It comes as no surprise that Ohio State is seen as Michigan football’s archvillain in ESPN’s estimation. After all, for nearly two decades, the Buckeyes were impossible to beat for the Wolverines — no matter how good the team appeared to be. The maize and blue have since righted the ship, rattling off four straight victories over the scarlet and gray, but the hate for all things OSU now permeates Schembechler Hall in a way that it hadn’t previously.

On the flip side, despite crossing out all of the Ms on campus in Columbus and singing songs about how they don’t care for the whole state of Michigan, it was all somewhat rote for Ohio State. Michigan wasn’t much of a threat, and beating the Wolverines felt more like a birthright in the state of Ohio. However, things changed in 2021, and thus, the archvillain for the Buckeyes isn’t just Michigan as a whole; it’s Sherrone Moore, ESPN says.

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore has become a problem for the Buckeyes. He might not wear the villain outfit quite as well as predecessor Jim Harbaugh did, but Moore’s rise in coaching — as Wolverines offensive line coach, offensive coordinator and now head coach — has coincided with Ohio State’s longest losing streak (four games) to its archrival since 1991. Moore served as acting head coach during Harbaugh’s Big Ten-imposed suspension in 2023, as Michigan punched its ticket to the Big Ten championship game. He then earned the permanent role and pulled off one of the more stunning upsets in the history of The Game in November in Columbus. The story of Moore’s coaching career at Michigan is really just beginning, but he has already demonstrated his ability to win the biggest games.

It’s a pretty accurate stance. Michigan didn’t start winning in the series until Moore was promoted and given a bigger role with the team. He’s beaten OSU twice in a head coaching role — once when it was completely unexpected. He’s managed to push the right buttons, ranging from the offensive line (the team’s identity in 2021-23) to the head coaching role.

Of course, Ohio State fans will likely screech more about Connor Stalions and sign stealing, while misrepresenting what is actually under investigation by the NCAA, which may mean that facts are also a villain for self-proclaimed Buckeye Nation. But also, given how much OSU fans have talked about the Wolverines in the immediate aftermath of winning a national championship, don’t let them make you think they don’t have an overall insecurity about Michigan.

The Athletic has put out a list of the top 100 rivalries in college football. They don’t really give a lot of detail or analysis as to why or how they made their decision. They just presented a list, like so many outlets and blogs have in the past. The rankings release did come partnered with an article further detailing just what makes this rivalry so amazing.

Of course, Ohio State fans don’t need to be told what makes this rivalry amazing. We all know it. We know the legends, the moments, the stories–the good and the bad. Still, it’s nice to see recognition from national outlets, even if picking The Game as the biggest rivalry isn’t a particularly bold decision. The only other real choice is Army-Navy, for very different reasons, and The Athletic put that at No.4 (behind the Iron Bowl and the Red River Rivalry).

Two other Ohio State rivalries also made the top 100 list. And both are interesting, though in very different ways. The first is Ohio State vs Illinois. And while that rivalry was once pretty big, it’s been decades since it has been meaningful as a rivalry in any real way. Including it in a top rivalry list in 2000 would have made a lot of sense. In 2025? Not quite as much.

Also, Ohio State vs Penn State clocked in at No.8 on the list. With just 40 total meetings, it’s one of the rarest matchups on the entire list. Michigan vs Notre Dame was the only other rivalry in the top 50 with fewer than 50 meetings. And a stat about the rivalry they provide is impressive: in all 39 modern meetings between the two schools, at least one has been ranked in the AP Top 25. That’s pretty impressive.