Should The Game be treated differently than others? Should hatred fuel the feud between Ohio State and Michigan? Recent remarks from Bryce Underwood and Julian Sayin suggest opposite approaches from each side.
COLUMBUS – Ohio State vs. Michigan is the greatest rivalry in sports, and it has been for more than a century. Careers are made, and legends are born in this game, as Urban Meyer proclaims. While that may be the case, no position has more eyes than the quarterback, as both signal callers – Julian Sayin and Bryce Underwood – offered differing perspectives on the rivalry.
Starting with Michigan’s Bryce Underwood from his interview with NBC and John Fanta. The young Wolverine said,
“It’s just another game with guys in a different color. That’s how I see it.”
Underwood also talked about the physicality of The Game to Fanta, sharing, “It’s all-around taxing mentally [and] physically. You’ve got to stay strong…you can’t quit. You can’t give up.” Michigan’s quarterback also described being in the rivalry as a “blessing.”
Asked Bryce Underwood about The Game.
Here is what the Michigan QB had to say: pic.twitter.com/Gi7s4KCGby
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) August 11, 2026
While his daily goal may be to go “1-0 every day,” Underwood wasn’t on November 29, 2025, against the Buckeyes in the Big House. It was his first time playing in The Game, and he left a lot to be desired on the field. Michigan’s supposed freshman phenom completed only eight of 18 pass attempts for 63 yards and an interception. The Wolverines did not score a touchdown during the 27-9 loss.
No Place for Hatred?
Also on the Michigan side of things, Kyle Whittingham spoke about hatred at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. “I don’t think there’s any place for that personally,” the head coach of the Wolverines said.
The context of the question is important because it was not centered on The Game or rivalry itself. According to Bill Landis of the Bill and Doug Show, who asked the question, it was about Whittingham’s opinion of The Game being consumed by personal hatred between the coaches and its place in the rivalry.
All of that, of course, referring to the Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh/Sherrone Moore saga. In his response, Whittingham expressed that he “thought Ryan [Day] was a pretty good guy when they interacted at the Rose Bowl.” He continued by expressing the same sentiments about Day based on what Urban Meyer has told him.
According to Landis, Whittingham said, “I think a rivalry can be intense and emotional without the hatred factor. I don’t think there’s any place for that personally.” Michigan’s head coach also said he thinks Ryan Day is a good person and that he does not personally hate him. Listen to the episode of the Bill and Doug Show to hear more.
Nevertheless, Whittingham later expressed his competitive nature and burning desire to win The Game. In three and a half months, we’ll see the first version of a Kyle Whittingham-coached Michigan team compete against Ohio State.
The Game is a Way of Life
A year before Bryce Underwood’s first defeat in the rivalry, Julian Sayin stood on the sidelines on a frigid day in Columbus as his team was shockingly upset. The pain of losing isn’t just for starters, as Sayin was a backup to Will Howard. He said, “It’s definitely not a feeling you ever want to go through,” in a post-practice interview with On3’s Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples.
Sayin discussed how he watched the leadership of the 2024 Buckeyes bounce back from the loss to win the National Championship. Among the lessons he took from that title run was the educational process of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.
“You learn very quickly when you get here, Sayin said. You learn the history of that game and how important it is to this fan base, and it becomes your livelihood.”
NEW: Ohio State’s Julian Sayin tells @AndyAriOn3 losing to Michigan is an experience you never want to go through:
“It becomes your livelihood.” pic.twitter.com/yAC3HNskwR
— On3 (@On3) August 11, 2026
From Woody Hayes to Urban Meyer, and now Ryan Day, The Game has always been a way of life in Columbus. That’s part of what makes the rivalry so special: the integration into daily life between the states, programs, and fans. It’s 24/7/365, and Julian Sayin and Ohio State understand that.
The Buckeyes will look to win back-to-back games for the first time this decade when they host Kyle Whittingham’s Wolverines on November 28.
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Blake Biscardi serves as Co-Founder, Lead Reporter, and Senior Editor of The Silver Bulletin. He hosts the Buckeye Cadence podcast, where he breaks down Ohio State football and basketball with an inside look into the programs. Covering Julian Sayin in New York City in 2025 was his Heisman moment, which became a viral moment in its own right. Biscardi is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and has degrees in Business Administration and Strategic Communication & Leadership.