For Ohio State lineman Luke Montgomery, the annual rivalry against Michigan carries a personal sense of relief, one that has little to do with the final score. Before he started hating the team up North, Luke came close to donning the maize and blue, and he is beyond relieved that he didn’t.

“Thank goodness I didn’t go there. Just with what’s going on in the past few years, I think,” Montgomery said about committing to Michigan on WBNS 10 TV’s March 25 interview. “They did a great job recruiting me. I wish them all the best and everyone on that staff. I hope that some of them find the Lord and can come back and just be with the people they love. So I wish them the best.”

Luke was the top-ranked player in the state of Ohio in 2022, emerged as a four-star recruit, and was a top-100-ranked player. His multisport talent drew teams’ aggressive pursuit, and his All-Ohio selection further boosted his recruiting buzz. Gradually, teams began to show interest in him, but only a few emerged as serious contenders.

Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Clemson were his top programs. But dotting his list was also the team up north. It probably didn’t feel strange at the time, considering he attended several Michigan games with his father when his father’s team, Miami (Ohio), played at the Big House. Over time and with the Michigan staff’s persistence, Luke began leaning heavily towards the Wolverines and even praised Sherrone Moore.

“It was awesome,” Montgomery said about his UM visit in July 2021. “Not many kids get the opportunity to go to Coach (Jim) Harbaugh’s house. It was pretty cool to play 3-on-3, 4-on-4 on their basketball court. It was fun, but also informal. We learned a lot about Michigan while having fun. They’re awesome people to be around. Coach Moore played with Trent Williams, Coach Newsome was a really good left tackle, and Coach DeVan played with Peyton Manning.”

At the time, Sherrone Moore was UM’s Co-OC and OLs coach, and Montgomery naturally developed a relationship with him. Despite the visit and Michigan’s aggressive push, Montgomery finally committed to the Buckeyes on February 17, 2022. While his decision was driven by the quality a blueblood like Ohio State offered, Luke is now, as a “god-fearing man,” happy he didn’t make Ann Arbor his new home.

“I kept going back to other schools, and Ohio State was the top school. I was always thinking to myself, how does this compare to Ohio State?” Luke Montgomery said. “I’d always come back and think I still wanted to go to Ohio State…It’s just a culture of brotherhood. It’s like I was already fitted in, and one thing that my mom and dad told me that was different about this place is when I came here, I had free rein.”

Luke is now entering his fourth season with Ohio State and is already a star player for the team. Last year, he appeared in every game, and so far, he has managed 35 appearances. The 2025 season also saw the Buckeyes finally getting over their Michigan hurdle under Ryan Day. Luke wants a repeat next season, hoping to equal his girlfriend’s father’s record in the rivalry.

“Being an Ohio kid and being here now and understanding what the rivalry really means, then, going into my third year, losing two times, I really wanted those gold pants,” Montgomery stated. “I need to get to 2-2 because my girlfriend’s dad played up north in Michigan, and he’s 2-2 against Ohio State. So for the arguments that will be had in the future, I need to win this next one (laughs).”

While Montgomery is working hard to defeat Michigan again this year on November 28, Michigan is still in the cesspool that gripped it in recent years. Even after Sherrone Moore’s abrupt and high-profile firing.

Michigan is still reeling financially four months after Sherrone Moore’s firing

Michigan had fired its former head coach, Sherrone Moore, after his inappropriate relationship with a female staffer came to light. The subsequent events were, at the very least, unusual. Moore allegedly barged into the staffer’s home and even threatened to kill himself. The local police took the former Michigan head coach into custody. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges on March 6. But Moore’s actions aren’t the only ones tarnishing UM’s image.

From COVID-19 recruiting violations, the sign-stealing scandal, and Matt Weiss’ computer crimes to the NCAA handing down suspensions and fines against Michigan, the recent past has been quite tumultuous for the Ann Arbor program. To clean house once and for all, the program has launched a serious investigation into the Athletic Department’s inner workings.

“Breaking: Michigan spent another $4 million on its ongoing investigation into circumstances prompting ex-football coach Sherrone Moore’s ouster and the broader culture of the athletic department, new records show,” Detroit Free Press’ Dave Boucher reported. “Total spend is now more than $6 million.”

Even though Michigan avoided Moore paying his $15 million buyout, the legal fees and the investigation fees seem to be adding up. Yahoo Sports’ report also indicates that spending will likely grow further in the future, as the investigation is led by the Jenner & Block law firm, and UM already has two invoices totaling $4 million for January. Whether the millions spent on investigations can restore Michigan’s reputation or simply serve as a costly footnote in a turbulent chapter for the program remains the critical question in Ann Arbor.