Kings of Columbus: Resetting Ohio State-Michigan; What's at stake for the Buckeyes

Ohio State vs. Michigan on Nov. 30, 2024 will be the 120th version of The Game.
With the Buckeyes returning so much from 2023 and Michigan rebuilding after an exodus of coaches and players, Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis reset the state of both programs and look at what The Game should be like as Ohio State tries to break a three-game losing streak to the Wolverines.
Jeremy Birmingham joins to help in that effort as the guys cover:
• Text subscriber views on The Game
• Ryan Day vs. Sherrone Moore
• Ohio State defense vs. Michigan offense
• Ohio State offense vs. Michigan defense
• OSU vs. UM recruiting
• Would OSU fans rather win a national title or beat Michigan?
• The percent chances of an OSU victory in the 2024 version of The Game
Thanks for joining Kings of Columbus.
Want to talk even more Ohio State football with the guys? Text us! Send a text to 614-662-4509 to get started and receive your first two weeks free.
#OhioStateFootball #bigtenfootball #BigTen #buckeyesfootball #Buckeyes #THEPodcast

[@jimbenson6550]

Birm speaks for all of us who lived thru those 90’s years….’96 still hurts

[@l.sueszabo9618]

Agree with birm- i just want it to not break bad. A bad Marvin call, a bad field goal, the effing Clemson 19 game, etc etc etc. It's like God hates us. 😳

[@taxisquad11]

One must learn to take the good with the bad before being rewarded. 99.9% of the schools in the county would trade for Ohio State's "bad luck". Patience is a virtue. Impatience is a personality defect.

[@sheneedsme]

He Does. Go Blue!

[@taxisquad11]

God hates us, because we have so many ignorant ugly mouthed fans that want to fire one of the best coaches in the country. If they keep their yaps shut the team has a better chance

[@drowseydragon4840]

I was also at the game when Sean Springs slipped. The Cooper years still haunt me.

[@davidcalderhead8570]

Thank you Birm. Preach that good Buckeye word.

[@taxisquad11]

The Only thing at stake is pride. Ohio State can lose to Michigan and still win a Big Ten Title. Still make the 12-team playoff and still win a National Championship

[@robschoenung9543]

Yep. The Game will become less and less important as time goes on.

[@Herron78]

And that’s also why ncaa is not as good as use to be. 1 step forward, 2 steps back. No leadership.

[@taxisquad11]

@@Herron78 another ignorant fan

[@Herron78]

@@taxisquad11 lmao. Please extend day contract. Still waiting on 100.

[@robschoenung9543]

Harbaugh taking their S&C coach is a big blow for them.

[@bodohinz5243]

Is the S+C coach taking his steroids with him?

[@lisascherer527]

@@bodohinz5243😂

[@livinlife3888]

Not at all the S+C coach protégé took over and he will use all the same methods. Literally the same methods. Sherome Moore Has done a brilliant job getting the right coaches in the right places.💯 So Michigan will still continue to kick ass!😂😂

[@TheElsMan]

We love you Birm! Agree with everything you said!

[@melo7969]

I love these episodes. Keep it up fellas

[@TGHDVM]

Best show ever. Birm gets it.

[@pJ-us2vl]

That was a great show !

[@carlahicks3700]

Birm gets us!!!

[@danielburroughs784]

Absolutely love what Birm brings to the KOC… You guys have a winning recipe here boys keep ‘em coming

[@taxisquad11]

OR bust is silly. Fluke plays, injuries, bad calls in the semi-final game can finish your great season

[@TheElsMan]

I agree but we’ve just had too many of these kinds of heartbreaks. Eventually luck has to break your way when there’s this much talent

[@taxisquad11]

@@TheElsMan Where does it say if you have a lot of talent, breaks will go your way?

[@taxisquad11]

If Michigan has offered 311 players, some MUST be 5-Stars and high 4-Stars

[@lisascherer527]

Love Birm! 🤣 I agree! Don’t want rival to be good either! I’m both Worried an Eager and Excited!

[@taxisquad11]

One of the receivers added is from DII Youngstown State

[@michaellocke5238]

So how does one reconcile UM having a good offense with such huge question marks at every position group. I don’t care how good a defense is..if the Defense is on the field an inordinate amount of time…that’s going to be a season long problem. The depth and less than optimal recruiting leaves the UM roster with a lot of question marks. And their #1 picks…let’s see how they hold up and perform against a loaded schedule without the options of coasting through 80% of the season? We’ll find out.

