“Classless in my opinion.”-former Michigan RB Kalel Mullings on Ohio St after last season’s dominant win in Columbus.
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I must say that I agreed with Mr. Mullings as soon as he said those words in the postgame on-field interview. Ohio St was classless on that day. Shameful, petulant type of behavior that is not excusable even in the biggest rivalry in college football. Truly classless. I know Ryan Day will want a better response from his players, if his unbeaten team full of future NFL stars fall to the Wolverines in Ann Arbor this weekend.
I certainly hope so. Part of being a true winner is knowing how to accept defeat with grace. How Ohio St responded was utterly gross considering that they ended up winning the National Championship. On the field, they proved to be the winners at the end of the season, but at the end of that game, they were nothing if not losers for the shameful lack of sportsmanship. Michigan beat them like a dusty rug, and they let their pride get the better of them. Pride leads to the petulant. Ryan Day will want a better showing from his group in defeat and that is a fact.
That is–if Ryan Day is not also petulant himself, which I am in no way assuming. I have too much respect for Football coaches at all levels to assume that he is the one pushing the shameful, unsportsmanlike attitudes after losing a game to a rival. However, I do think there is room to improve in how he prepares his team for such adversity.
Perhaps the players thought they were “too good to lose,” or perhaps they never once tasted defeat until that moment and didn’t know how to respond. It’s the job of a coach to prepare the team for each and every scenario so that they know the best way to react and respond when the emotions begin to rise. Perhaps, this was an area that lacked within the Ohio St locker room last season that Ryan Day has intentionally addressed in his own way behind closed doors. I almost guarantee that he has.
IF Ohio St loses this game for a fifth time in a row, I expect a far better reaction from the players.
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All this to say, that I do not expect them to lose this game, but IF Ohio St loses this game, there will have been not one logical reason for it because this Ohio St team is just about the best college football team to be found this year.
The Buckeyes sport the number one defense that is surrendering a menial 7.6 points per game and the 11th ranked offense that features two of the best Wide Receivers in all of college football: Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Picture Calvin Johnson and AJ Brown. This is a fully healthy team that is full of NFL talent. Top level NFL I might add.
I’ll list 6 that will play on Sundays if they stay healthy and have the desire.
- WR Jeremiah Smith (Calvin)
- WR Carnell Tate (AJ)
- QB Julian Sayin
- S Caleb Downs
- EDGE Caden Curry
- LB Arvell Reese
At a minimum, these guys will get drafted, but I expect much more than that. I’d take Smith or Curry in Nashville right now.
Devin Sanchez is a freshman DB worth eyeballing. Readers will remember his name from the “Fresh-McNellies” list a few weeks back. He didn’t make the final, but he’s got the chops to hang with this top ranked defense.
This has truly been one of those special teams to watch this season and I expect them to keep looking great all the way to the National Championship Game. Let’s win and lose with grace. Learn to do both and you will be legends.
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But before crowing this team winners, let’s look at the home team that will looking to win this matchup for a fifth time in a row. I only repeat that stat because it’s worth it. Winning four in a row is incredibly difficult to do in a rivalry such as this, especially when Ohio St has been a perennial Natty contender. Four in a row Wolverines! Can you make it five?
As mentioned, if OSU loses there isn’t a logical reason that it happened. Not because Michigan is a poor team because that would be false, but because Ohio St has the more superior players.
Michigan has its own share of talent, but as you will soon see is young talent. This inexperience in a game like this is why I believe there isn’t a chance Ohio St loses this game, but that doesn’t mean that the Wolverines will not put up a fair fight because they will. At least, they have the ability to do so with their improving young talent.
KEY MICHIGAN PLAYERS OFFENSE
- QB FR Bryce Underwood
- WR FR Andrew Marsh
- 17 catches, 265 yards in the past two weeks
- RB SO Jordan Marshall
- RB JR Justice Haynes
Young and ever improving is this offense. The past two weeks have been bright spots with the freshman Marsh emerging as a true threat at receiver, and the Wolverines will hope that this connection continues in this game.
The 54th ranked offense certainly needs to find success through the air. The ground attack that is solid will need balance to have any chance against the Buckeyes stingy defense. Maybe they get help from an unlikely source like sophomore wide receiver Channing Godwin or Senior Tight End Marlin Klein. Someone else will need to step up for this team to have a chance.
KEY MICHIGAN PLAYERS DEFENSE
- LB SR Jaishawn Barham
- 10 TFL, 4 Sacks
- EDGE SR Derrick Moore
- 10 TFL, 9.5 Sacks
- LB SO Cole Sullivan
- 3 Interceptions
The Michigan defense has been their bright spot this season. Top 15 in scoring and full of high IQ impactful players that can turn a game around by forcing turnovers.
Like Sanchez, Freshman Jayden Sanders did not make the final cut for the Fresh-McNelly Award, but he has the ability to win it for his team. Someone needs to take over the game. Why not a freshman?
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Winning four in a row is a hard thing to do. Winning a fifth would be that much more difficult. Streaks end and rarely go on for this long in a rivalry.
Ohio St is better at every position. Even at Kicker. Dominic Zvada has been abysmal this season.
Ohio St has all of the NFL talent. Michigan is also talented but young and in need of development.
Logic does not point to Michigan in this game. Ohio St by 1 or 30. A Buckeye win seems inevitable.
All of this to say, Ohio St last won in this game 11/30/2019. Maybe they just can’t win this game any longer. Maybe Ryan Day has a hankering for the Maze and Blue. Maybe Michigan is destined to be the Buckeyes Nutcracker for life.
–One final nugget–That game in 2019 was in Ann Arbor, and the Buckeyes won 56-27. They went on to lose in the National Championship to Clemson. The only team better than the Buckeyes.
In my opinion, they will win this game comfortably and get to the Natty where they will lose to Georgia. The only team I believe is better than the Buckeyes.
So, all of this praise I’m heaping on this Ohio St squad, just know that I feel even stronger towards the strength of this current Georgia team. Please, please, please let this game happen and may it happen on January 20th, 2026 in Atlanta.
- Ohio St @ Michigan Noon 11/29 on FOX
Find the Humor and Keep on Movin’
Whit W.