Eric Boggs
Gather ’round, Buckeye fans! With Ohio State kicking off their 2024 season at home against Akron, let’s take a trip down memory lane to revisit the last time our beloved Buckeyes stumbled against an in-state foe.
It was over 100 years ago, on October 8, 1921, when Ohio Field saw an upset for the ages. The Buckeyes, fresh off a Rose Bowl appearance, faced the Oberlin College Yeomen in front of 10,000 fans. Now, Oberlin was no Ohio State—smaller by four times, to be exact—but that day, they were giants.
In the three previous meetings, the Buckeyes had crushed Oberlin, outscoring them 211-0, including a jaw-dropping 128-0 blowout in 1916. But this time, the Yeomen had other plans.
Oberlin was in the middle of an undefeated season, allowing only 25 points all year. They were tough, scrappy, and full of confidence. The program for the game even showed the construction of Ohio Stadium, where ground had been broken just two months before. Maybe the Buckeyes were thinking too much about their future home because they didn’t see what was coming.
Oberlin’s star, W.E. Parkhill, snagged a 7-yard touchdown pass and kicked the extra point that would seal the deal. The Buckeyes managed just one touchdown, thanks to Iolas Huffman, who scooped up a blocked punt. But that was it—Oberlin held on to win 7-6.
After the game, the Columbus Dispatch tipped its hat to the plucky Yeomen, writing, “When the first sense of poignancy of the thrust passes away, real sportsmen will join in one grand chorus of praise for the little visiting Oberlin team that stuck so grimly to its task and simply thrashed a bigger brother just once, if never again.”
Oberlin, of course, celebrated in style with bonfires, Hopi Indian dances, and ringing bells. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, took that loss to heart. They bounced back by shutting out their next four opponents, finishing the season 5-2, with only one other loss—a 7-0 defeat to Illinois.
Since that fateful day, Ohio State hasn’t lost to an in-state opponent, winning 46 straight. And now, as the Buckeyes prepare to face Akron, let’s remember that Ryan Day stated that he wanted to make a statement this season. Sorry Akron, but it looks like you will make 47 straight come Saturday.
