Tag: Ohio State vs. Michigan

Ohio State-Michigan second-most watched college game this season

A lot of television sets and streaming devices turned on ‘The Game’ #GoBucks

FOX Sports has released the numbers, and over 12 million people tuned in for Ohio State vs. Michigan this past Saturday. The exact number was 12,323,000, many of which likely left with disappointment.

The Wolverines won 13-10, marking their fourth straight victory in the high-profile rivalry.

Despite Ohio State’s offense finishing the game with more total yards and better yards per play, it consistently failed to get in the endzone. The Buckeyes didn’t score in the second half at all.

For a team of this caliber, that is completely unacceptable. That said, here’s the release from FOX Sports, noting the Buckeyes-Wolverines battle was the most-watched Big Ten game of the season.

Despite the Buckeyes losing on Saturday, there is still hope that this team can make a deep run in the College Football Playoff. The AP Poll, College Football Playoff ranking and US LBM Coaches Poll still have the Buckeyes as a top-ten team, so they should crack the final 12.

Regardless, this was a tough loss to swallow in front of millions of fans.

Will Howard elevates Ohio State vs. Michigan above just a normal rivalry

Quarterback Will Howard elevated Ohio State vs. Michigan from a rivalry to a way of life when discussing the upcoming battle.

Will Howard will be facing Michigan on Saturday, and despite having three top-five battles already under his belt with the Ohio State Buckeyes, most fans would argue this is, by far, the biggest yet for the fifth-year signal caller.

Despite spending four seasons with the Kansas State Wildcats, who play in the Big 12, he never crossed paths with the Wolverines. He seems pretty excited to leave his mark on the rivalry.

When sitting down with the media, Howard called the rivalry a “way of life.” You can review the entire video by Eleven Warriors, which has far more than just that quote, below.

Howard isn’t wrong either, and if you look up “biggest rivalries in sports” on Google, Ohio State vs. Michigan is typically at the top of the list, so it’s a game that means quite a bit to thousands of people.

Set to captain the Buckeyes, Howard knows the expectations put on him, and he’s ready to deliver. He also spoke on how he feels joining the Buckeyes this season was a terrific decision.

With a conference-high 26 touchdowns on the season, Howard has been a star and appears to be the caliber of leader that can captain this team to a National Championship, something we’ll find out more of in the coming weeks.

‘The Game’ between Ohio State and Michigan will be at a familiar time slot this fall

In case you missed it, we know the details of the Ohio State vs. Michigan game this fall. #GoBucks

It’s not much of a surprise, but the Ohio State vs. Michigan football contest, or “The Game,” will take on a familiar appearance this fall. Yes, there will be the colors of Scarlet and Gray and Maize and Blue painting a college football Picasso the weekend after Thanksgiving, but there’s more.

As announced on Monday, the Buckeyes and Wolverines will once again do battle for the 119th time this fall, and it will once again take place at high Noon, this time up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The date, of course, is November 25 and will be televised by FOX as it has been the last few years as its Big Noon Kickoff Game of the Week. OSU has lost two straight to Michigan and would love nothing better than to stop that streak in the Big House so mark your calendars.

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The announcement is now the second game time that we know about this fall, adding to the news that OSU and Michigan State will be a primetime affair.

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WATCH: Justin Fields dishes back and forth with Rich Eisen on Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry

This is one of the many reasons why Buckeye Nation will always root for Justin Fields. #GoBucks

Everyone loves a good Ohio State vs. Michigan argument, and we got something close to that last week. In case you missed it, former Ohio State and current Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields was on the Rich Eisen show to discuss his time in the NFL, the upcoming draft, and of course, the Buckeyes and Wolverines.

It’s a well-known fact that Eisen is a huge Michigan fan. He is an alum and makes no secret where his allegiances lie, especially as of late with the Wolverines winning two in a row against OSU.

And he wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to rub those results in the face of a former Buckeye — who by the way — one his only matchup against TTUN as a starter in Columbus. When Eisen first pointed out that Michigan is on a two-game winning streak, Fields wasn’t having any of it.

“That’s their second in nine, 10 years?” Fields asked with a smirk. “If you want to compare that little two to seven, you got it.”

As the interview continued, and as any Ohio State fan knows, it’s against all bodily reflexes to say the word Michigan. Fields also has a hard time using the word and went on to explain what it means to be inside the rivalry wearing scarlet and gray.

“In total honesty, I feel so weird saying the name of that state, because it’s instilled in me,” Fields told Eisen. “I’m telling you, when you’re at Ohio State and it’s that week to play them, you’ve got their jerseys on the ground, you’re walking over their jerseys — you put their logo in the toilets — you’re peeing on the logos. They don’t play any games. They prepare for that game 365 days a year.”

You can watch the exchange for yourself below.

This is why Buckeye Nation will always have an affinity for Fields. He may have only been in the program for one full year and one COVID-19 shortened season, but he loves to hate on Michigan.

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Eddie George answers whether Ohio State-Michigan is better than Yankees-Red Sox

Do you agree with Eddie? #GoBucks

It’s been almost twenty years since former Ohio State Heisman-winning running back Eddie George filled out a scarlet and gray uniform. But make no mistake, he still bleeds scarlet and gray and will always be a Buckeye.

He recently sat down with Shannon Sharpe on the weekly “Shay Shay podcast” to reminisce about his playing days both in college and the pros, and the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry became a part of the conversation.

George pulled no punches and called The Game the “greatest rivalry in sports,” even better than Yankees vs. Red Sox. He was asked by Sharpe what makes it special and if he knew about it before he even played against Michigan.

“Oh yeah, I studied college football,” George replied. “I knew about that rivalry. That’s the greatest rivalry in all of sports. You could say Yankees and Red Sox, You could say Duke-North Carolina, Alabama–Auburn, USC-UCLA, but that one there (Ohio State-Michigan) — completely different ballgame. Bo and Woody, and it even goes back to how the business schools were all set up. That is a vicious rivalry.”

George even compared the games between Ohio State and Michigan to any that he played in while in the NFL, with the only matchup holding a candle to OSU vs. Michigan being Tennessee vs. Baltimore. Still, he reminded everyone that the Buckeyes didn’t necessarily have the upper hand when he was toting the mail in Columbus.

“I’m so honored that I was able to play in it and be a central figure in that,” continued George. “When I played at Ohio State, we beat Michigan one time. That’s the time that they owned us, we couldn’t figure out a way to beat them … that’s what that rivalry’s about.”

Ohio State and Michigan fans know it. You see all of these opinions and polls asking what the greatest rivalry in sports is, and the recurring theme always has some scarlet and gray and maize and blue involved.

Eat your heart out Yankees and Red Sox fans.

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Relax Ohio State fans, the sky is not falling under Ryan Day

It might be time to relax and bit Ohio State fans. Ryan Day will be just fine running the program. #GoBucks

For the second-straight year, Ohio State got beat by arch-rival Michigan. And it wasn’t just beat, it was an old-fashioned second-half butt whoopin.’ The Wolverines danced and posed on the Block-O at midfield, and we’ll have to hear about it now for another year — save for an early December miracle that gets the Buckeyes into a rematch in the College Football Playoff.

Just like last season, it looks like Ohio State will be “relegated” to a spot in a New Year’s Six Bowl, most likely the Rose, at least an eleven-win season, and many other things that are easy to forget about because of how raw things are after an embarrassing showing in the biggest college football game of the year.

It’s a place today’s Ohio State fan is not used to. With so many taking their identities in all things scarlet and gray, it’s been two decades of dominance against “That School Up North,” a golden era of a bitter rivalry. And now, there is a pushback from that old rival with a run of two years that has spoiled Ohio State fans calling for massive changes in the program to win at all costs. I mean, it had to happen at some point.

Pump the brakes.

A little perspective

I’m not typically the voice of reason in a sea of discontent, but I feel it’s time to gather some perspective in a quiver of barbs being slung at a program that’s still among the elite in the country. A program that — yes, has lost two straight games to “that school” — and all the talk and disrespect that comes along with it.

We have to remember all the good that’s still going on at Ohio State with Ryan Day leading the charge. The expectations will never change on the field for the Buckeyes. As the head coach of the winningest program of all time percentage-wise, it’s expected that every game is a victory, that a Big Ten championship is a birthright, and that a national title is in sight every year.

More than that, you are expected to make Michigan crawl into a hole and retreat to the fetal position each Thanksgiving season. Oh, and by the way, don’t dare play a close game against a team you are supposed to beat. Yeah, it’s unrealistic, but that’s how it is when you wear the colors scarlet and gray and put on a headset.

Ryan Day knows all of this, and he knows that he’s fallen short the last couple of seasons. You can tell he’s disappointed and feels the weight of responsibility for letting so many people in the great state of Ohio down.

Things are actually pretty good

But here’s the deal. The program still has a ton of momentum. There hasn’t been a drop-off in recruiting — at least not yet. The Buckeyes will lose a starting quarterback that’s probably going to be a Heisman finalist again but will have another five-star talent take his place. There’s a fantastic nucleus of players returning for another run at things next season. Ohio State will continue to win on the field and have another shot at a Big Ten title, a shot at the College Football Playoff — and yes — another swing at Michigan.

More than that though, what’s going on inside the program feels far from broken — especially when you look at the types of things we’re seeing from the character of coaches and players. Ryan Day is a champion for mental health. He gets what’s important in this world better than any coach I’ve covered. Remember how Day steered the program through the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd unrest, and how he played a part in getting Harry Miller the help he needed, perhaps (and don’t take this lightly) saving his life?

High-character kids are continually being recruited and starring for the program — less you think C.J. Stroud is anything but the type of person you’d want your kid to look up to and emulate. And that’s just one example. Find me another program that has so many players that are as gracious as great representations of a big-time program in the media and in the community.

