Michigan Football Coach Calls Out Media After Ohio State Win

Leading up to this year’s Michigan-Ohio State game, tensions were high among fan bases, with the Wolverines and Buckeyes both at one another throats for months. On one side, OSU fans believed that Michigan had cheated them out of a pair of wins in 2021 and 2022; on the other, U-M fans believed that Ryan Day and Ohio State were behind the PI firm that uncovered Connor Stalions’ scheme. Still, on Monday, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh called out the media surrounding the two programs for “manufacturing” bad blood to sell the game to a TV audience.

Michigan football coach calls out “unhealthy” use of media surrounding Michigan-Ohio State game

Jim Harbaugh was not on the sidelines on Saturday; however, Michigan football still downed Ryan Day and his Ohio State Buckeyes for the third season in a row. Sherrone Moore’s impressive 30-24 victory over the Scarlet and Grey marks 2023 as the first time since 1995-1997 that the Maize and Blue have won three straight. Of course, the 1997 season was also Michigan’s last national title.

Still, despite beating Ryan Day and his squad once again, the Wolverines have bigger goals — such as winning the Big Ten, making the playoff, and gunning for the national title.

Jim Harbaugh explains his stance

On Monday, while talking about “The Game,” Jim Harbaugh changed topics for a moment to call out the negative media attention that surrounds Michigan football and Ohio State.

“I don’t want to tell you (the media) how to do your job — y’all know how to do that — but a lot (of the bad blood and tension) seems very built up from outside of the two programs,” Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said on Monday. “… It’s hyped up — hyped up to no ends.

“These are student-athletes, you know? Young kids — young adults. And all we ask them to do is go out there and play their very best,” Jim Harbaugh added, still talking about the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry and the tension that has been built up. “… I think it’s very manufactured for the TV show that the people want to watch and see. But it’s not healthy. It’s not healthy for the students on either side when you’re trying to put that much — when somebody is practically thinking it’s life or death.”

Jim Harbaugh says that a lot of the “hype” (bad blood) between Michigan and Ohio State is “manufactured for the TV show.”

He adds that it’s “not healthy.” pic.twitter.com/P7N4mFWpqQ

— CJ Mangum (@cjmangum_) November 27, 2023

Harbaugh is right

Now, a lot of this can be pinned on the impact of social media, TV networks trying to get their money’s worth, and more; however, Jim Harbaugh is spot on about the rivalry. Right now, there is undoubtedly more hatred among the fans and media surrounding the two schools than there is on the field — it was evident in how respectful both teams were throughout the game last weekend.

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