Nick Saban Scolds Ohio State Fans, Says Michigan 'Obsession' Overshadowing CFP Run
Nick Saban think that Ohio State fans have taken the rivalry with Michigan way, way too far.
The former Alabama head coach appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and didn't make himself many friends in Columbus with that commentary:
"You know, we've kind of gotten on their, sort of, fans a little bit. But, you know, these Ohio State fans? You know, they've got a psychotic obsession with Michigan and they need to go get therapy or something to try to get it fixed," Saban said. "They have a chance to win the national championship and here you are, you know, and nobody's excited about their opportunity to play because they, you know, lost to Michigan, which was a tough game and they lost the game, probably, by some of the mistakes that they made. Those are correctable things."
It does feel like Ohio State has been defined in the Ryan Day era by two negative points of emphasis: A 1-4 record against the Wolverines and an inability to win a national championship despite consistently fielding highly talented rosters.
That undercuts a few other major positives during the Day era, however. One, it's Day and his staff who keep bringing the talent to Columbus. Two, the Buckeyes have won a pair of Big Ten titles in Day's six seasons (though none in the past four years). And three, he's led Ohio State to the playoffs four times in six years.
It is fair for Ohio State fans to have major expectations for Day and the Buckeyes, and if they don't feel the head coach is capable of taking the team over the top, grumblings will naturally follow. But there also seems to be the expectation that if Ohio State doesn't both beat Michigan and win a national championship, the season was a failure, and that simply isn't a realistic position to take.
This year's loss to a 7-5 Michigan team was bad, no doubt, costing them a shot at a Big Ten title and a far better seed in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State now has to face Oregon in the quarterfinals, a team the Buckeyes already lost to in the regular season. That's a rough draw.
The Buckeyes have the talent to earn their revenge. But even if they do, will it be enough for Ohio State fans to forgive the Michigan loss?
Probably not. And that, at least according to Saban, is one heaping dose of delusion.