[@reydefresno5523]

One of our polls gives 102%!

[@SatansShart]

Haha! Noticed that too. Hopefully by the reg season we OSU fans will be giving 110% lol

[@taxisquad11]

Which of our polls?

[@foxbodyblues6709]

The problem for the UM defense will be the depth. They don’t have the players to rotate and keep their guys fresh.

[@foxbodyblues6709]

Clemson 2020 season is an apt comparison for 24 UM. Both had/have some bright stars still, but there are few replacements behind them…a concerning lack of depth.

[@brianritchey7923]

TCUN don't have anyone as good as Lawrence or Etienne. If Michigan didn't play almost every game at home, they could easily lose 6 games. With so many home games, they'll probably lose 4.

[@foxbodyblues6709]

@@brianritchey7923 disagree. UM has two guys that will be top 10 draft picks

[@brianritchey7923]

​@@foxbodyblues6709 Lawrence went #1 overall and Etienne was a first round pick. The Michigan guys are not slam dunk top 10 picks, and they're definitely not as impactful as a QB and RB.

[@foxbodyblues6709]

@@brianritchey7923 DT and CB both in the top 10 are just as impactful. They are D line and secondary are the most important spots on the D. Clemson had DJU at backup QB1 waiting in the wings. And they still sank right back down to the level they were at before the legends at QB were on campus.

[@brianritchey7923]

​@@foxbodyblues6709 Lay off the crack.

[@hwnskate]

I am 100% with Birm. I don't want them to be any good at anything.

[@thomaskirkpatrick]

Birm is the best !

[@taxisquad11]

The Sporting News says In next year's draft, Ohio State will have 8 players taken in the first 2 rounds and 18 over all.

[@freeclimb5487]

And they still will lose to Michigan.

[@taxisquad11]

@@freeclimb5487 Tell us why? AGAIN, just another ignorant Michigan Man making a statement with no data or facts. Which makes you wothless

[@tombrady2688]

Birm running through the Georgia game again gave me PSTD. Please just win this year so I can forget

[@Heeezy33]

OSU doesn't play football to beat Michigan. They play football to win a national championship. Michigan is not the measuring stick of a successful college football team. Saying you would rather beat Michigan is giving them WAY too much credit and serious little brother mentality. This shouldn't be a difficult answer, kind of embarrassing people would trade a natty to beat them. Love you Doug, but saying beat Michigan and anything else is gravy makes me want to vomit.

[@TheElsMan]

Well said

[@JuckOnBucks]

💯 really well said.

[@jw8797]

I agree beating Michigan is nice but winning a national championship is even better

[@JuckOnBucks]

@@jw8797 gonna go in on this topic a little further on the weekend show. There aren’t many things that split the fanbase 50/50

[@zaneronau723]

If you understand the history of the Rivalry, the Game used to be like a Natty! I think that’s why it has still carried such significance

[@beckyblack2333]

Birm, i l😮ove those caramels . The chocolate ones are really good.

[@Ohio7715]

How much honest evaluation can have with scums recruiting classes when you take into account the cheating? Even with fan glasses off, I don't understand how you can have an honest evaluation, good or bad, of a player that played for a coordinator that knew the opponents plays.

[@TheElsMan]

I don’t get why people constantly overlook this. Like in pre-draft analysis of McCarthy showing games where he had great pre-snap reads and games where he had no idea what he was seeing 🤔🤔

[@Herron78]

Lmao! Michigan outplayed and outcoached osu last 3 seasons. Nothing to do with cheating. Rewatch them games. Looked like nfl vs highschool in trenches. Less penalty’s, better play calling. Physical run game/ defense. The end

[@brettlaube7315]

@@Herron78 Then why cheat?

[@Herron78]

@@brettlaube7315 advanced scouting? You can do in high school and NFL. It’s cheating if you tape actual practice preparation for that week. These schools don’t run 1 set of signs for all season. It changes week to week. And osu changed their signs . That’s from Columbus dispatch. No excuses. Osu got out coached/ outplayed. The end

[@pinkford2]

@@TheElsMan I cant wait till Michigan whips Ohio again to shut you morons who don"t know football up

[@timbateman6767]

Wait the letter comes down in November

[@michaelstevers6032]

The problem for Michigan is their offense will not help their defense

[@RKA91]

GO BUCKS😤💯

[@seanschroeder2137]

Let's not forget that Harbaugh was going to get fired after we beat them in 2020 and they conveniently couldn't play...

