The Game never needs extra plot, but this year Michigan shows up under a brand-new head coach after the wildest coaching scandal in the sport, while Ohio State returns most of the roster that just ended Michigan's 4-year run in the rivalry.
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SAT NOV 28 · 11:00 AM CT
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Michigan
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Start with the obvious: Ohio State won 27-9 in Ann Arbor last November, snapping Michigan's 4-game win streak in the series and punching a Big Ten title-game ticket behind 3 touchdown passes from Julian Sayin. That result flipped the emotional weight of this rivalry overnight, and the offseason only piled on more drama.
Michigan's answer to that loss got complicated fast. Head coach Sherrone Moore was fired on December 10 after an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, and he was arrested that same day on charges including home invasion and stalking. The Wolverines moved quickly, hiring Kyle Whittingham off a 177-88 career record at Utah on a 5-year, $41 million deal to run the program from 2026 through 2030.
Whittingham inherits a quarterback who was supposed to be the face of the program already. Bryce Underwood, the 5-star headliner of Michigan's recruiting class, was often shaky as a true freshman behind an offense that finished 68th nationally in scoring. New OC Jason Beck gets a full offseason to figure out what Underwood actually is, with running back Jordan Marshall back and 5-star freshman Savion Hiter and transfer receivers JJ Buchanan and Jaime Ffrench added to the room.
