The air in Ann Arbor on November 29, 2025, didn’t just feel cold. It felt heavy. If you’ve ever stood in the Big House when the Buckeyes roll into town, you know that specific brand of electricity. It’s a mix of genuine loathing and deep-seated respect that you won’t find anywhere else in American sports.
Honestly, the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State rivalry—simply known as "The Game"—is the only Saturday of the year where time actually seems to stop for the entire Midwest.
But 2025 was different.
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Coming into that 121st meeting, the script was flipped. For three years, Michigan had owned the Buckeyes. They’d physically bullied them, planted flags on their turf, and won a National Championship while Ohio State fans watched through gritted teeth. Then came 2024, where an unranked, underdog Michigan team somehow stunned a No. 2 ranked Ohio State in Columbus, 13-10. It felt like Ryan Day was living in a recurring nightmare.
Then, the 2025 showdown happened.
Ohio State walked into Michigan Stadium and didn't just win; they methodically dismantled the Wolverines 27-9. It snapped a four-game losing streak that had become a psychological weight on the entire city of Columbus. For the first time in years, the "Team Up North" didn't have the answers for the Buckeyes' speed.
The Chaos That Followed the 2025 Season
You can't talk about the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State without mentioning the absolute bombshells that dropped right after the 2025 game. Rivalries are usually about what happens on the field, but this one spilled over into the legal system.
Shortly after the loss, Sherrone Moore was out.
The reports were wild. Fired. Detained. Even rumors of jail time. It was a staggering fall for a coach who had been the hero of the 2023 title run. While Ohio State was busy celebrating a Big Ten Championship berth and a dominant win behind quarterback Julian Sayin, Michigan was suddenly a program in total freefall.
The 2025 game wasn't just a loss for Michigan; it was the end of an era.
Why This Rivalry is Actually a Century-Old Border War
Most people think this is just about football. It’s not. It’s actually about a 468-square-mile piece of land called the Toledo Strip.
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Back in 1835, Ohio and the Michigan Territory almost went to actual war over it. We're talking militias, "Pains and Penalties" acts, and a sheriff getting stabbed with a penknife.
- The Compromise: Michigan gave up Toledo to Ohio.
- The Consolation: Michigan got the Upper Peninsula (which they initially thought was a bad deal).
- The Result: A permanent chip on the shoulder of both states.
When the first football game was played in 1897, that animosity was still fresh. Michigan won that first one 34-0. Ever since, every single yard gained on that field feels like a territorial reclamation.
Breaking Down the All-Time Numbers
If you want to win an argument at a sports bar, you need the actual stats. Don't guess.
As of the conclusion of the 2025 season, the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State series stands at 62–52–6 in favor of Michigan.
Wait. If you ask an Ohio State fan, they’ll tell you something different. They don't count the 2010 game—a 37-7 Buckeye win that was vacated due to NCAA violations. To a Buckeye, the gap is narrower. To a Wolverine, the record is the record.
The 20th century belonged to Michigan, especially during the "Ten-Year War" between Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. But the 21st century? That’s been a different story. Since 2001, Ohio State has won 18 of the 25 meetings. Even with Michigan’s recent four-game heater from 2021 to 2024, the Buckeyes have been the more consistent powerhouse over the last two decades.
The New Faces of The Game
The 2025 matchup introduced us to the future. Julian Sayin, the Buckeyes' hyper-efficient QB, looked like a surgeon against the Michigan secondary. On the other side, Michigan fans saw flashes of what Bryce Underwood could be. Underwood, the freshman phenom, had to carry an immense load with star back Justice Haynes sidelined by injury.
It was a clash of philosophies.
Ohio State is now a "passing lab," using guys like Jeremiah Smith to stretch the field until the defense snaps. Michigan, even in a down year, tried to stick to the "Smash" identity—ground and pound, shorten the game, and hope for a mistake. In 2025, that wasn't enough. The Buckeyes' defense, which hadn't allowed more than 16 points in a game all year leading up to the finale, was just too disciplined.
The Sherrone Moore Factor
A lot of folks are debating what exactly went wrong for Moore. In 2023, he was the "cool under pressure" coordinator who stepped in for a suspended Jim Harbaugh and beat Ohio State. He was a folk hero.
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But being the CEO is different.
The 2024 win was a miracle, but by 2025, the cracks were showing. The lack of a top-tier transfer quarterback and an unimaginative offensive approach finally caught up to them. Then came the off-field "tragedy," as Harbaugh later called it, which led to Moore's dismissal in December 2025.
It’s a cautionary tale. In this rivalry, you’re only as good as your last Saturday in November. You can win a natty one year and be out of a job two years later if you can't keep the Buckeyes at bay.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rivalry
You'll hear people say the rivalry is "dying" because of the expanded Big Ten or the 12-team playoff.
That’s nonsense.
If anything, the stakes are higher. In the old days, a loss meant you didn't go to the Rose Bowl. Now, a loss can cost you a first-round bye or knock you out of the playoff conversation entirely. Plus, with the Big Ten going division-less in 2024, there’s now the very real possibility—and fear—of playing "The Game" in late November and then turning around and playing it again a week later in Indianapolis for the conference title.
The 2025 season showed us that no matter how many teams you add from the West Coast, the heart of the Big Ten still beats in the 190 miles between Ann Arbor and Columbus.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're looking ahead to the next chapter, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Transfer Portal: Michigan is in a total rebuild phase post-Moore. Whoever they hire as the next head coach has to hit the portal hard to find a veteran presence under center to complement Underwood's raw talent.
- The Ryan Day Narrative: The "fire Ryan Day" talk has officially died. Winning in the Big House and taking the Big Ten title in 2025 has cemented his legacy. He’s no longer the guy "born on third base"; he’s the guy who navigated the most turbulent era in program history.
- Recruiting Battles: Keep an eye on five-star talent in the Midwest. For a few years, Michigan was winning those head-to-head battles for linemen. Ohio State has regained that edge, and it showed in the trenches during the 2025 game.
The 2026 game will be back in Columbus at the Horseshoe. Michigan will be under new leadership, looking to prove that the 2025 collapse was a fluke. Ohio State will be looking to start a new "decade of dominance."
Whether you wear Maize and Blue or Scarlet and Gray, one thing is certain: the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State rivalry remains the gold standard of sports drama. It’s messy, it’s historical, and it’s completely unforgiving.
If you're planning a trip for the 2026 game, book your hotel in Columbus now. It’s going to be a madhouse. Focus your attention on the defensive line depth for both teams through the spring—that’s where the 2025 game was won, and that’s where the 2026 game will be decided.