[@bobwoodssr.4683]

WOW! Why do you guys continue to IGNORE the TCUN Cheating??? How can you compare two teams when the one knows the others plays??? You both seem to be level-headed guys. WASSUP??? Go Bucks!

[@taxisquad11]

Because it makes you look stupid to use the word "cheating". When the NCAA hands down their punishment the word "cheating" WILL NOT be seen. Hell, the NCAA never said anything about "cheating" when the gave SMU the death penalty. IF you want to sound more intelligent say this....Michigan purposely broke NCAA Bylaws to potentially gain an on-field advantage.

[@TheElsMan]

Totally disagree with Doug. If I could go back and change the result of one of the games in 2022 it would 1000% be the Georgia game, not the TCUN game.

[@jona.scholt4362]

TCUN - The Champions Up North. Thanks for using TCUN. "Champions" certainly has a nicer ring to it than "Team"

[@TheElsMan]

@@jona.scholt4362 *Cheaters actually. Sad that it took 2.5 years of cheating to finally call yourself champions for the first time since the 1940s. Enjoy the coming sanctions

[@bonedawgstudio5649]

Beat cheaters always. However I'll contend that that we have to beat cheaters to win natty because Football Gods created it that way. I know it almost happened 2022 season, but that's major outlier that included game's worst case of on-the-field cheating in the history of college football and it's not a data point anyways due to a series of unfortunate events...

[@SilverGoose1]

Worst cheating? Lol. So did michigan cheating cause the missed tackle that allowed Cornelius Johnson to run for a long td? Did cheating cause the DB to bite on a fake and leave Johnson wide open for another long td? Or the linebackers to not hit the correct hole allowing Edwards to bust 2 long td runs? No.. you can use the excuse all you want, but michigan kicked osus butt that day.

[@taxisquad11]

PAY ATTENTION DOLT!! Neither Ohio State OR Michigan has to win the rivalry game to win a National Title.....what planet have you been living on??

[@taxisquad11]

Ryan Day has lost 8 games in his first 5 years. Can Sherrone Moore do better than that in his first 5 years?

[@bradmurray7362]

I bet Sherrone is at 8 losses by year 3

[@burnellbrown5299]

majority of those losses came in the post season. ttun will have more than 8 regular season losses w/in 3 years. Sherronw may not even B there for 3 years.

[@sheneedsme]

The question is in a tougher league can Ohio only lose 8 games in the next 5 years? I’ll take that bet.

[@taxisquad11]

@@burnellbrown5299 To be accurate. half of Day's losses came in the post season, 3 came to Michigan and one came to Oregon in the regular season.

[@taxisquad11]

Cooper was not fired for losing to MIchigan. He was fired for going 14-10 in his last 2 seasons. Let me know when Ryan Day goes 14-10 in back to back seasons

[@Herron78]

Ryan day is 1-5 in most important games last 3 seasons. 0-3 vs blue, 1-2 vs cfp/ bowl games.

[@lstemen09]

Ryan Day won in 19.

[@Herron78]

@@lstemen09 yep!, but last 3 seasons he been struggling vs good teams! 1-5. Meyers guys gone. It’s all days guys now. Good luck

[@taxisquad11]

@@Herron78 LOLOL In the 9 years Harbaugh was at Michigan was 3-5 vs Scarlet and Gray and canceled once. He lost 7 games to Top 10 teams and was upset 9 times by teams not in the Top 10. Harbaugh was a BIG TIME loser compared to Day.

[@Herron78]

@@taxisquad11 and harbaugh built Michigan back from nothing, hoke and rich rod ruined the football team. Now day was handed the keys to a Lamborghini and he wrecked that sob in a fiery crash. Born on 3rd base. Harbaugh twice the coach day is. Crying Ryan will never be a nfl head coach. 1-5 last 3 seasons in most important games. That’s w days handpicked guys. Meyers guys all gone. Now you see it.

[@michaelstevers6032]

Michigan has zero room for error because they don't recruit that many elite players

[@taxisquad11]

OH but they're the only program in the country that has a culture, a mission and knows how to develop

[@travisshuttleworth630]

Tcun doesnt scare me this year. They're going to fall back to a 9-3 team perennially. Oregon is the team most likely to keep OSU from winning the B1G, imo. O-H!!

