Who will stop Michigan from celebrating with a flag after beating Ohio State?

Michigan Wolverines football will meet a dastardly fate for celebrating with a flag at midfield after beating Ohio State the next time it wins in Columbus, if Ohio legislator Josh Williams has anything to say about it.

The representative of Ohio’s 41st district introduced a bill Tuesday that would categorize celebrating with a flag at Ohio Stadium as a felony.

Williams’ bill states that “no person shall plant a flagpole with a flag attached to it in the center of the football field at Ohio stadium of the Ohio State University on the day of a college football competition, whether before, during, or after the competition. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.”

Per ESPN.com, “A fifth-degree felony is the least severe in Ohio and carries a penalty of six to 12 months in prison, up to a $2,500 fine and up to five years’ probation.”

Understandably, as if losing to the Wolverines as a 20-point favorite wasn’t bad enough, the Ohio State fan base and program were dragged on social media once the bill was reported on, continuing the humiliation for a Buckeyes program that hasn’t beaten Michigan — a word their fans won’t even say — since 2019.

The offended Buckeyes have failed to realize that Michigan players never “planted” a flag at midfield — since the surface is artificial turf, not grass. Additionally, while Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has compared the rivalry to one, it isn’t actually a “war.” Waving a flag and posing for photos after winning a football game doesn’t mean the individuals engaging in the act have physically taken over that territory.

“If I have to get called soft to preserve the integrity of our institutions and prevent our law enforcement officers from getting injured from a violent encounter on a field because of a damn flag, I don’t mind being called soft for that,” Williams said after being confronted in Columbus.

Apparently, Williams and the legislative branch have to step in to stop Michigan from flag celebrations, because Day and Co. haven’t been able to. Michigan won 45-23 in 2022 and 13-10 in 2024, and the Wolverines posed with a large ‘M’ flag at midfield each time.

In the aftermath of the 2024 game, after being booed off the field, Buckeye players — none of whom have beaten Michigan as members of their current program — ran back out to the middle of the field and started a fight with the Wolverines, who were basking in the glory of yet another victory over their chief rival. Police officers used pepper spray to deescalate the situation.

“We deployed mace. That’s not light. That’s not a light use of force,” Williams noted.

“… But the idea [of the bill] was to send a shot across the bow to say, whatever you need to do, step in; otherwise, we will.”

Yes. The cop told me “stop moving or you will be tased” I stopped moving. https://t.co/xXz2MccTJ0

— Raheem Anderson II (@Heem_62) December 10, 2024

The only issue with Williams’ argument is that there wasn’t a violent encounter “because of a damn flag.” The violent encounter was because Ohio State players rushed at Michigan players with the intent to inflict physical harm and take their property. If the flag was the issue, Michigan would’ve engaged in brawls this season with Texas and Oregon, both of which pulled off rare wins at The Big House and “planted” a flag afterward.

“They’re not f—ing planting a flag on our field again, bro,” a maniacal Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer told a staff member after the game. “F— that s—, man. F— these guys.”

“I know that these guys are looking to put a flag on our field, and our guys weren’t going to let that happen,” Day admitted after the game.

Well, it did happen. It happened because Day lost to Michigan, fair and square, for the fourth straight season. And it wasn’t broken up quickly in part because Day didn’t go anywhere near the area of the fight to help deescalate (unlike the several Michigan coaches and some OSU staffers who were pulling players away from the area).

If the Buckeyes need the help of the Ohio legislature to prevent Michigan celebrating with too much enthusiasm on their field, then go ahead and call them soft. Williams is fine with that.