It’s been four long years since Ohio State last beat Michigan in college football’s most storied rivalry, and for many Buckeye fans, that drought has been difficult to stomach.
But for former OSU captain and recent Pittsburgh Steelers draft pick Jack Sawyer, one thing matters more than bragging rights over “That Team Up North”: national championships.
During a guest appearance on Footbahlin, the podcast hosted by Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger, Sawyer offered a candid perspective on the rivalry and its place in the larger picture of college football.
“Winning a national championship. That takes no emphasis off how important The Game is … But when you win a national championship, if anyone tells you they’d rather go 1-12 and just beat the team up north, you’re crazy,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer, who was a key part of Ohio State’s defense during his college career but never experienced a victory over Michigan, made it clear that while the rivalry remains a defining element of OSU’s identity, it’s no longer the only benchmark for success.
“You’re playing this game to win championships. And make no mistake about it, no one wants to beat those guys more than we do. But at the end of the day, there’s nothing we could have done after that,” Sawyer continued.
“I mean, we have our shot to go chase the ultimate goal, which is to win a national championship.”
With the College Football Playoff expanding and the sport gradually adopting more of a professional framework, Sawyer said he and his teammates understood that one loss – even to Michigan – didn’t necessarily derail their hopes of hoisting the biggest trophy in January.
“Like in the NFL, you lose four games in a regular season, you’re probably the one overall seed in the playoffs. So that’s kind of like the approach we took, especially with the expanded playoffs,” Sawyer added.
Still, Sawyer acknowledged the emotional weight of the rivalry. The Game, he said, will always be The Game – no matter what.
“I think it’s going to continue to be like that. Obviously The Game is still going to be The Game, because it is The Game, the best rivalry in sports,” Sawyer said.
“But I think at the end of the day, I think you’d be crazy to say you would rather beat them and not win a national championship instead of win a national championship and not beat them.”
Sawyer admitted the perfect scenario would involve doing both – beating Michigan and winning a national title. But, he said, only one of those legacies carries lasting weight.
“In a perfect world, you do both of those things. But obviously, you know, we didn’t … But winning a national championship kind of erases all that – for me it does.”
What are your thoughts on Sawyer’s comments? … Do you agree that winning the national title completely erases Ohio State’s shocking loss to Michigan last season???
