This data set shows the scores of Ohio State vs Michigan in college football games going back to 1897.
Ohio State played "that team up North" first in 1897 and has played them annually since 18971. THE Game is the biggest rivalry in all of college football, unquestionably. There is no bigger rivalry anywhere. It is such and important rivalry that in the modern era, the game is played ever year as the last game of the regular Big Ten season. When the Big Ten expanded, an outcry from the Ohio State and Michigan fans forced the Big Ten to accommodate the rivalry remaining the last game of the season buy putting Ohio State and Michigan in separate divisions in the Big Ten and making THE Game a "protected crossover" game, to be played every year at the end of the regular season.
THE Game is such an enormous rivalry that winning the National Championship is of less importance.