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Winless against Michigan, former Buckeye admits he'll have to live with it forever

Michigan's recent dominance over Ohio State still weighs on former Buckeyes.
Chris Breiler|
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Despite efforts by plenty of Ohio State fans to diminish the meaning of "The Game," the guys who actually play in that rivalry know what the stakes are. And with Michigan's recent string of success in the last four meetings, there is a whole host of Buckeyes who have ended their careers in Columbus without ever tasting victory over the Wolverines. Former Ohio State wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of those Buckeyes.

Smith-Njigba was part of the Buckeye program from 2020-22, and he certainly knows the pain of never beating Michigan, finishing his career with an 0-2 record against the team up north.
During a recent podcast appearance, he was asked to describe the rivaly between Ohio State and Michigan. And while he admitted that it's the greatest rivalry in all of sports, Smith-Njigba also admitted that it's one that brings back painful memories.

"For me? Disappointing," Smith-Njigba said. "For me personally. You know when you just have the better team and you lose... and you feel like you should've won? That type of thing. You know you should've won. Like, what? How did we lose to these boys? I'm gonna have to live with that for the rest of my life."

Although Smith-Njigba is now building a successful career in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, it's clear that the lack of success against Michigan is still something that weighs on him.

Unfortunately for the poor souls in Columbus, things haven't improved since Smith-Njigba's departure. Michigan added two more wins in 2023 and 2024, extending the winning streak to four games. And with the rivalry returning to Ann Arbor in 2025, there's no sign of the Buckeyes getting back on track anytime soon.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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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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