New Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham appears to be taking a very different approach toward the school’s rivalry with Ohio State.
In an interview with ESPN on Thursday, Whittingham seemed to deflect some focus away from the annual rivalry game against the Buckeyes. While he did not downplay the importance of the game, Whittingham emphasized that the Wolverines have 11 other games to play before worrying about that one.
“It’s the biggest rivalry in the country, in our opinion. It’s something that’s in the back of my mind every day,” Whittingham said. “But I am old school and I believe in taking it one game at a time, and we’ve got 11 games to play before we get to that game, so we can’t obsess over it, at least not just yet.”
"It's the biggest rivalry in the country, in our opinion. Something that's in the back of mind every single day, but I am old school and I believe in taking it one game at a time."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 30, 2026
–Michigan HC Kyle Whittingham on the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry pic.twitter.com/9RcjwOluOV
To say this is a departure from the approach of past Michigan coaches would be an understatement. Players and coaches from both sides of the rivalry routinely talk about it as the most important priority of the season.
Expectations for Ohio State are much higher this season than they are for Michigan. The Buckeyes are among the favorites to win a championship, while Michigan is trying to re-establish itself as a championship power under their new head coach. That is probably more important to Whittingham than winning the Ohio State game, though he knows better to admit that in public.
The Buckeyes won last season’s rivalry game, ending a four-year Michigan win streak in the series.
