**Keep in Mind, Buckeyes! Even If You Win the National Championship, Michigan Will Always Be Your Superior**
In college football, rivalries run deep, and few are as heated and historic as the battle between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines. Every season, when these two teams meet on the field, it’s more than just a game; it’s a clash of cultures, traditions, and pride. The rivalry transcends the sport, becoming a symbol of regional and institutional identity. Among the most memorable taunts and jabs that fuel this rivalry is the reminder that no matter what success Ohio State may achieve, Michigan will always maintain a certain superiority—especially when it comes to the all-time head-to-head record.
This sentiment—”Even if you win the National Championship, Michigan will always be your superior”—reflects the long-standing tradition of this rivalry and how it is about more than just one game or one season. It taps into the deep roots of competition, history, and perception that define the relationship between these two football programs. To understand the meaning behind this phrase, we must first explore the history of the rivalry and why Michigan has such a firm place in Ohio State’s shadow.
### A Rivalry Built on History
The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is one of the oldest and most storied in college football. The first meeting between these two teams took place in 1897, and since then, it has grown into an annual spectacle that commands the attention of fans across the country. The intensity of the rivalry only escalated as both programs established themselves as elite in college football. While Ohio State has had tremendous success over the years, Michigan’s deep-rooted history and consistent excellence have solidified their place as one of the sport’s most prestigious programs.
For Michigan, their historical dominance over Ohio State is a point of pride. They hold the edge in the all-time series, with 58 victories compared to Ohio State’s 52 (as of the 2024 season), which makes this rivalry unique. Even when Ohio State has found success, including winning national championships and dominating certain seasons, Michigan fans will always remind their Buckeye counterparts of the historic advantage that Michigan holds.
### The National Championship Paradox
The phrase in the heading points to an interesting paradox: even if Ohio State were to win a national championship, the shadow of Michigan’s historical success would still loom large. This paradox stems from the fact that college football is a game defined not just by the present moment, but by its history. While Ohio State has claimed multiple national titles, their rivalry with Michigan is measured over the long term. Winning the national championship is significant, but the enduring legacy of the rivalry means that a single national title might not erase Michigan’s consistent place in the minds of Buckeyes fans and players.
Even in recent years, when Ohio State has been the dominant force in the Big Ten, Michigan fans hold onto their historic superiority, especially in the context of head-to-head matchups. It doesn’t matter how many national championships Ohio State wins; in the eyes of many, Michigan will always be able to say, “We were the ones who defined this rivalry for generations.”
### The Legacy of Coaching Greats
Much of this historical advantage for Michigan is also rooted in coaching legacies. Coaches like Bo Schembechler, who was at Michigan from 1969 to 1989, cemented the Wolverines’ reputation as a powerhouse, especially in their battles with Ohio State. Schembechler’s 5-4 record against Ohio State and his ability to get Michigan into national championship contention year after year became emblematic of the team’s dominance. This period of sustained excellence from Michigan left an indelible mark on the rivalry.
On the other hand, Ohio State has enjoyed the leadership of legends like Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel, and Urban Meyer, who have been integral in establishing the Buckeyes as a national power. But even with their own storied coaching successes, Ohio State’s ability to defeat Michigan in some of the most critical seasons doesn’t erase the fact that Michigan had long been the more dominant force in the rivalry. Coaches like Hayes, who went 16-11 against Michigan, are remembered for their victories, but their losses to Michigan still haunt their legacies.
### Michigan’s Cultural and Institutional Superiority
The rivalry isn’t just about wins and losses on the field; it also speaks to the broader cultural and institutional differences between the two schools. Michigan, with its rich academic history and its reputation as an elite institution, often prides itself on not only being a football powerhouse but also a beacon of academic excellence. The university’s emphasis on the student-athlete experience and the balance between athletics and academics has long been a defining characteristic of Michigan football.
In contrast, Ohio State, while equally a prestigious institution, has often embraced a different type of football culture, one that emphasizes pure athleticism, recruitment, and a “win-at-all-costs” mentality. This difference in approach to college football feeds into the rivalry, as fans of both schools argue over the balance between academics and athletics, between tradition and modernity. For many Michigan fans, the success of the program is just as much about the university’s legacy as it is about winning football games. And when Ohio State might win a championship, it can feel to some like a hollow victory if it comes at the expense of the deeper academic and cultural values Michigan represents.
### The Power of Tradition
Above all else, what makes this rivalry so powerful and enduring is the role tradition plays for both programs. Ohio State fans may cling to recent successes, including multiple national championships, but Michigan’s long-standing superiority in the all-time series serves as a constant reminder of where the rivalry began and what it has meant for more than a century.
The phrase “Michigan will always be your superior” taps into this deeper understanding of what it means to be a part of a football program with decades of history, where wins and losses are not measured solely by recent titles, but by the broader legacy that encompasses the culture, the players, the coaches, and the fans.
In the end, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is more than just about who wins the most recent game or who has the most national championships. It’s about pride, history, and an undying belief in the superiority of one’s team, no matter the outcome of any single season. So, even if Ohio State wins another national title, Michigan will always hold a special place in the hearts and minds of college football fans, a place forged over a century of competition and tradition.