When new Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham took the stage at Big Ten Media Days, fans expected fire. Instead, he surprised everyone by praising Ryan Day and claiming there is no room for hate in the rivalry. That peaceful take raised eyebrows across the Michigan community, setting up an immediate reaction from players who actually lived the war.

Former Michigan tight end Jake Butt recently gave the perfect inside look at what it actually feels like to be caught in the middle of it. During Brooks Austin’s Film Guy Network podcast, the host flat-out asked the former Wolverine All-American the same question. The Ohio native Butt didn’t hesitate one bit.

“Of course [I hate OSU]!!” but then he broke down a surprisingly honest, dual-minded take. He explained that while the Michigan State game is pure local hostility, Ohio State is a different beast altogether. “I hate Ohio State, but I respect them in a weird way. Respect is a word that has to be tied into the hatred of Ohio State. It’s both those programs: Michigan and Ohio State are legendary. They’re full of great history, great coaches. You train year-round to compete and win in that game. But I would say there’s got to be a level of respect for the Buckeyes as much as there is hatred,” Butt said.

To understand Butt’s words, you have to look at where he came from. He grew up just fifteen minutes from Ohio Stadium in Pickerington, surrounded by die-hard Buckeye fans. But when OSU ignored him during recruitment, that personal snub fueled a lifelong desire to prove Ohio State wrong in Ann Arbor.

Whittingham spent decades in Utah, where rivalries like the Holy War (BYU-Utah) relied heavily on mutual respect between neighboring schools. But for an Ohio boy like Butt, living in enemy territory meant hearing Buckeye fans every day. That personal exposure turns a simple game into a year-round battle for respect.

This tension between Michigan and Ohio State is built on generations of stubborn pride. From border disputes in the 1800s to legendary coaches like Woody Hayes refusing to even speak Michigan’s name, the culture was designed around opposition. For decades, players were taught that respecting your opponent meant wanting to defeat them more than anyone else.

When Butt played for Michigan, Ohio State’s dominance under Urban Meyer made the losses even harder to accept. It’s a rivalry where players grow up learning to hate the other side.

Whittingham may try to bring a softer tone to Ann Arbor, but history shows this game runs on emotion. Coaches can preach peace at podiums, but for guys like Jake Butt, who carried the rivalry home every single day, respect and hatred will always be two sides of the exact same coin.