Sports

Ohio State Quarterback Offers Stark Contrast To Bryce Underwood By Emphasizing Rivalry

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Julian Sayin and Bryce Underwood spoke on their rivalry.


Julian Sayin cares about winning his rivalry matchups with Michigan. The Ohio State passer opened up on the importance of ‘The Game’ in a recent interview with On3.

Sayin’s response offered a stark contrast to that of Wolverines‘ starting quarterback Bryce Underwood. Does he care more than his counterpart?

I probably wouldn’t go as far as to confirm that stance. The two sides certainly have different outlooks on the season finale.

Ohio State is just another football game to Bryce Underwood.

“It’s just another game,” he said in an offseason conversation with John Fanta. “Just guys in a different color. That’s how I see it.”

Underwood is not putting added pressure on winning his rivalry matchup. He’s taking it one game at a time.

That’s probably a good mindset for a sophomore quarterback attempting to live up to massive expectations. Underwood entered as one of the program’s most highly rated players. He was up and down as a freshman.

Michigan won nine games in the signal caller’s debut season. The hope is that he takes a jump in Year 2. The Wolverines are paying for success with Underwood making a reported $3 million per season. Patience is not an option.

Underwood lost his first game of the rivalry series with Ohio State, 27-9. He struggled mightily against a stout defense, completing just 44% of his passes for 63 yards and a pick.

While he intends to flip the script in 2026, he refuses to put unnecessary stress on The Game.

Underwood’s comments followed those of head coach Kyle Whittingham, who is new to the historic rivalry. Those remarks landed criticism from the college football world. He does not hate the Buckeyes.

“Do we have a better chance to win if I hated (Ohio State)? I don’t understand. Whatever gives us the best chance to win, I’m all for it. I want to beat them worse than anybody… I don’t know how that got to be such a hot topic.”

-Kyle Whittingham

Michigan is downplaying the importance of the Ohio State game. They are focused on Week 1, not Week 14.

Things are different in Columbus. The Buckeyes already have the Wolverines circled.

Julian Sayin emphasizes the Michigan game.

“You learn quickly when you get here,” he said. “You learn the history of the game; how important it is to this state and fanbase. It becomes your livelihood.

“It’s definitely not a good feeling (to lose to Michigan)… It’s not a feeling that you ever want to go through.”

Jeremiah Smith echoed that sentiment. He absolutely despises the Wolverines.

Both players have been on campus for two seasons. Each has lost a game vs. Michigan. They’ve made it their mission to prevent that feeling from returning. There is an emphasis on That Team Up North. That’s not the case in Ann Arbor.

Smith and Sayin won last year’s matchup over Bryce Underwood at Michigan Stadium. The rematch will occur in the Horseshoe in just a few months.

The rivals are taking different approaches to the 2026 matchup. It should be fun to see how things play out on the field in November.