It was just a little more than 10 months ago that Ohio State won a national championship. In the time since, the Buckeyes have only offered further assurance of their greatness, marching through the 2025 season with one emphatic win after another, a convincing No. 1 team in the country entering Rivalry Week.
But, of course, none of that really mattered — not when Michigan still had the last word.
For every genuinely astounding new note on Ohio State's résumé, there was always the simple retort: «Yeah, but… Michigan.»
For every big win the Buckeyes enjoyed, there was the reminder, like one of those signs that keeps tabs on how many days have passed since the last time someone needed medical treatment after getting their hair caught in the industrial sandblaster. By Saturday, Ohio State's sign read: 2,191 days.
For all the superstars, high-priced transfers and NFL draft picks who have come and gone over the past six years, none of them could claim a victory over the most hated rival.
And then Saturday, it all changed.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin followed an early interception with a brilliant performance. Wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate were dominant. Bo Jackson powered his way through the Wolverines' defensive front. The Buckeyes' defense was stifling, holding Michigan to a mere 163 total yards.
When it was over, Ohio State had exorcised its greatest demon, toppling Michigan 27-9. And to paraphrase the great statesman Hans Gruber, coach Ryan Day could stare out across the vastness of the Big House and weep, for he had no more worlds to conquer.
The Buckeyes' triumph was less a statement of their dominance; that much had been obvious all along. And while Saturday's outing felt like affirmation of Sayin's
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