Opposing coach claims 2024 is 'beat Michigan or bust' for Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming into 2024 with massive expectations given the talent on the roster. However, chief among what the Buckeyes need to do is find a way to beat the Michigan Wolverines.

An anonymous opposing coach spoke to Athlon Magazine ahead of the season. There, the coach said that they believe it’s going to be to beat Michigan or bust for Ohio State and head coach Ryan Day for the 2024 season.

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“It’s not national title or bust, but it’s certainly beat Michigan or bust,” the coach said. “And the expectation is always to win the league.”

It’s now been three straight losses for Ohio State against Michigan. During that stretch, the Buckeyes have only kept one of their three losses within one score. On top of that, in 2023, Michigan was able to win a national championship.

So, Ryan Day reloaded the roster and shook up the coaching staff in the hopes that the Buckeyes can get back on track in 2024.

“This may be the most talented roster [Ryan] Day has had since he took over… [Will] Howard doesn’t have to be special; he just has to be smart. That signing didn’t turn heads the way some of the other flashier portal quarterbacks might have, but all he has to do is manage and distribute. They’re absolutely stacked at other positions,” the coach said.

“Day is a great collaborator; the Chip [Kelly] thing won’t be a nuisance or a problem at all. If you believe what Chip said, that he just wants to focus on ball and not worry about the administrative stuff, this is a fantastic hire for them.”

Most people expect Ohio State to once again be good in 2024. After all, amid the three straight seasons where the Buckeyes haven’t beaten the Wolverines, they’ve only lost three games that weren’t to Michigan. However, as the coach explained, being good doesn’t matter if the Michigan game goes poorly again.

“Nothing really matters until they can get Michigan off their backs in November,” the coach said. “The standards here are higher than anywhere else this season.”

Ryan Day explains how much he’s motivated by losses to Michigan

Losing to Michigan is something that Ryan Day and Ohio State want to avoid in 2024 and Day believes the Buckeyes are ready to do that this season.

“I don’t think any year you’re more or less motivated. I think every year, every team is a little bit different. But, to say that those games haven’t stung — of course, they have. Those are bad weeks in Columbus when you don’t win that game. So, whether it’s the guys deciding to come back, whether it’s about make strong decisions in those moments, yeah, I can say you have to figure out what needs to get fixed to win that game,” Day said.

“That’s the bottom line and that’s what we did.”