COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State senior Jack Sawyer is eager to take down Michigan’s flag, with several of his teammates ready to push or even punch the Wolverines as they planted their flag at Ohio State’s midfield for the second time in four years.
However, following Saturday’s 13-10 loss to Michigan, these actions seem far less admirable.
As Michigan running back Kalel Mullings said, “We had 60 minutes to fight on the field.”
For Ohio State fans, the postgame brawl might appear as a way to defend their home turf and respond to Michigan’s disrespect of The Horseshoe. But from an outside perspective, Ohio State’s reaction reveals a much deeper issue: the reason they continue to struggle against Michigan.
And it’s not about toughness.
After four consecutive losses to Michigan, including this year’s, the issue goes beyond physicality. It’s not just about Ohio State being outmuscled in the trenches, where the Wolverines again dominated. It’s not about the playbook, where the Buckeyes struggled to use their talented receivers against a Michigan secondary missing its top cornerback. And it’s not even about talent, where Ohio State has had the advantage, but it hasn’t mattered in recent seasons.
The true problem lies deeper in Ohio State’s mindset, beyond strategy and game planning. If you examine the team’s mentality closely, you’ll find the real issue: Michigan has taken up too much space in their minds.
This ongoing mental struggle with Michigan isn’t surprising, nor is it necessarily a bad thing. Coach Ryan Day and many Buckeyes would tell you Michigan is always on their minds.
The problem lies in how that mindset shows up. When Michigan’s coach Sherrone Moore speaks about the rivalry, he’s talking about how Michigan is always looking ahead, tracking Ohio State’s progress, and preparing to outsmart them with new strategies (such as their key pass play on Saturday, which resulted in a pass interference penalty).
For Ohio State, thinking about Michigan brings up all the pain they’ve endured: stolen signs, a third base comment, and countless hard-hitting runs over the past few seasons. Since Michigan turned the rivalry in 2021, they’ve run for 877 yards against Ohio State in The Game.
In response, Ohio State has been focused on proving their toughness, trying to fight back by running the ball. But they’ve struggled to average more than four yards per carry in three of the last four matchups. The thinking is that flexing, growling, and fighting will resolve the Michigan problem.
But after four years, it’s time to reconsider that approach. The Buckeyes were strong and determined in Saturday’s loss, running the ball and even throwing punches to defend their home field.
Yet Michigan played better—not necessarily bigger or stronger—holding Ohio State to 76 rushing yards on 26 carries and absorbing Ohio State’s best shot, which came after the game.
Final score: Michigan 13, plus a few postgame bruises; Ohio State 10, plus the guilt of a sore loser.
Some diehards will likely disagree. They might argue Michigan started the altercation by planting the flag, or they may think I don’t understand the rivalry for suggesting OSU accept a loss.
But while I might be misunderstanding The Game, Ohio State keeps losing it. They continue trying to prove their toughness, missing the point of Michigan’s winning streak, which, ironically, isn’t about brute force.
Michigan’s success, like in the previous three victories, is based on more than power and aggression. The Wolverines thrive on composure, poise, and controlled motivation. Michigan earned its celebration on Saturday for the same reason Ohio State interrupted it.