Charles Woodson’s top five games as a Michigan Football player
No. 1 Woodson’s goes Desmond Howard against Ohio State
Some Michigan football fans may not agree with the order of this list, but there’s little debate about the most-famous play of Woodson’s storied career in Ann Arbor.
It came against Ohio State in the 1997 game, which was a battle of top-4 teams. With a win, Ohio State would have gone to the Rose Bowl and Michigan would have been out of the national title hunt, which is exactly what the Wolverines did to the Buckeyes in 1995 and 1996.
Early in the game, things got testy between Woodson and Ohio State wide receiver David Boston. The two exchanged blows to the head. Later on, Woodson would deliver the death blow to Ohio State.
In what is easily one of the greatest individual performances in Michigan history, Woodson made impact plays in all three phases of the game.
First, he caught a 37-yard pass, which help set up the Wolverines first touchdown. Then, with Michigan in front 7-0, he returned a punt 78 yards for a score in a play that will live on forever.
On the defensive side of the ball, just like in the Rose Bowl, Woodson intercepted an Ohio State pass in the end zone, taking away sure points from the Buckeyes in a 20-14 win for the Wolverines.
That interception was one of eight in the 1997 season for Woodson, who picked off at least one pass in seven of 12 games that year. He also scored a touchdown in four different games.
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All in all Woodson’s career and his 1997 season have few parallels, not just at Michigan, but in all of college football.