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The Game is becoming nothing more than a game for the Michigan Wolverines.
On Tuesday, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood echoed previous comments from first-year Wolverines coach Kyle Whittingham regarding the program’s fiercest rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The laissez faire attitude might be a good way to avoid handing the Buckeyes any bulletin board material, but it could easily backfire if the Wolverines aren’t careful.
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood downplays Ohio State rivalry following head coach Kyle Whittingham’s comments
During Big Ten media days late last month, Whittingham created a bit of a local media firestorm by refusing to take the bait when asked whether he’s grown to “hate” Ohio State since arriving in Ann Arbor, instead responding, “Hate’s a strong word.”
Whittingham also talked about his feelings toward Ohio State coach Ryan Day, adding, “I think Ryan Day’s a good person. To sit here and say, ‘I hate Ryan Day,” I’d be making cr-p up.”
He doubled-down on the lack of animosity on Monday when speaking to reporters at Michigan, questioning, “Do we have a better chance of winning if I hated them? I don’t understand.”
In a recent interview with NBC Sports’ John Fanta, Underwood expressed a similar sentiment about the heated rivalry, saying, “It’s just another game. Just with guys in a different color. That’s how I see it.”
Most people know better. Michigan-Ohio State isn’t just “another game.” Rather, legacies are forged and defined by it.
Take Ohio State’s 2024 senior class, which went 0-4 against Michigan. In the aftermath of an ugly skirmish at midfield following the 2024 Wolverines road victory, former Buckeyes back Jonathan Wells explained, “I don’t care how many games you win… If you don’t beat them people up north, you’re going to live with that the rest of your life.”
Back in 2007, Michigan stars including offensive lineman Jake Long, quarterback Chad Henne and running back Mike Hart returned as seniors in part due to previous struggles against Ohio State.
“That’s one of the reasons I came back,” Long said at the time. “We haven’t beaten Ohio State.”
It’s one thing for Whittingham and Underwood to not want to fan the flames and have things eventually spiral out of control as in the 2024 postgame fracas, but there’s more options than pretending the Ohio State game is as meaningful as a Week 3 home game against UTEP.
That nonchalance will particularly backfire if the Wolverines lose in Columbus for the first time since 2018 this November.
“Hate” — as Whittingham said — is a strong word, which makes it perfect for college football’s most intense rivalry. However, that feeling doesn’t give players a free pass to behave in an unsportsmanlike manner, and it’s up to coaches to make sure that line isn’t crossed.
Underselling the importance of The Game doesn’t seem like the correct move. Whittingham and Underwood better hope they’re right. Otherwise, they’ll soon learn how wrong they were.
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