Since the birth of college football, two schools have fought for glory and pride year after year. The only thing separating these schools is a state line and two dedicated fan bases. Since 1897, The Ohio State University and The University of Michigan have battled it out in hopes of being the annual victor of the greatest college football rivalry.
The Wolverines have the lead over the Buckeyes with 59 wins, while the Buckeyes only have 51. As an OSU fan, I never cared that we were behind; every year I bragged as if Michigan had never won. For as long as I could remember OSU won and Michigan lost. That’s how it went for eight straight years, until 2021 when Michigan won 42-27. And then again in 2022, when OSU lost 45-23. The losses were brutal and seemed to leave a bad taste in the mouth of every Buckeye fan.
The losses mean more than just a frustrating game and a wasted Saturday. When the final whistle blew and the Buckeyes were not celebrating, a gloom settled on the day. As a fan I felt embarrassment and anger towards my own team. It didn’t seem feasible for us to recover from the loss. In Ohio and Michigan, the rivalry extends onto more than just football. Houses were divided between Wolverines and Buckeyes. Michigan fans were able to freely wear the yellow and blue that had been shamefully covered for years. Now it’s OSU’s turn to be the underdogs.
The coach and face of the OSU football program for the last five years has been Ryan Day, so when those games didn’t finish favorably for Ohio, Day shouldered the brunt of the criticism. Fans claimed his coaching decisions were erratic or he didn’t put the ball in the right players’ hands. Some blamed the performance of the players. It looked as if no one was willing to admit a prominent possibility: Michigan was good again.
What changed for Michigan? Coach Jim Harbaugh had always had a rough time at Michigan. He was seen as a failure in many people’s eyes. The team’s lack of performance against Ohio State for those eight years, led to Harbaugh taking a major pay-cut just to be leading as the team’s coach. Things were not trending in the right direction for Michigan before 2021, but when it really mattered, they pulled through. Whether OSU fans want to admit it or not, Harbaugh was dedicated to his team, and the results of his dedication came in the form of two statement wins.
In this 2023-2024 season, both teams have started off strong. OSU racked up a statement win against Notre Dame and successfully silenced the haters. OSU generally starts off their season with games against easier opponents, with their biggest games in the second half of the season. It’s hard to know how OSU will size up against more formidable opponents.
Michigan is ranked number two in the nation and is one of the favorites for the national title. In the last few years, the Wolverines have climbed the ranks and made a name for themselves once again. Even with having such a great start to the season, their hopes of a national title may be marred by recent allegations concerning their football program. In recent news, Michigan is under investigation for stealing their opponents play-calling signs. This is a severe allegation and could severely impact the program. It is hard not to imagine that their recent success could be linked to them having their opponents play signals.
The greater a team is, the larger their spotlight grows. Michigan is being held under the microscope of every college football fan. There is nothing greater than seeing a top team get torn down, especially when they are your rivals. These allegations leave questions up in the air for what is to come of the OSU Michigan game this year.
As an avid Buckeye fan, I’m happy to sit back and watch the downfall of Michigan. If the allegations are proven true, it can invalidate many of their recent wins. OSU sits one rank down from Michigan at number three. One slip-up from Michigan, and OSU can shoot up to number two.
Hoping for other lower opponents to beat Michigan is wishful thinking. The team may have broken rules, but they are still an incredibly strong football team. Their recruiting the past two years has been one five star recruit after another. With the post season approaching fast and the rivalry game approaching faster, It is up to us, the Buckeyes, to knock Michigan out of the top four.
