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Former Ohio State QB Blasts Michigan in Epic National Championship Response

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mathey Gibson | Last updated May 9, 2025 3:39 PM ET

Ohio State may have lost to Michigan last November, but that wasn’t the end of their story.

Now, former Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard wants to make sure fans remember how it ended.

Howard, who was recently selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL Draft, joined Ben Roethlisberger’s "Footbahlin" podcast this week and offered a brutally honest response when asked if he would rather lose to Michigan and win the national championship—or beat the Wolverines and fall short of the title?

“Me, just being new to the rivalry—obviously I was a Penn State fan... I think that the rational Buckeye fan would say, ‘Give me the championship every day of the week,’” Howard said. “I would hope so.”

Howard’s take comes after a historic season that saw Ohio State lose to Michigan in the regular season but bounce back in the newly-expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

"Footbahlin' with Ben Roethlisberger", Episode 83:

Big Ben, Will Howard & Jack Sawyer talk becoming a Steeler, National Cha... https://t.co/Bp9uYrvJE9 via @YouTube #FootbahlinWithBenRoethlisberger #ChannelSeven #Steelers @GiantEagle
— BigBen7.com (@_BigBen7) May 6, 2025

The Buckeyes went on a tear, defeating four top-10 opponents en route to a national title—silencing any doubts about their resume.

“It runs really deep and it means a lot to a lot of people,” Howard added. “We literally talk about it every single day. No M’s in the building. I don’t think I’ve worn blue this whole year.”

The former Kansas State transfer embraced the rivalry in his lone season in Columbus, even if his introduction to “The Game” didn’t go Ohio State’s way.

Now, after helping guide the Buckeyes to a national championship, Howard believes the ultimate prize outweighs the sting of that lone regular season loss.

It’s a sentiment that may not sit well in Ann Arbor—but for Ohio State, a title speaks louder than any rivalry scoreboard.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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