Ohio State vs. Michigan – Nov. 1971

Courtesy bleacherreport.com

Fifty years ago, Ohio State lost to Michigan 10-7 in the infamous game with the controversial interception call late in the fourth quarter. 

Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes believed that interference should have been called on a pass interception play that helped Michigan defeat the Buckeyes. Michigan’s Tom Darden intercepted a pass that was intended for Avon Lake’s Dick Wakefield, and that ended any hopes of Ohio State coming back to win in the final minutes.

Woody was pretty upset. As the above article noted, “Hayes wasn’t satisfied with merely expressing his concern vocally, although that alone drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty followed by his being hustled off the field by his own players.

“While many in the crowd of 104,000 booed loudly and threw litter in his direction, Hayes stood boiling on the sidelines.

“Moments later his team drew another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and the volatile veteran coach exploded. He snapped a down marker in half across his knee and threw it onto the field. Then he tore down the two bright orange 10-yard chain markers held by officials.

“Hayes was screaming incoherently and hard to be restrained further by two of his assistant coaches.

“He did not shake hands with U-M Coach Bo Schembechler afterwards, nor did he allow newsmen in the locker room."

Hayes was still fuming in an article in the sports pages of the Journal a few days later on November 23.  In a story by UPI Sports Writer Gene Caddes, (which included the photo at right), Hayes said that officials didn’t call interference because they were cowards.

As Caddes noted, “Hayes said he rushed onto the field because he was ‘positive’ Wakefield had been interfered with.

““If I can see the interference from almost 50 yards away,” Hayes asked, “why can’t the officials, two of them, who were right on the play, see it?”

““I’ll tell you why,” Hayes answered his own question, “because they’re cowards.”

“Hayes earlier had charged the officials were intimidated by the record crowd of 104,000, mostly Michigan rooters.

“Hayes said the films showed Darden moving in on Wakefield from the rear, and with the ball still several yards away, Darden hit Wakefield in the head with his arms, bending the Buckeye receiver’s head forward so he was unable to make an attempt to catch the ball.

“Darden caught the ball and the officials awarded it to Michigan.

““I was ashamed of myself for going onto the field,” Hayes said. “But after looking at the films, I would have been more ashamed of myself if I hadn’t gone out.

Here’s footage of the play, courtesy of YouTube. If you’re a Buckeye fan, you might want to watch it with the sound turned down. The audio is from a Wolverine football radio broadcast – and it's not very sympathetic to Woody.

Here’s hoping tomorrow’s game turns out better. Go Bucks!

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For more Ohio State/Woody Hayes fun, visit these old posts!