Ohio State hosted the national championship this January at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. However, Columbus was not entirely satisfied. For they failed to get past Michigan last November. However, breezing past week 10 undefeated, fans have a gut feeling that this time, the victory will be theirs.

“Nobody wants to win against them (Michigan) more than we do, more than I do,” Ryan Day declared last week in a conversation with On3’s Chris Low. He is among the most celebrated coaches in college football. However, his 1-4 Michigan record is his chink in the armor. But he no longer needs to worry about that.

On Saturday, OSU beat Penn State, 38-14. Now, the Buckeyes’ upcoming slate does not have a challenging unit until the last week of November. “Ohio State fans cannot wait for the Michigan game,” says Steve Muench in a conversation with Todd McShay, “because they really don’t know what they have right now.” The offense is coming together, averaging 36.5 points per game over the season.

Even after the talent exodus to the NFL, Day’s offensive weapons are as sharp and explosive. “Jeremiah Smith is going to be a top-five pick when he comes out,” adds Steve Muench. “I think Carnell Tate’s going to be a first-round pick. Bo Jackson, the running back, is coming on and looks awesome.’

He continues to add to his point, saying Ohio State is the best team. In the Big Ten, star QB Julian Sayin ranks No. 4 in passing yards, with 2188 yards. “You have all these things in place.”

On the other side of the ball, the defense is as impressive. Ohio State’s defensive unit tops the chart, barely allowing 6.9 points per game. They have further limited the opponent’s offense to 214.8 yards per game, ranking No. 3 in sacks in the Big Ten. “If you win that (Michigan) game and we’re finally over the hump and all those things,” adds McShay.

However, OSU’s rushing game might pose a challenge against Michigan. When the Buckeyes steamrolled against Wisconsin, 34-0, fans pointed out their frustration with the run game.

Jackson is edged out by one spot under the Big Ten’s Top 10 rushing leaders, with Donaldson coming in at No. 33. Their run game still needs some work. Last year, that’s what happened. Unfortunately, Howard had a bad day, and the team needed to exploit their ground coverage. But you can’t suddenly do it if you haven’t been great during the season. However, Ryan Day is determined to change the narrative this year.

“Have to win,” Ryan Day goes all in on the Michigan Rivalry

The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is one of the most intense rivalries in college football, dating back to 1897, when Wolverines beat the Buckeyes. “When you come to Ohio State, all our players and coaches, that’s a part of joining our program, whether you’re from Ohio or not,” said Ryan Day on On3. Over the years, it has grown more intense, with the Wolverines leading the series with an all-time 62-51-6 record. OSU’s 2010 win is not included over NCAA violations.

He continued. “It’s a game that means so much to so many people, and when you go back in history with all the generations, there was really that game and then maybe a bowl game afterward. So year after year after year, that rivalry just builds up.”

Ryan Day came to OSU, taking the reins from Urban Meyer, who boasted a perfect 7-0 record against Michigan during his tenure. With such expectations, Day took the command and edged out the Wolverines in his first season, 56-27. However, he has been chasing that success for four years and has yet to find it. Let’s see if Day could finally secure it in the 2025 season.