[@taxisquad11]

Ohio State could lose to Oregon and still play them in the Big Ten Title game

[@travisshuttleworth630]

@@taxisquad11 I think the most likely outcome is that we lose @oregon and then beat them in Indy

[@taxisquad11]

@@travisshuttleworth630 That's what i said

[@taxisquad11]

Olave was a 1st round pick, will Tuttle be drafted

[@D_Shep343]

No mention of Garret Wilson being grabbed and thrown to the ground by a Michigan defensive back in the first quarter of the’21 game.

[@willjay921]

The '96 team? Do you mean the '95 team with Hoying, Eddie, Terry Glenn, Dudley, Pace, Vrabel, Springs, etc? That was the best team that got beat by TTUN that crushed my soul, Biakabatuka, smdh. '98 Pretty good team & it hurt but Plaxico Burress was unstoppable couldn't do anything about him from a skill/talent situation. But they weren't nearly the team the '95 team was. '96 was just okay... But I disagree with Birm on multiple fronts, the biggest being rather beat TTUN than win NC. That loss hurts more than a win feels good.

[@b.douglas2753]

Confidence level of a win in the game this year is a 9. Something would need to go wrong or say active cheating by scum to lose this game.

[@taxisquad11]

You are ignorant, Vegas currently only has Ohio State as 3 point favorite

[@b.douglas2753]

@@taxisquad11 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@taxisquad11]

@@b.douglas2753 All fools laugh at themselves

[@b.douglas2753]

@@taxisquad11 You're so clever.

[@taxisquad11]

@@b.douglas2753 AND instead of streams of worthless emojis i come with nothing but facts data and truths

[@markstandohar5977]

Doug: Your scenario question is majorly flawed bc the reality is the Rivalry - more often than not - will be played in back-to-back weeks with rematch immediately in the Conference Championship game - which I think with the expanded 12-team CFP system - Conference Championship games should go away…

[@taxisquad11]

A college football intelect should tell you it will never happen. It's all about the money. ALL conferences would have to decide to do it at the same time or it becomes a HUGE disadvantage for the leagues that don't have a Conference title game

[@mac27713]

Birm those are the BEST !!!! Carmel Cream Goetze !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@markstandohar5977]

Good analogy Doug, scUM has substance to their base roster, and OSU has ‘Soft Cream’ as base of its Roster

[@taxisquad11]

LIAR.....that is not what Doug said. The only thing Michigan has is LYING. AGAIN, Michigan is not that special, so their must resort to LIES to look better

[@timbateman6767]

These are rarely right

[@timbateman6767]

Hammer is coming down

[@taxisquad11]

NO hammer. The NCAA decided never to hammer again, after they hammered SMU.

[@zaneronau723]

Also Moore inherited a program that’s gonna get hammered w penalties

[@taxisquad11]

NO hammer, the NCAA said no more after they DID hammer SMU

[@Neil-qw9mz]

Beat TTUN

[@taxisquad11]

Just a 6 that Ohio State should beat Michigan? Along with everything you mentioned. ALSO, Harbaugh took almost all the assistants with him. They did not sign Mike Hart. Two assistants were fired for Driving Drunk. Their top 7 O-linemen are gone. 30 of their 1st and 2nd string from last year are gone. Their depth has been hurt by losing so many players and players gone to the portal. Last year Ohio State lost by less than A TD on the road. This year the game is in the Shoe. In the past 2 decades Michigan has only won 1 game in the shoe. Sure sounds like Ohio should be an 8 for Ohio State to win. That doesn't mean Ohio State WILL win. That does not mean Michigan isn't good. Michigan has as 20% chance to win

[@foxbodyblues6709]

A big part of the UM win was their superior experienced depth. That extraordinary experienced depth is GONE. Those DTs won’t be nearly as effective in 24, because the offense won’t protect the D in 24. Ohio St run game with the changes in 24 will have those DTs running sideline to sideline and will wear them out. Bet!

[@mac27713]

I would rather lose to Xich 4 more straight years if we win titles those 4 years. Come on !!!

