The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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DECEMBER 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 31 Dame. He looked to enhance his hard- edged image by taking on the octogenar- ian, full force. "I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now!" Day bellowed in the NBC postgame interview. "What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here. We're proud to be from Ohio. It's always been Ohio against the world, and it'll continue to be Ohio against the world! But I'll tell you what: I love those kids. We've got a tough team!" Day likely loved it when things became Michigan against the world in the cur- rent sign-stealing controversy involv- ing the NCAA and the Big Ten. That is, until it was alleged that Ohio State and Rutgers colluded to advance scout and supply Purdue with spreadsheets on Michigan's signs prior to the 2022 Big Ten Championship Game. Beyond that, Michigan partisans have wondered aloud if the Buckeyes might have played any role in turning in Michigan or supplying the private investigators looking into the U-M program with information. Just a few more logs for the competi- tive fire, already an inferno. At any rate, the Nov. 25 high-noon showdown at Michigan Stadium could very well feature a pair of undefeated teams, both ranked in the top four of the College Football Playoff standings and gunning for a Big Ten champion- ship. All the other smoke and fury aside, this is Ohio State-Michigan — the most compelling grudge match in all of col- lege football. It calmed down far too much for the better part of two decades, before Har- baugh returned in 2015. Even then, it took six tries before the Wolverines broke through against the Buckeyes. Now Michigan appears to have regained the upper hand, in a series it leads over- all, 60-52-6. According to former Michigan captain and All-American Jon Jansen — analyst for Michigan football's radio network — both teams and coaches have plenty on the line at The Big House. IMPORT OF THE SHOWDOWN "This is huge for Ryan Day's legacy," Jansen offered. "This is his team, this is his quarterback, these are his recruits. Having lost two, a lot of Ohio State fans are saying, 'We don't want this to be another run of the John Cooper era,' of which I was a beneficiary. "Is he at risk of losing his job? Com- mon sense would say no, but we're talk- ing about the religion in college football. You can throw a lot of common sense right out the window. You can throw pa- tience out the window. For him, there's a lot riding on this. "For Michigan, it's more about beat- ing Ohio State in your stadium. It's more about a third straight Big Ten title. It's more about getting to the College Foot- ball Playoff. "If you lose to Ohio State, Michigan is not going to have a seat at the table. It's about getting to the next level, and Ohio State is just in the way." Michigan's physicality, toughness, and endurance the past two seasons can't be questioned. The Wolverines outscored OSU 28-3 in the second half of last year's game in Columbus, winning going away, 45-23. Following a year of Buckeye bray- ing that Michigan's 42-27 breakthrough win in 2021 was a fluke, and OSU fans certain it would be followed by a ham- mering humbling in The Horseshoe, the Wolverines doubled down. The Buckeyes weren't able to hang with the Wolverines over the final 30 minutes of either contest. They trailed just 14-13 at the half in 2021, and actu- ally led last year at intermission, 20- 17. The Wolverines pulled away in both games, flexing the sort of muscle they hadn't in the series since winning two straight in 1999-2000. The Buckeyes found themselves open to the "soft" label following those games. They pushed back on the field this year with wins over the Irish in South Bend and at home against Penn State, but there's another hurdle in the way. Nobody talks themselves to a win in The Game. "It's difficult to listen to any coach make proclamations about their team," Jansen said. "Anybody that knows any- thing about football is going to turn the TV on, watch the game and make your judgments. "I was never much of a trash talker. You speak with your pads. You speak with the results on the field. When you feel like you've got to come out and proclaim your toughness, or make grand proclamations, I'm always curious as to what your moti- vation is at that point. Is it self-serving? Is it trying to create confidence in your team that they don't have, or don't un- derstand? I've just never been one to hold much value in making proclamations about your identity." WEIGHING THE BUCKEYES VERSUS THE WOLVERINES One threat from the Buckeyes jumps right off the page to Jansen. Marvin Har- rison Jr. could be the top wide receiver in the nation, an All-American who will no doubt become an NFL first-round draft choice next spring. Containing him to some degree will likely fall to Michigan's star sophomore cornerback Will John- son, or multiple Michigan men in the secondary. Harrison won't have C.J. Stroud throw- When Ohio State last visited Michigan Stadium in 2021, the Wolverines sent the Buckeyes packing, 42-27. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN