Wolverine Digest

Former Notre Dame QB trolls Ohio State for loss to Michigan

Chris Breiler|
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

It's been well over a month since Michigan defeated Ohio State in Columbus back on Nov. 30, but the trash talking between the two fanbases hasn't stopped. Although the Wolverines failed to qualify for the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, Michigan did finish the season strong with back-to-back wins over Top 15 ranked teams - No. 2 Ohio State and No. 11 Alabama. For Ohio State, losing two regular season games to Oregon and Michigan wasn't enough to keep the Buckeyes out of the playoff, and now it looks like they may ultimately bring home a national championship on Jan. 20.

But Ohio State's impressive march toward a potential national championship has also come with a painful reminder with each win: the loss to Michigan.

During the first round playoff game against Tennessee, Ohio State's loss to Michigan was mentioned multiple times prior to, during, and after the broadcast. During the second round playoff game against Oregon, Ohio State's loss to Michigan was once again a frequent topic. And when Ohio State defeated Texas and punched its ticket to the national championship game, the Buckeyes were once again reminded of their loss to Michigan during the postgame interviews.

In recent weeks, Ohio State fans have attempted to downplay that loss to Michigan, saying that a national championship is really the only thing that matters. But most people can see right through those attempts as little more than a coping strategy. The reality is that, regardless of whether or not the Buckeyes go on to claim the national championship in a week against Notre Dame, the loss to Michigan will forever serve as a massive stain on an otherwise incredible season for Ohio State.

Ahead of the matchup with the Buckeyes, former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire jumped into the trash talking ring, and specifically questioned Ohio State's presumed "championship" status due to the loss to Michigan.

Of course, it's difficult for any Notre Dame fan or former player to make that point when the Irish also lost to Northern Illinois in South Bend back in September. But putting the merits of the trash talk aside, the overall takeaway is this: Even in the midst of a potential national championship run, the Buckeyes still can't escape what happened on Nov. 30.

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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