[@taxisquad11]

In the 28 years of the play off era. The most National Titles won in a row is 2 and it only happened twice. The only team to win more than 2 National Titles on the field is Alabama. Ohio State is one of a few to win 2 Titles

[@mac27713]

@@taxisquad11 I am not saying winning 4 in a row but I am saying if we were to win it all them losing to Xich would be worth it. LAST LAUGH !!!

[@taxisquad11]

@@mac27713 what you are saying makes no sense. Laugh at yourself

[@mac27713]

@@taxisquad11 What makes no sense. Bottom line I would trade a loss to Xich for a National Championship

[@taxisquad11]

@@mac27713 Makes no sense winning 4 National Tiles in a row. In 28 years only 2 teams have won 2 in a row on the field

[@chadhart720]

Super smart guy thinks there's a chance Kenneth Grant doesn't go in the first 3 rounds 🤣🤣

[@messagetous]

Good show. Balanced. Go Blue!!!

[@taxisquad11]

Stop Blue!!!

[@timbateman6767]

No we wouldnt

[@dougsotto9825]

Just ignore the cheating scandal!!

[@burnellbrown5299]

Are you on 10 yet? I Been on 10.

[@timbateman6767]

Ohio state lost by 6

[@willjay921]

This game this year? 110% chance we win, it's laughable tbh.

[@zaneronau723]

Ttun cheated, so none of what they did matters

[@timbateman6767]

2 out of the 3 cheating.

[@taxisquad11]

Sounds stupid to say "cheating", that's why Birm, Austin and Bill never use the world "cheating"

[@timbateman6767]

No you shouldn’t. Can you talk about how they cheated

[@timbateman6767]

No they aren’t

[@annarborbuckeye95]

Doug is low key a ttun fan....... Get him outta here

[@taxisquad11]

IGNORANT LIAR...you get out of here

[@markstandohar5977]

scUM, unlike OSU has great S&C Program and develop OL every year - they will be fine on Offense - has OSU shown ability to develop OL⁉️…that’s WHY OSU needs a Rivalry Reset, OSU has grotesquely failed to recruit or develop OL - afterall, ‘it all starts up front’‼️

[@taxisquad11]

Michigan fans prove their stupidity saying they're the only program in the country that "develops" NO "reset" needed Ohio State has won FIFTEEN of the past 19. I'll take that % all day long

[@chadhart720]

Also....learn how to say his name: irs sher-OWN (mnemonic device should be pretty obvious 😘) PS - Donovan Edwards and Colston Loveland are the Kings of Columbus 😂

[@taxisquad11]

King of Annie's Arbor, not Columbus. Neither were 1st Team All League last year. Ohio State has TWO 1st Team All League RBs. Henderson, 1st team All Big Ten and Judkins, 1st Team All SEC. By all accounts, the best RB duo in the country.

[@chadhart720]

@@taxisquad11 by all accounts, a bunch of guys who've won The Game in Columbus as many times as the Browns have won the Super Bowl (as opposed to Loveland and Edwards who put their mark all over that toilet-seat stadium 😭)

[@taxisquad11]

@@chadhart720 LOLOLO NOT by all accounts but by FACTS. In the past 20 years Michigan has won ONE game in Columbus and Ohio State has won EIGHT games in Annie's Arbor. The list would be WAY WAY too long to name the Ohio State players.

[@bradleywright202]

Scum can keep it going if they keep cheating

[@jona.scholt4362]

The way fans view Michigan's schedule this year and last year (as well as Ohio State's schedule this year and last year) is kind of funny. Last year it was, "Michigan is not tested. We're tested, it's a huge advantage for us". This year it's, "Michigan has a hard schedule, they'll be worn down, and our cream puff schedule will allow us to build up". You think if the same logic was followed this year it would be, "Michigan is tested, we're not, they have a huge advantage". Sort of funny how the narrative changes based on what the schedule is.

[@taxisquad11]

"Tested' means nothing from one year to the next.

[@jona.scholt4362]

@@taxisquad11 And that was clearly not what I was saying

[@taxisquad11]

@@jona.scholt4362 Than what you were saying was not said clearly

[@jona.scholt4362]

@@taxisquad11 Can always rely on Taxisquad to either a) have a terrible take, or b) not have the reading comprehension to understand something that is clearly said

[@taxisquad11]

@@jona.scholt4362 LIAR.... prove your claims, Give us some facts and data instead of NOTHING

[@taxisquad11]

Michigan goofs say Ohio State can only win the off season

[@timbateman6767]

Who gives a shit what you think