Ohio State Dominates “The Game,” Snaps Michigan’s Streak and Sends a Message
Sherrone Moore’s first loss as Michigan’s head coach didn’t just sting-it came with a statement. In a rivalry where every yard feels like a fistfight and every mistake is magnified, Ohio State didn’t just win. They controlled, dictated, and delivered a 27-9 blow that reminded everyone why this matchup is one of college football’s fiercest.
For Moore, who’s been riding high in his debut season, this was the first time he had to wear the headset and walk off the field on the wrong end of “The Game.” And it showed.
Michigan’s offense looked disjointed from the jump-like a unit still trying to find its rhythm in the season’s most important moment. There were flashes, sure.
But against a defense that’s looked like the best in the country all year, flashes weren’t going to cut it.
Ohio State came in locked in and left no doubt. The Buckeyes flipped the switch in the second half, ramping up the physicality and daring Michigan to respond.
They didn’t. ESPN’s Jordan Reid summed it up bluntly on social media: “Ohio State turned up the physicality notch in the second half and Michigan could never match it.
Caleb Downs on an edge pressure.” That kind of pressure wasn’t just schematic-it was symbolic.
The Buckeyes weren’t just playing defense; they were setting the tone.
And with that, Michigan’s recent dominance in the rivalry came to a screeching halt. The Wolverines had won three straight from 2021 to 2023, flipping the script on a rivalry that had long tilted scarlet and gray.
That run echoed the mid-90s stretch from 1995 to 1997, when Michigan pulled off upsets, climbed into the top five, and capped it with a national title. They even added another win in 1999 to punch their Orange Bowl ticket.
But streaks don’t last forever in this rivalry. And now, the clock that had been ticking since Ohio State’s last win over Michigan? Reset to zero.
The win does more than just restore bragging rights in Columbus-it sends Ohio State to the Big Ten Championship Game, where they’ll face Indiana in Indianapolis. It’s a shot at hardware, sure. But it’s also a chance to keep momentum rolling into the postseason.
Even Tom Brady, Michigan’s most famous football alum, reached out to Moore after the loss. That’s the kind of game this is.
It echoes. It lingers.
And it defines seasons.
For Michigan, the message is clear: you’ve got 364 days to figure it out. Because next year, this rivalry turns into a referendum. If Ohio State pulls off another win in 2026, the pressure on Moore and the Wolverines won’t just increase-it’ll become the story.
The Game always leaves a mark. This year, Ohio State made sure it left one in bold.