The Michigan And Ohio Rivalry Explained

When The Michigan And Ohio Rivalry Started

The Michigan and Ohio rivalry has been going on for centuries. The start of it can be traced back to the Michigan Ohio War which is also called the Toledo War. This was a short, non-violent war where Michigan and Ohio fought over a strip of land (50 miles or so) called the Toledo strip. This strip of land included, you guessed it, the city of Toledo.

In the end, Ohio ended up getting the Toledo Strip in exchange for Michigan getting the western portion of the Upper Peninsula. Michigan eventually went on to get the entire Upper Peninsula. To Michigan’s leaders, this seemed like a poor trade. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was thought to be a barren wasteland with nothing to offer. What they discovered though was that the Upper Peninsula was overly rich in resources like lumber and copper. Michigan came out on top seemingly. You can listen the the In Michigan podcast episode on the Toledo War here for more details.

Why The Rivalry Continues Today

Today, the Michigan and Ohio rivalry is fueled by it’s past and present. Every year, the state’s top college football teams go head-to-head in widely popular, televised games. One could say, these annual games help keep the competitive nature alive between Michigan and Ohio.

There is a mutual respect, but I’ve learned through being a Michigander and meeting many Ohioans that we each like to make fun of the other. Michiganders would, respectfully, be the last folks to say Ohio is a great place to live and vis versa.

I share more of my personal POV on the rivalry and how to end it (if we even would want to) in the featured video below.