Ohio State Football: Winning The Game means more to Wolverines

Ohio State football’s biggest rival is Michigan and while they certainly want to beat them, the win now means more to the Wolverines than the Buckeyes.

Everyone always says that anything can happen to Ohio State football and to Michigan during the season but as long as they beat their rival then the season is a success – that’s not the case for the Buckeyes anymore.

Sure, Ohio State wants to beat Michigan every year and they want to beat them badly but just beating them does not mean the season is a success for the Buckeyes. For Michigan, on the other hand, beating Ohio State would make their whole season.

This is all because of the state the programs are in now.

The Buckeyes have won two national championships since 2002, have been in the national championship game two other times, and made the College Football Playoff one other time.

Additionally, they have won nine Big Ten Conference championships since 2002 and eight Big Ten East Division titles since 2012.

Michigan, however, has not won a national title since 1997 and has only won two Big Ten Championships since 2002. They have additionally not made a national championship game at all in the same time Ohio State has made four and they have yet to win a Big Ten East Division championship.

The priorities for these programs are just completely different these days.

Ohio State looks to do more than just beat Michigan every year, they strive to win national championships and at least make the College Football Playoff.

Michigan, of course, wants to win national championships and hopes to be in the College Football Playoff discussion but they want to first just beat Ohio State. The Wolverines have not defeated the Buckeyes since 2011 and have only beaten them twice since 2001. If they beat Ohio State this season, then this year is definitely a success whereas if Ohio State wins on Saturday then it will just be looked at as a good win over a rival.

I love the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. I want the Buckeyes to beat the Wolverines more than I want them to beat any other team, but I want more for the Buckeyes than just to win “The Game.” I want them to win championships. For the Wolverines, however, they are just really wanting to first beat the Buckeyes instead of worrying about titles.