Jim Harbaugh might have departed for the Los Angeles Chargers. But his mental games still cut deep in Columbus. His “Born on the third base” stung hard, and ever since, Day has been struggling to beat the Team Up North. Although Harbaugh is no longer steering the Wolverines, Ann Arbor still has enough mind games on its plate for the OSU head coach.

Los Angeles Rams’ RB and Michigan alum Blake Corum was present at the Big Den to witness the Game. While at it, he appeared on the Big Noon Kickoff, and Michigan superfan Dave Portnoy did not miss a beat in extending a warm welcome to him and the Buckeyes. He asked Corum a fundamental question that every Michigan fan proudly carries on their sleeves.

Ohio State is a football powerhouse, but it has lost to Michigan in its last four matchups. Corum says that although they won the national championship last season, losing to Michigan turned their campaign into a failed one, with the expanded playoffs aiding them on their path to the national championship.

“I wouldn’t say,” Blake Corum opines on OSU’s 2024 ‘successful’ campaign. “Thank God for the new playoffs, right? Because if it wasn’t for the new playoffs, they wouldn’t have made it.”

In 2024, college football began its first edition of the expanded 12-team playoff structure. Under the old format, only the top four teams qualified for the postseason. Naturally, the competition had been brutal, and even a single loss could eliminate a team from the playoffs, even if they were conference champions.

However, under the expanded bracket, it became more flexible. Programs with one or even two losses could have a shot at it.

In 2024, the Buckeyes lost to Oregon and their arch-rival Michigan during the regular season, eliminating them from contention for the Big Ten conference championship. In the playoffs, they were seeded in the No. 8 spot and had to power through a four-game winning streak to reach the national championship.

So, if the four-team format had been in place, it would have been nearly impossible for the Buckeyes to enter the postseason.

To Corum’s response, Portnoy adds, “Ryan Day would be fired. That’s a different story. Third-place team.”

OSU head coach Ryan Day barred Michigan super-fan Dave Portnoy from the season opener, as he alleges. But as Day heads into enemy territory on Saturday, Portnoy won’t miss a beat to remind Day of his 0-4 record.

It’s similar to how Jimbo Fisher struggled against Alabama during his tenure as Texas A&M’s head coach. He had a 1-3 losing streak and found it hard to defeat Nick Saban’s side.

“It’s been 2190 days since Ohio State beat Michigan,” he tweeted on November 28.

The kickoff is just a few hours away, and Michigan Stadium is jam-packed, draped in Maize and Blue. While Portnoy adds his flavor to the rivalry matchup, head coach Sherrone Moore is rallying fans to welcome Ohio State with the “loudest, most ravenous, craziest, energetic environment.”

While fans perform their faithful duties, the Ohio Governor has made a wager and extended his advice for Ryan Day’s program.

Jim Tressel on beating Michigan

Former OSU coach Jim Tressel might not be directly coaching the Buckeyes. But his 9-1 Michigan record holds invaluable insights. Michigan Stadium is loud, and to cope with such an electric environment, the players must maintain their composure.

“They got great fans like we do. It’s loud. You got to quiet that crowd. Keeping your wits about you, keeping poised, patient, but playing with a lot of velocity,” he said in a conversation with WBNS 10 TV.

Ever since Ryan Day took over after Urban Meyer, he has beaten Michigan just once in 2019. Although frustration has seeped in over the years, Day remains calm and collected ahead of the matchup.

“We’ve got to do what it takes to win the game,” he says crisply and clearly. “Everyone’s got to do their job. That’s the most important thing. Coaches and players, that’s the bottom line.”

Saturday will mark another day that will define his legacy.