The Game, the legendary college football rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan, has lost a significant amount of intrigue this season. While Ohio State will likely play for the chance to enter the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed in next weekend's Big Ten championship game, Michigan has had one of the worst championship hangover seasons in recent memory. To make matters worse on Saturday, the Wolverines are without two of their best players on the road against the Buckeyes: tight end Colston Loveland and cornerback Will Johnson.
Both players have battled injuries throughout the season. Johnson has been hampered by a lingering toe injury he suffered back in October, and hasn't played since the Wolverines' Oct. 19 loss to Illinois. Loveland has suited up in 10 games this season, and did play in the team's 50–7 win over Northwestern last week, catching three passes for 22 yards and a touchdown. He leads Michigan with 56 receptions, 582 yards and five touchdowns. He is out with an undisclosed injury.
Ahead of Saturday's game, Michigan great Charles Woodson weighed in on the absences during Fox's Big Noon Kickoff. The former Heisman Trophy winner says that both players must "really be hurt" to be missing the final Ohio State game of their careers.
"I tell you what, they've got to really be hurt. You've got to really be hurt, because I don't care who you are as a player in terms of your status as an NFL player, and how high you may go the next year. This is The Game. So those guys got to really be hurt."
"But in terms of winning this game, I think you've really got to let it all hang out, man. It's been a down year for us, of course, coming off of that championship. You understand that. We lost a bunch of players. But you just got to let it hang, you can't play scared. You've got to go out there and take your chances against this team with whoever you have out there on that field. It doesn't matter. So it's tough that those guys aren't out there, hate to hear that, but guess what? ... Somebody's got to step up and make a play.
"They gotta really be hurt... You gotta really be hurt... I don't care about who you are as a player in terms of your status as an NFL player... This is The Game." - Charles Woodson on Michigan stars Will Johnson & Colston Loveland being out vs Ohio Statepic.twitter.com/A9sQvf2XW7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2024
As Woodson notes, both players should have promising NFL futures after helping lead Michigan to last season's national championship and three wins over the Buckeyes during their college careers. Sports Illustrated's Daniel Flick mocked both players as first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Woodson Shares Honest Reaction to Michigan Stars Missing Ohio State Game.