Anthony Rothman has had enough of the Ohio State-Michigan traditions that aren’t getting the Buckeyes any closer to actually beating their rival.
Rothman, who hosts the midday Rothman & Ice show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, went off this week about Ohio State’s refusal to say Michigan’s name ahead of Saturday’s rivalry game. The Buckeyes call them “That Team Up North,” or TTUN for short. They cross out the letter M all over campus during rivalry week. It’s all part of the pageantry and hatred that’s supposed to make this the best rivalry in sports.
Except none of it has helped Ohio State win. The Buckeyes haven’t beaten Michigan since 2019. They’ve lost four straight, including three under head coach Ryan Day. And Rothman is done pretending the cute nicknames and crossed-out letters mean anything.
“I’ll tell you what else I’m done with,” Rothman said. “Stop crossing out M’s all over the place. It doesn’t do anything. Stop with the TTUN. Call ’em by their name. They’re Michigan, and you can’t beat them.”
Anthony Rothman from 97.1 The Fan in Columbus:
“Stop crossing out M’s all over the place. It doesn’t do anything. Stop with the TTUN. Call them by their name, they’re Michigan and you can’t beat them” pic.twitter.com/cb9Fg22A97
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) November 28, 2025
The top-ranked Buckeyes are 11-0 and undefeated heading into Ann Arbor. Michigan is 9-2 and ranked No. 15, riding a five-game win streak but nowhere near as talented as Ohio State on paper. Ryan Day finally has the roster advantage he’s been waiting for.
On paper, this should be the year Day finally breaks through and ends the streak.
But that’s what everyone thought last year, too. Ohio State was a 20.5-point favorite at home and lost 13-10. The year before that, they lost in Ann Arbor. The year before that, Michigan won in Columbus. All four losses came amid varying levels of controversy surrounding Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, which resulted in NCAA penalties but no postseason ban or vacated wins.
Ohio State fans view part of that streak as tainted, but the losses still count.
Day is 1-4 against Michigan. He can recruit at an elite level, win Big Ten titles, and put up massive numbers against everyone else on the schedule. None of it matters in Columbus if he can’t beat Michigan. And Rothman’s rant this week captures the frustration of a fanbase that’s tired of the traditions and superstitions that don’t translate to wins.
