Ryan Day Delivers Stern Message Regarding Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry Importance

Thanksgiving weekend in Columbus, Ohio or Ann Arbor, Michigan has two simple objectives every season — Ohio State must beat Michigan and Michigan must beat Ohio State for the season to truly matter.

At least, that's how Buckeyes coach Ryan Day views it.

A 27-9 win against the Wolverines last November removed a dark cloud that had lingered over Day for nearly two years, as heartbreaking losses gave the Wolverines the upper hand in a rivalry that had been largely dominated by the Buckeyes throughout the mid-2010s. The Buckeyes won eight in a row in the series between 2012 and 2019 before the Wolverines won four of the last five meetings.

For Day, those losses were humbling, but also a reminder of how much the rivalry means to both communities every year, regardless of the record or stakes of either football program.

Speaking to On3's Chris Low, Day didn't hold back when discussing the rivalry's evolution alongside with "The Game" should truly represent.

"The expectation isn’t just to win the game," Day said of the Michigan rivalry. "The expectation is to win the game and win the rest of them. I’ve always tried to make sure that everybody in the building, from the day that I took this job to now, accepts that expectation. That’s what we all signed up for. I also get that it’s not for everybody, coaches and players."

Day also had a message for those who don't view the rivalry as important: either suck it up, or depart Columbus.

"So when people see you backed up against the wall, see you challenged, see how you handle adversity and then you come out on the back end, there’s a feeling that, ‘OK, now we know what we have here.’ I think people are proud of that part of it," Day said of the team's rally to win a national title in 2024. "That doesn’t change the expectation. The expectation is always to win that game, but I think they know what they have in this program.”

Day said the Michigan game is one he recognizes as a must win because of how his teams will be remembered when they lose. It's a feeling he said he doesn't want to experience ever again, as long as he is the head coach in Columbus.

"We all know what that game means, me more than anybody,” Day said. “And so we worked hard to make sure we got that rivalry right last year," Day said. "But it’s going to be the same thing this year."

The rivalry returns to Columbus this November, culminating with the final game of the regular season. Assuming the stakes are what many experts are expecting, there's a chance that a win for Ohio State puts them back in the Big Ten title game.

Ohio State is still seeking its first conference championship since 2020, and just maybe, another win against Michigan will move it one step closer to achieving that goal.

in a few short months, we will find out.

Add us as a preferred source on Google