Kyle Whittingham, the new head coach for the Michigan Wolverines, has downplayed the immediate intensity of the rivalry with Ohio State, emphasizing his focus on the team's broader season ahead. Taking over the coaching position after Sherrone Moore's firing, Whittingham acknowledged the significance of "The Game" but stated his attention is on the 11 matchups that come before it.
"I haven't learned really much more than I already knew. It's a national game. Everybody knows about it. It's 'The Game' as we call it. It's of great importance to both sides obviously," Whittingham said at Big Ten Media Day. "But I'm an old-school coach. We got 11 games that we play before that, so we're not going to get ahead of ourselves."
Whittingham, who spent 22 seasons with Utah before moving to Ann Arbor, expressed his understanding of the rivalry's implications and national allure. He indicated that an ideal scenario would involve the Michigan-Ohio State game determining the Big Ten championship.
When directly asked if he had learned to "hate" Ohio State, Whittingham responded, "Hate's a strong word." However, he quickly added, "But I want to win that game as badly as anybody in Ann Arbor." He reiterated his hope that the annual contest would be for the Big Ten title, calling it "outstanding."
The rivalry has seen heightened tension in recent years. In the 2024 season, an unranked Michigan team defeated the second-ranked Buckeyes in Columbus, a victory followed by a brawl after Michigan players planted their flag on the Ohio State logo at midfield. Police reportedly used mace during the altercation. Ohio State ultimately won the national championship that season. The following year, after Ohio State ended a four-game losing streak to Michigan at The Big House, Wolverines players were seen guarding their own midfield logo.