in the half.  The Buckeyes stopped a drive at their own 38-yard line when Marek tackled Smith as just short of the marker as the Wolverines tried to convert a 4^th down play with 3:36 left in the half.  The 3^rd quarter saw Haji-Sheikh kick field goals of 26 & 23 yards for a 9-7 Michigan lead as the 4^th quarter started.  Michigan's CB Brian Carpenter intercepted Schlichter & returned it to the Michigan 19-yard line as Ohio State appeared to be driving for a score.  Woolfolk immediately gave the ball back to the Buckeyes when he fumbled & Ohio State's S Shaun Gayle recovered at the Michigan 27-yard line.  The Buckeyes failed to capitalize on the turnover as PK Bob Atha's 40-yard field goal attempt was wide right.  The Wolverines were driving for another score at the Buckeyes' 8-yard line when Gayle tipped the pass of Smith & Ohio State's CB Kelvin Bell made the interception in the end zone as the Buckeyes took the ball at their own 20-yard line with 8:32 to play.  Schlichter led a 9-play, 80-yard drive late in the game with the Buckeyes still trailing 9-7.  The drive nearly ended when Schlichter fumbled following a quarterback sneak at the Michigan 29-yard line.  Fortunately for the Buckeyes, Lukens recovered to keep the drive alive.  Faced with 3^rd & goal from the Michigan 6-yard line, Schlichter rolled right &, with a block from RB Vaughn Broadnax which took out 3 Wolverines' defenders, ran in for the touchdown with 2:50 to play giving Ohio State the lead.  Carter returned the ensuing kick-off to the Michigan 38-yard line but Smith failed to complete any of his 3 pass attempts & the Buckeyes had the win.  Schlichter threw for 131 yards with 2 interceptions as well as 2 rushing touchdowns while Spencer finished with 110 yards rushing for the Buckeyes.  Smith finished with 136 yards passing with 3 interceptions while Carter was held to 52 yards receiving on 4 catches for the Wolverines.  This game also marked the first time since 1967 that Michigan did not score a touchdown at home.  The Wolverines finished the season 9-3; ranked 12^th nationally while the Buckeyes finished 9-3, Big Ten Co-Champs & ranked 15^th nationally.  Michigan would play for The Belt again in 1983.