One of the greatest rivalries in all of sports added another chapter on Saturday afternoon, which ended with an ugly scene on the field after Michigan pulled off the upset of Ohio State.
Things Get Ugly On The Field After Michigan Upsets Ohio State
The Buckeyes entered the game having lost just one game on the season. Their 10-1 record had been blemished only by their mid-season loss to the mighty Oregon Ducks, and they were heavy favorites to end the win streak that the Wolverines had been riding in the rivalry since 2021.
But despite being 20+ point favorites, Ohio State had trouble getting their offense going all game. They had scored 30+ points in 8 of their 10 previous contests, but only managed to muster a single touchdown and added a field goal on Saturday against Michigan. They wound up losing by 3 points in a defensive battle, which will most certainly hurt their place in the college football playoff standings.
Good to see Ohio State showed some fight today!
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 30, 2024
Things got ugly on the field after the hard-fought and emotional contest. As post-game interviews and celebrations were taking place, some players on Michigan decided to take their flag and plant it in the middle of the Ohio State “O” at midfield. Players for the Buckeyes didn’t take kindly to the gesture, and scuffles ensued all over the playing surface. It took more than a few minutes to separate the two sides.
While there were mixed feelings about the validity of planting the flag on an opponents’ field, there was no denying that the postgame scene marred and overshadowed what was a historic day between the lines.
The win is the 4th straight for Michigan in the long-standing rivalry, and the first time that they’ve won the matchup as an unranked team since 1993. It becomes another knock on Ohio State’s head coach Ryan Day, who has failed to lead his team to victory in the matchup in the last four tries. Before 2021, the Buckeyes had an 8-game winning streak against the Wolverines.
Michigan quarterback Davis Warren was only able to amass 62 total passing yards on the day, but was aided by a rushing attack that put up a total of 172. The Wolverines were aided by two interceptions thrown by the Buckeyes, who now have questions surrounding the program as they head into the college football postseason.
