Ryan Day - Ohio State 'devastated' after falling short vs. Michigan again - ESPN

ANN ARBOR, Michigan — For Michigan and Ohio State, the entire season often comes down to what happens in The Game.

The bitter rivalry puts the Buckeyes and the Wolverines against each other in what is built up the entire season as the one that matters. It matters when you win and it matters when you lose, and after Michigan's 30-24 win, coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes have now lost three in-a-row to the Wolverines.

It's the first time Michigan has won three games in a row against the Buckeyes since the team did it from 1995 to 1997.

«We know what this game means to so many people, and so to come up short is certainly crushing,» Day said after the game. «Not only because you invest your whole year in it, at Ohio State, what this game means and so, there's a locker room in there that's devastated. It wasn't a lack of effort, but again, we didn't win the rushing yards, we didn't win the turnover battle, so you're not going to win this game.»

Day is now 1-3 against Michigan, and this time it was a loss with coach Jim Harbaugh watching at home as he serves a three-game suspension. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore was the interim head coach for the fourth time this season and was able to take down Day and the Buckeyes at home in Michigan Stadium.

Coming into this game, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was hoping to limit the explosive plays that hurt them in the 2022 game against the Wolverines and put an emphasis on improving the defense as a whole in preparation for this game. The defense held Michigan to just one play over 30 yards, compared to five plays over 40 yards in 2022, but the Wolverines kept chipping away and never let up.

«Not enough. Ultimately, you got to win this game,» Knowles said. «I