Ohio State Buckeyes star quarterback Will Howard has only been with the program for less than a year after transferring from Kansas State at the end of last season, but it’s pretty clear that he understands the importance of the rivalry showdown with the Michigan Wolverines.
After leading the Buckeyes to a blowout win over the Indiana Hoosiers in a top-five matchup over the weekend, Will Howard turned his attention to the upcoming matchup with Michigan.
During his press conference, he did not hold back just how much this game meant to him and the team.
“I want this for (the veterans) so bad. They’ve been here. I’ve seen it from a distance. I feel it, and I am a part of it now, and I want this for me, too, but I want this for those guys. I want it for Coach Day — to shut up the haters and be able to go out there and say, ‘This is The Ohio State Buckeyes,'” Howard said according to Chase Brown of Eleven Warriors.
“This rivalry game means everything. We talk about it all the time. It’s all over the place in our building. I’m honored to be a part of it. I won’t take it lightly. This is the biggest game of our season. I’m looking forward to it.”
Obviously, the Buckeyes have lost their past three games to the Wolverines and have not beaten Michigan since the 2019 season with the 2020 game canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Michigan.
Several Ohio State players opted to return to school this season instead of entering the NFL Draft, and their winless record against Michigan was a big reason why.
We’ll have to see whether or not Howard can lead the Buckeyes to victory over Michigan and break the winless streak.
Of course, Michigan is not having a strong season themselves with just a 6-5 record entering the game.
However, games like this always feel closer than the records might indicate.
