Ohio High School Football Rivalry Massillon Washington Tigers Vs Canton McKinley Bulldogs

Massillon is a small community of about 31,000 people located on the Tuscarawas River in northeastern Ohio. While Massillon has a rich history that involves both a utopian society and tragic violence between a labor union and police, it is best known for as the home of the Massillon Washington Tigers football team. The team began playing in 1894. By the end of 2005 they had won 767 games, lost 222, and tied 35 times. Their home games are played at the Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, which seat 16,600 people, and 19,000 people when additional seating is brought in. It is named after the former Tigers coach who went on to work with the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cleveland Browns, and the Cincinnati Bengals. The team has a live tiger cub named Obie that they keep on the sidelines during home games. The Tigers have never won a state championship, but they have been voted as the Ohio Division 1 State Champions 22 times. The Tigers have also been the AP National champions nine times, more than any other team in America.

Canton McKinley Bulldogs

The Canton McKinley Bulldogs make their home at Canton McKinley Senior High School in Canton, Ohio. The Bulldogs have won seven AP poll titles, and in March 2006 had won 739 games. Only six other football teams in the United States have won more games than they. The Bulldogs play at Fawcett Stadium, which is also the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Canton McKinley is renowned in Ohio for not only its famous athletic program, but also for its academic achievements. The school received a $1.5 million grant from the Knowledge Works Foundation in 2003.

Tigers and Bulldogs Rivalry

The Tigers vs Bulldogs game is the last game of their season. They have been rivals since 1894. The rivalry has received not only local attention but has also been documented in the November 14, 1994 issue of Sports Illustrated and the 2001 documentary Go Tigers! The McKinley-Massillon game is the only high school American football game that actually gets odds in Las Vegas. As of 2005, the teams have played each other 113 times. At that time the Massillon Tigers were ahead, having won 61 of the games. The McKinley Bulldogs have won 50 games. The two teams have tied 5 times.