Michigan has won four straight games against Ohio State. Weirdly, this could be the best one of them all. Michigan got the monkey off its back in 2021, ending an eight-game win streak for the Buckeyes. They proved it wasn't a fluke in 2022. It was destiny on the way to a National Championship in 2023. This year, no one thought Michigan could win The Game. Except Michigan.
Now, they won The Game. They have taken over this rivalry in ways we've only seen a few times.
The Buckeyes dominated much of this century, with the streak from 2012-2021 and the streak before it from 2004-2010. But before that, Michigan has its run. Following the 10-year war, Michigan dominated much of the 80s and 90s. Still, they only won four games in a row once, from 1988 to 1991. Throughout the rivalry each team has had runs, but it has mostly been back and forth.
Ohio State had a four game win streak 1960-63 and Michigan had their own with a National Championship 1945-48, with a tie before two more straight wins. Ohio State won four in a row 1934-37 and before that was Michigan dominating rivalry from it inception through the 20s.
So in this era of college football, after the run of dominance Ohio State had, this win feels extra special. Jim Harbaugh and many of the players who led the 2021-23 run left Ann Arbor, with mission accomplished. Sherrone Moore took over and while we hoped for continuity, the truth was a reset needed to occur. This is Sherrone Moore's program now, but that continuity showed itself on Saturday.
In 2021 it was the snow. In 2022 it was just a few bad plays. In 2023 it was Stalions. This year, there are no excuses. Ohio State needs to accept what Michigan believes and knows. They simply want to win the game more.
"I don't think we ever say just do not lose," Sherrone Moore said following the win. "We just talk about how to win and what we need to do to win. Never put the losing factor in your mind. Our guys never had the losing thought in their mind. They walked in the meeting room on Monday, and they were as excited as anything. It was just like we were 11-0 because they knew the importance of the week and what it took."
The work occurs all year.
"We worked 365 for this game, and that's how we're going to continue approaching it. We're never going to stop thinking about this game. We're going to play, and that's no disrespect to the other players, but this game is the most important game of the year and always will be."
Moore and Michigan recently landed the #1 recruit in Bryce Underwood. Momentum is building off the field. On the field, in a down year, Michigan beat Michigan State and now they have beaten Ohio State for a fourth straight time.
This was the chance for the rivals to get Michigan, and they didn't. This is as dominant as it gets.
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