What Michigan's stunning Sherrone Moore firing means for Ohio State

It turns out that Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore's last game with the school was a loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

In a stunning turn of events, ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel reported that Michigan has fired Moore after two seasons as the head coach. While details are still emerging as to why, Moore had a shaky first two seasons after replacing Jim Harbaugh as the head coach when he departed for the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL.

Michigan did release a statement regarding their decision to let Moore go.

"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately. Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member."

Michigan: "U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately. Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member." https://t.co/WAyiqdhDri
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 10, 2025

In two seasons (and one game as interim head coach) with the Wolverines, he went 16-8 overall and 11-6 in the Big Ten. Moore went 1-1 against Ohio State in his time.

The vibes of the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan certainly change, as the Wolverines will now have to search for a new head coach with limited options. It will set the school back, as they could lose current and future players on the team who wanted to play for Michigan and Moore.

Depending on who Michigan hires, it could be a turning point for Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, who has struggled against the Wolverines in the rivalry. Day has beaten Michigan only twice in six matchups.

It could also change the Wolverines' recruiting for a while, which is a significant advantage for Ohio State since they face off against each other for high school prospects frequently. Day gives the Buckeyes more stability as the head coach, while Michigan is set to have its third new coach in the last four years.

This is the opportunity for Ohio State to take over the rivalry in multiple ways and put Michigan out of commission. From recruiting to the transfer portal, more prospects and athletes will want to play for Ohio State than for Michigan because of the Buckeyes' more consistent winning ways compared to the Wolverines' instability.

The 2026 season will be a good indicator of where Michigan will be for the future and whether Ohio State can run with the rivalry and the conference. If Buckeyes fans are being honest, the more concerning school to worry about is the Indiana Hoosiers, who have become a dominant force in the Big Ten over the last two years.

Buckeyes fans will wait and see what happens with Michigan, but it certainly feels like the rivalry's competitiveness could take a hit for a while.