At the end of a tumultuous tenure, most rational Ohio State fans can agree that The Team Up North finally did something right when it hired Kyle Whittingham. The new head football coach is as classy as they come, and in the twilight of his career, he'll stabilize a program that has been riddled with controversy for the past several years. Buckeye Nation may dislike the guy because of the colors he'll wear on Saturday afternoons, but it would be a stretch to hate the man.
The new head coach at Michigan comes from a different era. One where you let your play on the field do the talking. An era where you played as hard as you could, and at the end of the game, you shake your opponent's hand after a hard-fought competition. No flag planting. No shoulder
checks in the tunnel. No standing at midfield hoping for a brawl. Just respect for the game. And that's exactly what Whittingham brings to this next edition of the rivalry.
When asked about the hatred that has boiled over in recent years, Whittingham didn't hold back. It was a response that some fans on the fringe will scoff at, but a refreshing response for those of us who love the game and love this rivalry.
“I’ve learned how intense that rivalry is and how important the game is,” Whittingham said at Big Ten media days. “Hate is a strong word, but I want to win that game as badly as anybody in Ann Arbor.”
What an outstanding answer. This is what athletics was meant to be. Leave it all on the field and let the chips fall where they may.
He added, “I just think a rivalry can be intense and emotional without the hatred factor. I don’t think there’s any place for that personally,” Whittingham said. “I think Ryan Day is a good person. To sit here and say I hate Ryan Day, I’d be making crap up because that’s not true.”
Kyle Whittingham asked about the personal hatred between Michigan and Ohio State in recent years:
“I think Ryan Day’s a good person. To sit here and say ‘I hate Ryan Day,’ I’d be making crap up.” pic.twitter.com/mQVEhh5a3h— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) July 30, 2026
I said when Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham, it was going to be really hard to dislike this guy. And he keeps proving that statement right. I'm certain that, come November 28, the Buckeyes and Wolverines will battle as hard as they possibly can. The game means something. But maybe this year, unlike the last two Michigan-led regimes, the Maize and Blue will show a little more class, win or lose. This rivalry, the greatest rivalry in all of sports, deserves it.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham addresses 'hatred' for Ohio State
