Jim Harbaugh was asked at his news conference last week if he respected Ryan Day and his staff. Harbaugh, as he often does when asked something he’s uncomfortable with, hesitated before ducking the question.
“It’s all about our preparation for Ohio,” Harbaugh said. “The days, the minutes, the hours, everything leading up to this game, that’s where our focus is. Preparing ourselves and planning, practicing and then executing. Anything else is irrelevant when you get to this kind of big game.”
Ryan Day was asked a similar thing a day later. He, too, was not interested in giving an honest answer.
“With everything that’s going on and stuff that’s out there, we kind of get away from all the distractions and just kind of focus on our team,” he said. “I think our guys did a good job of it. … I’ve talked to them a few times about what happened this season, going into the game, but they’re focused on this game. They’re focused on this season. ”
Write a column today with a question: Is this the best/most hyped Ohio State-Michigan game … ever?
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) November 22, 2023
Four years ago, after Ohio State’s 56-27 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor in Day’s first year as Buckeyes coach, the rivalry seemed dead because Urban Meyer killed it. Meyer is no longer Ohio State’s coach, but the foundation he built carried over into the Sun season and the Buckeyes trounced the Wolverines. The Game was lopsided, the recruiting results were lopsided and Ohio State was more concerned with Clemson than its bitterest rival.
But the rivalry is not dead. It comes out, it can’t be killed.
And if you’re looking for something to be thankful for on Thursday, how about this? The greatest rivalry in sport, one that was on life support less than five years ago, just isn’t back. It’s better than ever.
After Harbaugh beat Ohio State for the first time, in 2021, he said in the postgame news conference that “some people are born at third base and act like they hit a triple,” referring to Day’s status as coach of Buckeyes. A public shot at your rival’s head coach and everything he’s accomplished in his career? There’s no going back on that.
Of course, Harbaugh later said the comment was a counterpunch to Day, who reportedly said he would “hang 100” on Michigan during an argument at a Big Ten coaches teleconference. Alas, that motivation is not really important anymore. That’s not a comment you can just shrug off.
DEEP
Michigan hasn’t fallen yet, but will gravity pull Jim Harbaugh’s program back to Earth?
But this year’s game is about more than public trash talk. From Ohio State’s side, you have an elite-level program hoping to win national titles living in a reality where it’s no longer considered the best program in the Big Ten East. Day has lost back-to-back games at Michigan after the Buckeyes lost just once in this rivalry from 2004 to 2019.
Day has an impeccable record and was on the verge of winning the national title last year, but many Ohio State fans are questioning whether he is the right man for the job. Call it John Cooper’s ghost.
Michigan is looking for its third straight series win, which was an unthinkable idea in December 2019. But the Wolverines are currently under investigation for an alleged in-person scouting scheme and people are throwing around the word “cheating” . Harbaugh has been coaching his team all week, preparing the game plan and performing his media obligations as usual, but he is serving a three-game suspension from the Big Ten and will not be at Michigan Stadium on Saturday.
Many Michigan fans wholeheartedly believe that Day hired a PI firm to investigate the Wolverines, and they attribute all of the program’s problems to Ohio State’s head coach. Day’s brothers were caught up in allegations that circulated on X (formerly known as Twitter) and college football message boards.
You have a real-life feud between two coaches as an appetizer for a game that will likely determine who wins the Big Ten and advances to the College Football Playoff.
The 2006 edition featured two undefeated teams in what was dubbed “The Game of the Century.” Legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler died the day before the game from cardiovascular disease. Doctors said all the chaos leading up to The Game likely contributed to his death.
It shouldn’t be any heavier. Many will tell you that nothing compares to 2006. Perhaps it doesn’t. But it feels bigger in a different way.
This year we have two programs and two coaches who legitimately hate each other. Rivalries exist at all levels of sports and are probably more common in the stands than on the field. But this? It is natural.
Even Schembechler and legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes — the two men who led the Ten Year War from 1969 to 1978 — shared a mutual love and admiration. The two were close friends, even though they spent the entire year trying to figure out how to beat each other. Woody visits Bo in the hospital after he has a heart attack. Bo gave a eulogy at Woody’s funeral.
Those are the true signs of respect. The two current coaches could not muster the strength to say the word.
The outcome of this game will be sealed, regardless of the outcome.
• Michigan wins: The Wolverines remain on top. They also maintain that the sign-stealing scandal was completely overblown, and that the win over Ohio State was proof that they were always the better team. Even without Harbaugh on the sidelines, Michigan outclassed its bitter rival. The win also legitimizes the results of the previous two seasons. Day, in turn, will have to return to Columbus with his tail between his legs to a fan base that may have already turned on him.
• Ohio State wins: Day evens his record at 2-2 against Michigan and all is forgiven. His record against his biggest rival may not match Meyer’s (7-0) or Jim Tressel’s (9-1), but he gets extra credit for winning the biggest edition of this bitter rivalry. Ohio State has reasserted itself as the class of the Big Ten and will likely return to the College Football Playoff to try to finish the job after being shut out a year ago. Meanwhile, Michigan was knocked out of the CFP and began to face more pressing questions about Connor Stalion, the cheating scandal and how much advanced scouting helped the program for the first time.
When has a game been more compelling? Championship trophies are at stake on the field and self-esteem is at stake here. For both teams.
Whether you’re an Ohio State fan or a Michigan fan, you can agree on one thing — that this is the best rivalry in college football and, perhaps, sports. And the anticipation and genuine anger that exists makes this Thanksgiving week even sweeter than usual.
This is rivalry nirvana.
This is the epitome of what makes college football great.
Who isn’t thankful that this rivalry is back … and better than ever?
(Photo of Jim Harbaugh and Ryan Day: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty Images)
