Looking Back On Tom Brady’s Career Against Ohio State

On Feb 1, 2022

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady officially announced on Tuesday he is retiring from the NFL after 22 seasons.

But before he arguably became the greatest player of all time, with seven Super Bowl titles and a numerous league passing records, he played five seasons at Michigan, where he started two games against archrival Ohio State.

In 1998, Brady and the Wolverines entered The Game at 8-2 overall, while the Buckeyes were two games removed from a devastating home loss to Michigan State that effectively shattered their national title hopes.

Brady finished the game 31-of-56 for 375 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions and was outplayed by Joe Germaine, who completed 16-of-28 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-16 win, which clinched a share of the Big Ten title and a trip to the Sugar Bowl.

It also marked head coach John Cooper’s second and final win against Michigan.

Foreshadowing the next year’s results, the Wolverines got their revenge in Brady’s final home game.

He completed 17-of-27 passes for 150 yards and two scores – including the game-winner with just over five minutes remaining – in a 24-17 win over the Buckeyes, who saw quarterback Steve Bellisari complete just 8-of-20 passes for 84 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The victory sent Michigan to the Orange Bowl, where it beat Alabama in overtime, 35-34. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, finished the season at 6-6 overall and did not play in a bowl game.

Brady was then selected by the New England Patriots with the 199th pick (sixth round) of the 2000 NFL Draft, while Cooper would coach just one more season at Ohio State before he was fired with a 2-10-1 record against Michigan.

The rest, as they say, is history.

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