Jim Harbaugh, players react to Ryan Day’s Michigan-Ohio State suggestion

Ryan Day’s revelation that talks are ongoing about moving up the annual Michigan-Ohio State game took some by surprise.
And while nothing is finalized, the likelihood of a rematch between the two rivals in the Big Ten championship game grew exponentially when the league eliminates divisions in 2024.
It’s forced the athletic directors of the two schools to discuss alternative situations, Day said, and opened up the possibility of moving the game off the final week of college football’s regular season.
Speaking at Big Ten Media Days last week, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t sound bothered by the idea of moving “The Game” up, saying his team is prepared to play it “whenever it’s scheduled.”
“We know we’re going to play it every season, at least once,” Harbaugh, whose team has won the rivalry the last two years, said. “But I don’t have a particular opinion of when it should be played. Right now, it’s been played the last game of the season. I think everyone’s used to that.”
In fact, the Michigan-Ohio State game has been played in mid-to-late November every year since 1933, except for the 2020 season when the matchup was called off due to the COVID-19 season, suggesting a move away from the final week of the regular season would be a major departure.
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Day didn’t go into too many details, suggesting the game could be played in Week 10 or Week 11 instead, minimizing the likelihood of the two schools playing on back-to-back weeks. If the Big Ten had played without divisions in each of the last two seasons, the two teams would have done just that — and potentially met a third time in the College Football Playoffs.
“I don’t have no preference,” Michigan running back Blake Corum said. “It doesn’t bother me to play Week 1 or Week 7, or 12. I think ‘The Game’ is always going to be ‘The Game.’ I like where it’s at, right around the Thanksgiving time.
“If you’re going into The Game like, ‘Oh, we’re going to play them next week so it doesn’t matter if we lose this week.’ Come on. What type of mindset is that? That’s a loser’s mindset.”
In a recent interview, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel confirmed that he’s had conversations with Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith on the topic — but sounded committed to keeping the annual game where it is.
The Big Ten recently inked a seven-year, $7 billion multimedia rights deal that calls for football games to air on FOX and its affiliated networks along with newcomers CBS and NBC, the latter of which has pushed for more night games later in the season.
“I don’t think it matters,” Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil said. “Whatever date that game falls under, that’s when it should be played. We’re ready to rock-and-roll at any time.”