5 months ago
- Ohio State
- Published: Dec. 31, 2025, 6:00 a.m.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ohio State and Michigan are 2 programs heading successful other directions arsenic some return nan section today.
The Wolverines will look Texas successful nan Cheez-It Citrus Bowl successful a crippled betwixt 2 teams that don’t want to beryllium there. That crippled is simply a reminder that neither accomplished its goals this season, and has nan Buckeyes to blasted for it.
The Longhorns mislaid successful Week 1, which shouldn’t person killed their season, but ended up being a achromatic people connected their resume erstwhile paired pinch losses to Georgia and Florida.
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The Wolverines mislaid successful Week 14, closing retired what should’ve been a building artifact play for nan Sherrone Moore era pinch his prima quarterback, Bryce Underwood, and plentifulness of young pieces that gained valuable experience. Who would’ve thought nan ocular of Ryan Day instructing Moore to get his players disconnected nan section alternatively of guarding a ‘Block M’ that nan Buckeyes ne'er planned to vandalize nan aforesaid measurement nan Wolverines had done to them nan past 2 games successful Columbus would beryllium nan past we’d spot of Moore.
One sat astatine a podium aft that game, proud and fresh for nan adjacent challenge. The different sat astatine a podium successful tears correct earlier being handed his pinkish gaffe little than 14 days later, for reasons that had thing to do pinch football.
Day mightiness beryllium 2-4 successful The Game connected paper, but someway his programme finds itself an eternity distant from wherever his rival is. Michigan is simply a mislaid programme correct now, hoping that longtime Utah coach Kyle Whittingham tin conscionable support nan vessel from sinking while nan management figures retired really to cleanable up a messiness that’s 5 years successful nan making.
How did we get here?
We’re 5 years removed from Jim Harbaugh sitting astatine a podium, taking not-so-subtle shots astatine Day aft yet ending a 10-year drought successful nan rivalry.
We’re 3 years removed from being introduced to Connor Stalions arsenic nan look of a sign-stealing ungraded that’s now a acheronian unreality complete nan backmost half of nan Harbaugh era.
We’re a twelvemonth removed from Day reaching his lowest constituent arsenic OSU’s caput coach because of an embarrassing four-straight nonaccomplishment to nan Wolverines earlier reaching his highest constituent by turning that nonaccomplishment into a golden trophy.
Day and Ohio State person often been connected nan losing broadside of things successful this rivalry since nan move of nan decade. Yet they’re nan ones near opinionated pinch a patient programme fresh to onslaught nan adjacent 5 years. Meanwhile, someway nan Wolverines are correct backmost wherever they were 5 years ago. Scrambling to spot holes successful a wall already crumbling down.
Only this time, nan problems aren’t conscionable what’s happening connected nan section anymore. They’ve go a referendum connected an diversion section that’s grounded to behaviour itself pinch immoderate level of decency. Moore’s caller decisions mightiness beryllium nan astir utmost point that’s happened, but it’s acold from nan only point incorrect pinch really things are done successful Ann Arbor.
The Buckeyes took their adjacent stock of lumps nan past 5 years. But nan consequence is they are still a programme playing meaningful shot successful precocious December. They still matter.
The Wolverines don’t matter correct now because they spent 5 years seeing conscionable really adjacent to nan sun they could alert earlier yet getting burned and recovered retired conscionable really basking that sun tin be.
Michigan technically won nan first half of nan 2020s successful nan rivalry, going 4-1 while dodging what would’ve been a nonaccomplishment successful 2020. In immoderate sick way, you mightiness beryllium capable to person yourself that moreover if nan decorativeness statement is filled pinch embarrassment, nan thrust location was good worthy nan conclusion.
It won nan conflict betwixt nan lines. But nan truth that 1 is playing successful a CFP crippled while having arguably nan sport’s astir unchangeable program, while nan different is playing successful nan Citrus Bowl arsenic nan look of instability and uncertainty, is each nan grounds you request to cognize who won nan war.
Somehow, everything that’s happened nan past 5 years successful this rivalry mightiness extremity up being nan champion point that could’ve happened to nan Buckeyes and nan worst point to ever hap to nan Wolverines. We conscionable had to get to nan decorativeness statement to recognize it.
As each takes nan section connected New Year’s Eve, 1 squad is playing for championships. The different is playing for closure.
Stephen Means covers Ohio State shot for Cleveland.com while besides serving arsenic nan big of nan Buckeye Talk podcast. Prior to covering nan Buckeyes, he sewage acquisition moving astatine nan Akron Beacon Journal...