Academically, Ohio State is among the best in the country at how kids are performing in the classroom. There are players making a difference in the community and winning awards for it. OSU has a coach that’s a great ambassador for the program. He’s adopted the state of Ohio and the city of Columbus as his own and seems to get all things Buckeye despite having roots in the Northeast — a far cry culturally from midwest Ohio.

Remember the Kamryn Babb story and how the entire team rallied around him and genuinely had more joy for the way he pushed through with resiliency and adversity than anything each of them accomplished individually. By and large, you don’t have guys sounding off in the media with disrespect or dancing on other teams’ logos. Ohio State is rarely in the news for off-the-field troubles and legal issues. These are all extremely impressive things for a collection of individuals the size of a major college football program.

Even brighter days are ahead

And here’s the thing; it doesn’t all happen because of dumb luck or inertia. It trickles down from the top. Only when a culture is set and aligned as an example by a leader do these types of things happen. That leader is Ryan Day, and I’ve been around enough to know when a guy is genuine and gets it. He does and likely always will. More often than not, good character rubs off on those around it, and amazing things follow.

The point here is that things are in great shape on the banks of the Olentangy. There’s a lot more positive going on with the Ohio State program than not. The sky is not falling, it’s just a little gray when it comes to beating Michigan and winning a national championship within still a short sample size under Day. The guy still has a 45-5 record by the way and those clouds will give way to sunnier skies.

So, let “that team” dance on the logo and flaunt their triumphs for yet another year. Let them have their media tour, pats on the back, and all of that. In the meantime, embrace what the Ohio State program stands for today and know that there are better days ahead with a certain rivalry and more.

There’s too much going right with the OSU program under Ryan Day for there not to be and nobody can convince me otherwise.

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Twitter holds Ohio State accountable for embarrassing loss to Michigan

Some of the best Twitter rage tweets after Ohio State got blown out by archrival Michigan.

You have to love social media, especially when it comes to the passionate musings of sports fans.

That was never more apparent than when Ohio State was embarrassed in the second half against Michigan on Saturday afternoon in the latest installment of “The Game.”

The game looked pretty good in the first half, despite the Buckeyes leaving points on the field because of a few mistakes and missed opportunities in a half in which they looked like the far better team. It simply wasn’t meant to be in a second half that was full of blown assignments, undisciplined play and a lack of fire.

Twitter wasn’t having it after the game. Many in Buckeye Nation and beyond took to the free app to let their feelings be known. We don’t love misery, but it loves company, so here we go.

Best photos of Ohio State vs. Michigan

It wasn’t pretty from an ending standpoint, but the images inside the ‘Shoe were still worth looking at.

It may not have been the result anyone with allegiances to the colors scarlet and gray wanted, but it was still an entertaining game — well, at least for a half. The Buckeyes were the better team in the first half before Michigan flipped the switch, took advantage of some Ohio State mistakes, and won going away 45-23.

The colors of maize and blue clashing against scarlet and gray always seem to pop on television and in photographs, so despite the loss, there was still plenty of eye candy to snap and share from all the action inside the ‘Shoe.

Here are some of the best that we took from our image library to share with you from “The Game” on Saturday afternoon.

WATCH: Ryan Day postgame Michigan press conference

Ryan Day was understandably disappointed after the loss to Michigan Saturday. Here is everything he had to say after the game. #GoBucks

Things didn’t go nearly the way Ohio State wanted Saturday against Michigan. The Buckeyes controlled the game in the first half but only went into the locker room up by three points. The second half was a different story with the Wolverines putting the gas pedal down and running away with the game with big play after big play.

It was no doubt a dose of humble pie for the entire team that was motivated and confident in beating Michigan after listening to all the talk and perceived disrespect since walking off the field in Ann Arbor last season.

It wasn’t meant to be and the entire team is now left looking for answers, including head coach Ryan Day. In fact, the head man met with the media in Columbus afterward to face the music and was visibly and obviously disappointed by the outcome.

Here is everything Day said after the bitter loss to arch-rival Michigan for the second year in a row.

Ohio State will now await its postseason fate as it sits back and watches the Wolverines head to Indianapolis instead of it for two-straight years. The most likely landing spot for the Buckeyes is the Rose Bowl, but there’s an outside chance they squeak into the College Football Playoff if things break correctly. Don’t hold your breath on that one though.

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WATCH: Everything Jim Harbaugh said after the win over Ohio State

Watch and listen to everything Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said after his team’s dominating win over Ohio State Saturday.

Boy, how long ago it feels since Jim Harbaugh was on the hot seat. After two straight wins over archrival Ohio State, the former Michigan quarterback and current head coach is the toast of the town in Ann Arbor and likely headed to the College Football Playoff.

Harbaugh was understandably excited and proud of his team after it took control of the game in the second half and dominated OSU for another year, winning in Columbus for the first time since 2000.

He met with the media in Columbus to talk about what he saw in the game and to answer questions with a smile seemingly forever on his face. Here’s everything Harbaugh said after the program’s huge win over Ohio State.

Michigan will prepare to head to Indianapolis to play in the Big Ten Championship game and probably off to the College Football Playoff after that.

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