You think you know this rivalry. You’ve seen the highlights of Woody Hayes punching a Clemson player (wrong game, but same energy) and Bo Schembechler’s "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions" speech. But honestly, most of the chatter surrounding Michigan Ohio State football lately is missing the point. We get so caught up in the "War by the Shore" or "The Game" branding that we forget how quickly the floor can fall out from under a blue-blood program.
Take a look at the last 24 months. It’s been a fever dream.
If you had told a Buckeyes fan in 2023 that they’d lose to an unranked, struggling Michigan team in 2024 as 23-point favorites, they would have laughed you out of Columbus. Then it happened. 13-10. A rock fight in the Shoe that felt like a throwback to 1970. But then 2025 rolled around, and Ryan Day finally got his revenge, thumping the Wolverines 27-9 in Ann Arbor.
The whiplash is real.
The Sherrone Moore Era: A Flash in the Pan?
People love to talk about the 2024 upset as this definitive proof that Sherrone Moore was the heir apparent to Jim Harbaugh. It was a masterpiece of defensive grit. Michigan held that high-flying Ohio State offense to just 252 yards. Kalel Mullings basically willed the ball into the end zone, and Dominic Zvada became a campus legend with that 21-yard field goal.
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But football is a "what have you done for me lately" business.
By the end of 2025, the narrative shifted entirely. Moore, after leading Michigan to one of the biggest upsets in the history of the series, found himself out of a job. The rumors, the coaching staff instability, and a lackluster 9-3 season culminated in his dismissal in December 2025. It’s a brutal reminder that in Michigan Ohio State football, beating your rival once buys you time, but it doesn't buy you a lifetime pass.
Now, Michigan is looking at a future with a new face at the helm, while Ryan Day has finally silenced—at least for a moment—the "can't win the big one" crowd.
Why 2025 Changed Everything for Ryan Day
Ryan Day was under a microscope that would melt most humans. He went into the 2025 matchup with his rivalry record sitting at a dismal 1-4. The Buckeyes hadn't beaten Michigan in over 2,000 days. That’s a lifetime in Ohio.
The 27-9 victory wasn't just a win; it was a statement.
Ohio State didn't just win; they dominated. They outgained Michigan 419 to 163. They held the Wolverines to a miserable 1-for-10 on third and fourth downs. It was a cold, clinical execution of a game plan that finally looked like the Ohio State teams of the Urban Meyer era.
- Total Dominance: Ohio State possessed the ball for nearly 24 minutes in the second half alone.
- The Sayin Factor: Julian Sayin might have thrown an early pick, but the Buckeyes never wavered.
- Defensive Turnaround: Holding Michigan to single digits in the Big House is something fans will talk about for a decade.
The Bryce Underwood Factor
We can't talk about the future of Michigan Ohio State football without mentioning Bryce Underwood. The freshman QB entered the 2025 season with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s the hometown hero, the guy supposed to keep the train on the tracks.
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But as we saw in "The Game," talent alone doesn't beat a well-oiled machine. Underwood struggled, completing just 9-of-24 passes in big spots earlier in the year and finding zero rhythm against the Buckeyes' secondary in November.
The discrepancy in the passing game—233 yards for OSU to a measly 63 for Michigan—was the real story of the 2025 matchup. It showed that while Michigan has the "dudes" in the backfield like Jordan Marshall, they are light-years behind in the aerial arms race that defines modern college football.
What Most People Get Wrong About the History
There’s this weird myth that Michigan has always been the underdog or that Ohio State has always been the "finesse" team.
Actually, Michigan leads the all-time series 62-53-6.
The early 1900s were essentially a Michigan victory lap, including a 1902 game where they won 86-0. Imagine that score today. The internet would literally break. Ohio State’s "Carmen Ohio" was actually written on the train ride home after that embarrassing loss.
The rivalry isn't just about who has the better NIL collective—though that helps. It’s about these weird, cyclical periods of dominance. We just left a four-year Michigan run (2021-2024) and seem to be entering a renewed period of Buckeye control.
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What’s Next: The 2026 Outlook
So, where do we go from here?
Michigan is in a state of total transition. With Sherrone Moore gone and the transfer portal looking like a revolving door, the 2026 season feels like a rebuilding year. Meanwhile, Ohio State is riding high, likely starting the season in the top three and eyeing a national title run.
If you’re a fan, here is what you should be watching:
- The Transfer Portal: Michigan needs a massive haul to stay competitive in the trenches. They were bullied in 2025, and that can’t happen again.
- Coaching Stability: Whoever Michigan hires has to be able to recruit at a top-5 level immediately. No "growing pains" allowed.
- Ryan Day’s Aggression: Now that the pressure is off, does he stay aggressive or play it safe?
Actionable Insight for Fans: If you’re planning to attend the 2026 game in Columbus, book your hotels now. Seriously. With the rivalry flipping back to Ohio Stadium on November 28, 2026, and the Buckeyes looking like the class of the Big Ten, tickets will be the most expensive in history. Keep an eye on the defensive coordinator hires at Michigan; that will be the first real sign of whether they can stop the bleeding against the Buckeyes' explosive perimeter play.