Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why Joel Klatt can't wait for 'epic' game between Michigan, Ohio State in 2025

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Trent Knoop | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 12:58 PM ET

Michigan football's Week 2 game at Oklahoma isn't the only top-10 game in Joel Klatt's eyes that will shape the college football season in 2025. Of course, arguably the biggest game of the year is on that list as well: The Game.

Michigan had beaten Ohio State three years in a row entering the 2024 iteration in The 'Shoe. The Wolverines, who had one of the worst passing attacks in all of college football, were a three-touchdown underdog to Ohio State. Michigan wasn't supposed to win, nor was it supposed to be close. But in stunning fashion, Michigan dominated in the trenches for a fourth year in a row and took down the massive favorites, 13-10.

Then the antics followed after the game. Michigan went to plan its flag at midfield and chaos insued. Klatt is excited to see the two teams square off in the Big House this year.

“These are the two teams that won the last two National Championships. You've got all of the backstory of how this game finished last year," Klatt began.

"My goodness, how many times are we gonna see all of that video? With Mason Graham pounding his chest and then all of a sudden the flags getting waved around, the Michigan flag, they're trying to plant it on the field, and then all of a sudden the pepper spray comes out because there's a fight going on. Like, holy cow! We get to see this matchup again. It's going to be in the Big House."

But as the new College Football Playoff format showed us in 2024, you can lose meaningful games and still win the national title. Despite regular-season losses to both Oregon and Michigan, Ohio State kicked its offense into another gear and ran the table in the CFP to become the national champions.

Although The Game might not hold the same implications as it once did, it's still the greatest rivalry in all of football. As Klatt said, it's always going to be an epic showdown.

"Ohio State got their National Championship, but then you still have these Michigan guys that are like, yeah, well, you didn't beat us and we won our National Championship going 15-0," said Klatt. "So this year's game is going to be epic.

“Could Michigan, who's got five straight wins in this series, could they actually get to, or excuse me, four straight wins in this series, could they actually get to five? Like if we just think back to the COVID year, I'll be real honest. I didn't think Michigan was going to win for the foreseeable future, and now all of a sudden they've rolled off four straight.

"Last year, you got the fighting, you got the prepper spray, you got the flags, you got the game. You got the game. That has to go on the list."

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: