In the 2021 season, the Michigan Wolverines had its best season in years and by far the best under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Ohio State’s rivals went 12-2, won the Big Ten for the first time since 2004, and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time before losing to Georgia, the eventual National Champions. 

After the season ended, it was not surprising to see defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who had risen through the coaching ranks over the past eight years, return to the Baltimore Ravens as John Harbaugh’s new defensive coordinator. His work reviving the Wolverine defense can not be understated, revamping a defense that gave up over 34 points per game in 2020 to 17.4 points per game in 2021. 

Then, completely out of left-field, Jim Harbaugh agreed to interview for, and reportedly was ready to accept, an NFL job with the Minnesota Vikings. After finally summiting the Buckeye mountain and reaching the College Football Playoff, he immediately sought greener pastures. 

The attempted move, which ended without a job offer, soured his relationship with offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who was named the nation’s top assistant coach following the 2021 season. Gattis reportedly texted his players “Unfortunately the past few weeks has told a different story to me about the very little appreciation I have here from administration. In life I would never advise anyone to be where they are not wanted…” and has left the school for Miami. The text also speaks to not only his relationship with Harbaugh but the athletic department in general; a coaching staff without appreciation/support from the administration or loyalty from the head coach does not bode well for the maize-and-blue in 2022. 

Compare this saga to Ohio State: after a lackluster pair of seasons on the defensive side, the firing of most of the defensive staff was expected, with Michigan running for nearly 300 yards against the Silver Bullets proving to be the final blow for the lame-duck staff. Day also let long-time offensive line coach Greg Studrawa go, who had severely underperformed his talent for the past few years. Day repeatedly denied rumors that he was leaving for the NFL and poached great assistants from all over the country, the most notable of which being Jim Knowles. 

To anyone paying attention to college football for the last 20 years, however, this should not be a surprise — Ohio State, top-to-bottom, has overemphasized the rivalry and its success on the gridiron while Michigan has fallen behind. It’s a trend that dates back to Woody Hayes and was revived under Jim Tressel, tuned by Urban Meyer, and has now continued with Ryan Day. The Buckeyes have not been satisfied with a less-than-dominant record against their biggest rival since the John Cooper days. Even the name of the Buckeyes’ rival is never mentioned in the press conferences by players or coaches while it took Harbaugh five years to begin to match Ohio State’s energy. 

Michigan, on the other hand, appears to be quite happy with themselves; their offseason storylines started with a number of jabs towards C.J. Stroud and the Bucks at the Heisman Trophy Ceremony. Then, the aforementioned coaching changes and Harbaugh-Vikings saga came and went. 

Once again, compare this to Ohio State: after the 2011 college football season that saw the worst Buckeye season in recent memory, the program swung for the fences, hiring Urban Meyer out of his (first) retirement. By the following season, he had built a winning program that was a national championship favorite each year, winning the CFP in 2014. After winning the national championship, Urban’s Buckeyes reloaded every year and, despite not winning another national title, never got complacent. 

The offseason shenanigans between the two schools are just the latest example of how the rivalry means more in Columbus than it does in Ann Arbor. After its first loss to Michigan in ten years, Ohio State will trot out one of the best offenses college football has ever seen next season with an improved defense. Meanwhile, after its first win against Ohio State in ten years, Michigan will have to adjust to two new coordinators led by a disloyal head coach. 

The Wolverines should continue to be a powerhouse in the 2022 season and beyond. Despite what many say, Michigan is not going anywhere. Neither is Ohio State, however, and as long as the Bucks return to form, Ryan Day and his team have a great shot at another victory over their rivals.