Week 14 of college football is only a few days away, and the headliner game in the Big Ten needs no formal introduction: Ohio State vs. Michigan.
This year’s matchup takes place in Ann Arbor as both teams attempt to clinch their spot in the Big Ten title game next Saturday in Indianapolis. In all likelihood, a College Football Playoff berth is at stake for the Wolverines should they come away victorious with a win.
Before the Wolverines can get too comfortable with the four-game rivalry cushion, however, coach Ryan Day sent a message Tuesday that there is an argument for what the epitome of the series truly means.
“Fun is kicking ass. That is what we want to do on Saturday. We’re preparing to do that, and that’s it,” Day told reporters. “The fun part is winning. We’ll save the fun for being in the locker room and celebrating after The Game.”
Day says he feels like his team is in a great position to make a statement in front of the entire country that they are the best team in college football.
“We’ve been waiting a long time to get back to this week,” Day added.
“To continue to do what he’s done and lead the team to a victory. That’s it at the end of the day,” Day said. “What does that look like? It depends on how the game plays out. But he’s got to do his job, make great decisions and ultimately be the guy that leads his team to victory. That’s the No. 1 goal. The rest of it is gravy.”
Ultimately, Day suggests his team is ready to go, and it has warned its biggest lesson for a year ago not to get caught up in the moment.
“You have to play with emotion, but you can’t let it play with you,” Day said. “You have to learn to use it as a nitrous, not as a primary fuel source.”
The Buckeyes are looking for their first win in the rivalry since 2019, and if the pressure wasn’t great last year, it certainly is at a different level this year as Ohio State tries to complete an undefeated regular season.
