If one interaction at Big Ten Media Days were chosen to show just how much the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry has shifted in the past four years, it would have to be Makari Paige’s response when a reporter asked him what pops into his head when someone says the words “Ohio State.”
“A dub. A win. And then the rivalry, of course,” the Michigan safety said.
A Wolverine saying that in 2020 would have been met with incredulity and probably online ridicule. Now, it just makes sense. What else would a player say about a team he’s beaten three consecutive times?
On Thursday, Paige, Michigan fullback Max Bredeson and coach Sherrone Moore broke down why they feel they’ve been able to sustain such results against the Buckeyes – sign-stealing allegations aside.
“We think about them 24/7, 365,” Moore said. “That’s what we’re going to continue to do, that’s how we’re going to continue to attack it and we’re just going to attack our process. We really can’t be worried about what happened in the past and what the future holds, we’ve just gotta worry about today and that will dedicate and predict what we do in these future games.”
This story might be a painful one to read for Ohio State fans. It's not exactly the most joyous one to write. But sometimes, it's helpful to understand why things are the way they are, and Michigan's perspective on things is an important piece of why Michigan has been successful.
Again, sign-stealing allegations aside.
Paige is a player who witnessed the program’s transformation firsthand. There were murmurings that Jim Harbaugh might be on the hot seat in 2020 after a 2-4 record during COVID-19 and a 0-5 start to his time coaching Michigan against Ohio State.
The shift within the locker room that occurred thereafter is the top reason Paige believes the Wolverines were able to take control of the rivalry. They won 42-27 in upset fashion to claim their first win over the Buckeyes since 2011 in 2021, got their first win in the Shoe since 2000 by a 45-23 margin in 2022 and scraped out a 30-24 victory that came down to the final series en route to a national championship in 2023. Each of the latter two matchups was a top-three game.
“I feel like my first year there was a lot of guys – it was during COVID though, so you gotta (consider that) – but there was a lot of guys complaining,” Paige said. They didn't really wanna work hard. And after that year, it kind of just, a switch flipped. I guess people were tired of losing. That year (2020) was bad for us, so that's when it changed.”
Similar to Ohio State, there is a lot of esteem tied up in the rivalry in Ann Arbor. Turning the tides of the tilt allowed Michigan to gain some confidence as a program – perhaps culminating in last year’s CFP win.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” Bredeson said. “We know how big that game is. It's the staple of the year. We take a lot of pride in that game and always will. It's great. We've got a group of guys who got to be around the program for that, it means a lot to them.”
From the Wolverines’ perspective, the question now is how they’ll be able to sustain an edge over the Buckeyes. The team will replace star quarterback J.J. McCarthy and each of its starting five offensive linemen in 2024 and saw starting safety Rod Moore suffer what is likely a season-ending injury this offseason.
Oh, and Moore took over for Harbaugh this offseason, making for a program in transition in more ways than its players.
“It's a game we're always looking forward to,” Bredeson said. “Again, all that matters right now is we've got camp coming up and we've got workouts tomorrow. The coaching change is definitely something that will be brought up, but it's a smooth transition. It's the same program, same energy. We're just excited to keep building on the blueprint we have and find ways to make it even better.”
Paige said he feels like he and his teammates need to continue being “Michigan Men,” working hard and being selfless, good people on and off the field to keep a grip on the rivalry.
“Just doing what we do, being Michigan football. That's really it,” Paige said. “The culture we’ve got now, I feel like, like they say, it's the blueprint. Keep following the blueprint, you'll be straight.”
Paige feels a blend of hatred and respect toward Ohio State, a sentiment many players across the rivalry likely share.
“It's both,” Paige said. “We respect them all year, then in The Game, we could do a little disrespecting in The Game. But off the field, we respect them though.”
He added that he’s not worried about the talent on the Buckeyes’ roster, saying “They’re loaded every year.”
There’s also a chance that Ohio State and Michigan could play in consecutive weeks to end the season now that the Big Ten has abandoned divisions. If it were to happen, it’d be a unique wrinkle for the rivalry for there to be a rematch in a given season.
“We love every opportunity,” Bredeson said. “I love every chance that this new structure gives us. So we welcome any opportunity, any challenge with open arms.”
Michigan’s goal is to repeat as national champions, even with the boatload of talent they lost from last year and the coaching transition the program has undergone. A schedule that features Texas, USC, Oregon and Ohio State will challenge the team’s new assets, but even a 9-3 record could have them on the fringes of the new 12-team playoff.
“We’re not gonna stray away from the goal of trying to win it all every year,” Moore said. “When you’re at Michigan that should be your goal every single year. For our team, it will take shape in training camp. Then it’ll take shape in game one and game two to see where we’re at.”
So, if Ohio State is to flip the course of the rivalry, it won’t be from any lost confidence on Michigan’s side. Ryan Day and company are going to have to take the reins back from the Wolverines on the field of battle on Nov. 30.
If they don’t, they’ll only become more of a mental “dub” for the Wolverines. And that will only make things that much harder the next time the two sides meet.
