Former Ohio State Star Makes Controversial Statement Blaming External Factors for Loss to Michigan in Heated Rivalry Game
The rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is one of college football’s most storied and intense matchups, with a legacy stretching back more than a century. But even in a rivalry steeped in tradition, passion, and occasional controversy, a recent claim by a former Ohio State star has reignited fierce debate among fans, pundits, and former players. The Buckeyes’ back-to-back losses to Michigan in 2021 and 2022—and a third in 2023—left wounds that still haven’t fully healed in Columbus. Now, in 2025, with emotions still raw and another chapter of The Game approaching this fall, the comments from the former Buckeye have struck a nerve.
The player, whose name carries considerable weight in Ohio State circles due to his accolades and leadership during his time in the program, didn’t hold back during a recent podcast appearance. Speaking candidly, he offered what he described as a “hard truth” about why the Buckeyes lost to the Wolverines in the most recent editions of The Game. “It wasn’t about talent. It wasn’t about coaching. It wasn’t even about effort,” he said. “It was politics. It was pressure. There were people outside the locker room—administrators, boosters, maybe even the Big Ten—who didn’t want Ohio State to win that game.”
That’s a seismic accusation. To suggest that off-the-field forces influenced the outcome of arguably college football’s most sacred rivalry game borders on conspiracy. Yet the former Buckeye doubled down when asked to clarify. “You think it’s a coincidence we looked like a different team against Michigan? We didn’t just get outplayed—we were outmaneuvered by people we never saw coming. It’s bigger than football.”
The response from Michigan fans has been predictably sharp. Many called the comments “delusional” and “embarrassing,” pointing to Michigan’s physical dominance in recent years and the emergence of quarterback J.J. McCarthy and head coach Jim Harbaugh’s revitalized Wolverines program. “Ohio State just got punched in the mouth,” one fan tweeted. “And now they can’t handle it, so they’re making excuses.” But the pushback hasn’t only come from Ann Arbor.
Even within Buckeye Nation, reactions have been mixed. Some fans appreciated the former player’s passion and willingness to challenge the status quo. “He’s saying what a lot of us have been thinking,” one Ohio State supporter wrote on a message board. “There was something off about those games. It wasn’t just X’s and O’s.” Others, though, felt the comments came off as bitter and lacking accountability. “We lost because Michigan was better those days,” another fan posted. “End of story. We don’t need conspiracy theories. We need to be better.”
Current Ohio State players and coaches, understandably, declined to address the comments directly. Head coach Ryan Day has remained focused on the 2025 season, one that could define his legacy in Columbus. After all, despite a strong overall record and several top recruiting classes, Day is still battling criticism for his record against Michigan. He was 1-3 against the Wolverines entering 2025. Losing a fourth straight would not only be historically significant—it would almost certainly place him squarely on the hot seat.
Day has emphasized “toughness” and “composure” during offseason workouts, reportedly bringing in mental performance coaches and former military leaders to help instill a sharper mindset. “We’ve done a lot of soul-searching,” Day said at a recent press conference. “Every detail matters. Every snap, every meeting, every rep. We’ve had great teams here. But we need to take that next step. And that starts with our preparation and mindset every single day.”
Those kinds of comments stand in stark contrast to the suggestion that games are being manipulated by external forces. While Day has not directly acknowledged the former player’s claims, sources close to the program say that he and his staff found the remarks “unhelpful” and “distracting.” “We’re trying to get back to work,” one staffer said. “We want to win this thing the right way. The players in this building believe that what happens between the lines is what decides the game.”
The broader college football community has also weighed in. ESPN analysts debated the claim on a recent broadcast, with Paul Finebaum calling it “a reach” and “a prime example of why rivalries get so toxic.” Others were more sympathetic, noting the intense psychological toll that high-profile losses can take on college athletes and their alumni. “Sometimes it’s easier to find a scapegoat than to sit with the pain,” said former Notre Dame linebacker and current commentator Jaylon Smith. “I don’t fault the guy for feeling what he feels. But you have to be careful when you start blaming shadows.”
Indeed, the emotional stakes in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry are hard to overstate. For decades, the game has decided Big Ten titles, national championship paths, and coaching fates. Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler turned it into an epic battle of wills, and that legacy still casts a long shadow today. For Ohio State, dominance over Michigan from 2001 to 2019 became a point of pride and identity. The reversal of fortunes since 2021 has shaken the fan base in a way few anticipated.
So when a former star player steps forward with claims that suggest the playing field wasn’t level, it taps into more than just controversy—it touches on a crisis of confidence. Was it simply poor execution? Bad game plans? Or is there something more systemic at play?
There’s also a timing element to consider. The comments come just as the College Football Playoff expands, the Big Ten welcomes USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, and NIL and transfer portal rules continue to reshape the sport. Some have speculated that the former player’s remarks reflect broader unease about the direction of college football—and a sense that traditional powers like Ohio State are being undermined in a new, chaotic era.
Still, if there is one lesson history teaches us about rivalries, it’s that nothing is ever settled for long. Ohio State will have its chance to answer on the field later this fall when they host Michigan in Columbus. That game will be a litmus test—not just for Ryan Day and his team, but for how the Buckeyes respond to pressure, criticism, and doubt. And for many fans, it will be an opportunity to restore pride, silence skeptics, and reassert control over a rivalry that has taken a painful turn in recent years.
Until then, though, the fallout from the former star’s remarks will likely continue to reverberate. Radio shows, podcasts, and social media platforms are already flooded with takes and countertakes. The story has fueled the kind of offseason drama that only college football can provide. And in the end, that may be part of the reason it resonates so deeply.
College football thrives on narratives—on heroes and villains, redemption arcs and revenge games. Whether or not there’s any truth to the former Buckeye’s claim, it has added another layer to an already combustible rivalry. It has reminded fans that, in this sport, the emotional stakes often exceed the scoreboard. And it has shown, once again, that for some players and fans, a loss to Michigan doesn’t just hurt—it demands explanation, however improbable that explanation might be.
As the 2025 season looms, one thing is certain: the next Ohio State-Michigan showdown just got even more personal. The stakes were already sky-high. Now, they might be existential. And no matter what happens on that November Saturday in Columbus, the echoes of these comments will hang in the air, as loud and charged as any roar from the Horseshoe. The Game is coming. And this year, it might be the most heated one yet.
