Ohio State fans have and always will hate Michigan. It's a rivalry that is over 100 years old and harbors deep hatred for fans on both sides. It's almost a prerequisite that the coaches on each side hate the other side. However, Kyle Whittingham doesn't think that's the case and said as much.
Since he made those comments, Ohio State football fans have roasted Whittingham. They know that hate is a big part of the rivalry. Former Buckeye head coach Urban Meyer agrees. Even though he is friends with Whittingham, he called out Whittingham for making those comments, too.
Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer calls out Kyle Whittingham over rivalry comments
While speaking on The Triple Option Podcast, Meyer acknowledged that Ohio State fans would have crushed him if he had made similar comments.
"If the Ohio State coach ever said that, that'd be a problem. People would lose their sh-- in Columbus, Ohio. They would. I think Coach Whittingham's the epitome of common sense. Did I hate Jim Harbaugh? Did I hate Brady Hoke? Of course not. Do I hate them? (TTUN) Absolutely, I hate them. And that's your job to hate them."
Meyer was born in the state of Ohio and grew up in the rivalry. He grew up hating TTUN, so he understands the rivalry better than Whittingham does. He knows that fans would have crushed him if he ever said anything about not hating Ohio State or the other coach.
Of course, Meyer never hated the other coach as a person. He did hate Harbaugh and Hoke as coaches of the rival. Whittingham still doesn't seem to understand that's how it's done. Meyer thinks that Whittingham will get a fresh feeling of hate for the Buckeyes after his trip to Columbus in November, though.
"After his visit to Columbus this year, he gets scarred up a little bit, and some things are going to be said and thrown at him and seen, he'll develop a little bit of a hatred."
Ohio State clearly holds a mental edge over TTUN
For years, the mental edge in The Game went to the Wolverines. Ryan Day wasn't able to beat them with his own players. However, we now know that was due to the cheating scandal. Now that Harbaugh and the cheaters are gone, Day was able to put TTUN in their place.
After the 27-9 beatdown in Ann Arbor last year, the Buckeyes clearly hold a mental edge over the Wolverines. Their new head coach clearly doesn't know what it means to be in this rivalry. Their quarterback doesn't seem to, either. He doesn't even think he can beat Ohio State this year.
Ohio State should finally be able to take down TTUN at home for the first time since 2018. That was Meyer's last year coaching the Buckeyes, and it was one of the great beatdowns in the rivalry's history. This year could see more of the same with how talented Ohio State is compared to Michigan.
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