In less than 2 weeks, Ohio State and Michigan will meet up for the greatest rivalry in all of sports: The Game. Michigan has dominated in recent memory winning each of the last 4 meetings with the Buckeyes.
- – 2021: Michigan 42-27
- – 2022: Michigan 45-23
- – 2023: Michigan 30-24
- – 2024: Michigan 13-10
The first three came during the biggest cheating scandal in college football history, but the wins still stand and they are what they are. Everyone knows what went on and the asterisk that comes with anything Michigan football 2021-2023, but we’re not here to talk about that.
In all seriousness, Michigan deserves all the respect in the world. I absolutely hate them, but you have to respect them and their brand of football on the field. It’s been a problem for Ohio State the last four times.
What everyone is going to tell you is that all the pressure for this game falls on Ohio State.
But I disagree.
Does Ohio State need to win? Absolutely. I don’t think I can take another season of shit talking, hearing ‘Fire Ryan Day‘, just the annoyingness that comes with it… I cannot do it again.
For Ryan Day’s sake, it’s the last thing he has to do. He has a B1G Championship. He has a National Championship. Yes, he beat Michigan in 2019, but a lot of critics say that was with “Urban’s guys.”
It’s time he does it with his guys when his back is up against the wall.
But I am not here to talk about why Ohio State needs to go into Ann Abor and come away with a win.
I am here to talk about why more of the pressure is on Sherrone Moore and Michigan.
In 2023, Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines accomplished the ultimate goal: a National Championship. Typically that comes with sustained success for the foreseeable future. Most programs parlay that into top recruiting classes and multiple playoff appearances. The only one who hasn’t done that is LSU and Michigan – two one hit wonders.
Since Sherrone Moore took over duties from Jim Harbaugh, the opinion of Moore amongst the Michigan fanbase varies. A lot of fans were frustrated after the Oklahoma loss, but understood with it being true freshman Bryce Underwood’s first road game, that one was always going to be tough to win. But that USC loss didn’t sit well with anyone within the Michigan fanbase. It was embarrassing and the Trojans beat the Wolverines by playing their physical brand of football.
With that, the Wolverines finished the regular season 7-5 last year, a very underwhelming year, but a pass with it being Moore’s first season as head coach. Plus he ended the year on a high note defeating Ohio State and Alabama in the bowl game.
But that being said, the College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams and a loss to Ohio State on November 29th would mean Sherrone Moore misses the expanded playoff in back-to-back seasons coming off a National Championship in 2023.
There isn’t a single Wolverine fan out there that can’t deny things could get very messy this offseason if he loses to Ohio State, misses the playoffs for a second straight year, and the development of Bryce Underwood this season has been underwhelming.
Things would get loud. There will definitely be a group of fans calling for his job upping the pressure even more for the 2026 season.
It’s not a game where Moore will be coaching for his job. But it is a scenario where it could potentially be the beginning of the end of the Sherrone Moore era at Michigan.
Losing that game, Michigan fans will quickly forget about the fluky 13-10 victory he pulled out in Columbus in 2024. All the attention will turn to his inability to make the playoff, build a championship caliber team, and develop the all everything – Bryce Underwood.
I really think an argument can be made that the stakes for the 2025 version of the rivalry are as high as they’ve ever been.
For Ohio State, you can’t make it 5 in a row.
For Michigan, the playoffs are on the line and you’re at risk for being stuck at home for the second straight season. That’s not the standard in Ann Arbor.
If Ohio State loses, yes it will suck. We’ll all have to hear it all the way to the playoffs. But that’s the thing, as long as Ohio State beats Rutgers this coming Saturday (which they will), they’re going to the playoffs.
Losing would be awful, but you’re still playing for something and you can do a lot of the same stuff you did last year while still accomplishing the ultimate goal.
I’ve said this time and time again… you don’t hang banners for regular season Michigan wins. A National Championship still trumps everything else at the end of the day.
There’s as many storylines and as much on the line as there’s ever been leading up to The Game. That’s saying something with all the drama of the last four years.
13 days until The Game and this might be the best one yet.
