Michigan vs. Ohio State every year is not just a regular-season game. Tempers flare, social media battles start way before and on the field, and more often than not, it becomes a bloodbath. For now, though, Michigan is leading 4-1 in the last five editions of “The Game” as Ryan Day tries to find redemption in 2025. However, the head coach still has his shiny natty to show from 2024, and that tilts some of the dynamics towards him. But closure? It’s still a distant dream, but that’s where Jeremiah Smith comes into the picture.

Jeremiah Smith was arguably the best player for Ohio State last year and broke several records, receiving 1,315 yards as a true freshman. Yet, that narrow 10-13 defeat to Michigan stung, losing at home at the Shoe. And that’s exactly the reason why Jeremiah Smith recently proclaimed his “hate” for Michigan and took a pledge that, in theory, could have rattled some cages at Ann Arbor.

“I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy,” Smith told The Athletic. “In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn’t come to Ohio State to lose to that team up north. I just hate them. There’s just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can’t lose to them in the next two years,” declared Jeremiah Smith, and might have given some morale boost to Ryan Day with his confidence. But what about the statement’s effect in Michigan?

Michigan, which is historically known for its run game identity, has faced difficulties in producing elite WRs. And that was the reason why Sherrone Moore went all in and got the commitment of top-50 player Andrew Marsh for his 2025 class. Now, months into Michigan’s offense and practicing for Moore, Marsh reflected on how Jeremiah Smith’s statement affected his Michigan teammates. “Did you notice any reaction to that around the program when he made that guarantee?” asked the host of ‘The Michigan Insider.’ 

Marsh smiled a bit at the question and calmly said, “I mean, we just thought it was funny,” said Marsh about the locker room’s response to Smith’s pledge. Later, the WR said how the locker room was unfettered, as they had seen all these things before from Ohio State. “We’ve heard it before, seen it before. Got to make it happen though. So, we’ll see what’s up.” But that’s not all; the WR then gave his opinion on the rivalry and how he was fitting into the culture.

For Andrew Marsh, being from Fulshear, Texas, it took some time to blend into Michigan’s culture. However, once he did it successfully? According to him, he is beginning to dislike Ohio State and calls it a part of the Michigan culture. “While I was at home, I was trying to get more into it and stuff like that, but just being here and really being a part of it, and that’s something that we really focus on and stuff like that. I definitely feel it. I definitely I feel like I’m part of it now. So, yeah, I don’t like those guys,” concluded Marsh.

Surely, Ohio State won the natty last year, but Michigan fans still don’t give the Buckeyes fans closure, pointing to a 4-1 record. Undoubtedly, Jeremiah Smith is a world-class player and will probably repeat those heroics again this year. But without that Michigan win? There’s always something missing from his resume. Still, Michigan this year can’t be underestimated.

The Wolverines are trying to diversify their game and have receivers like the Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley, Anthony Simpson from UMass, and, of course, the talented freshman Andrew Marsh to pair with a world-class QB, Bryce Underwood. All in all, it seems like we are in for a treat at the Big House in November. Moreover, the excitement is quite high for Bryce Underwood’s debut, according to Paul Finebaum.

Paul Finebaum predicts optimism for Michigan in 2025

Michigan and Sherrone Moore are coming after an 8-win season, where they rotated between 4 QBs and couldn’t decide on an uncontested starter. This year, with generational prodigy Bryce Underwood and an experienced Mikey Keene coming in, it seems like the QB issues would no longer surface. Apart from that, the defense has also got some quite impressive additions, making the prospects of Michigan’s success quite appealing.

“I think Michigan is slightly better than average,” said Paul Finebaum as he sat with Bill Connelly of ESPN in a recent podcast. Even Connelly then agreed with Finebaum and gave his take on Michigan’s 2025 prospects and predicted an average of 9.8 wins for the team, finishing 10th nationally. The verdict?

Michigan’s 2025 season schedule looks relatively straightforward, with major games against Oklahoma, Nebraska, and USC piling up in the first half of the season. Whereas, in the latter half, the team faces Washington and Ohio State as the only opponents worth giving them competition. Now, it remains to be seen if Sherrone Moore finally achieves that playoff spot or not.