Mike Vrabel Says Loss to Michigan May Have Fueled Ohio State’s National Championship Run
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Ohio State All-American and longtime NFL coach Mike Vrabel believes one of the Buckeyes’ toughest moments last season might have been the spark that led to their greatest triumph — a national championship.
Speaking at a recent fundraising event in Columbus, Vrabel reflected on Ohio State’s 2024 season and pointed to their regular-season loss to rival Michigan as a key turning point in the team’s mindset and motivation.
“Sometimes you need to get punched in the mouth to realize how bad you want it,” Vrabel said. “That loss in Ann Arbor — it stung. But I think it woke those guys up. From that point on, they were different.”
Michigan defeated Ohio State 31–27 in a November thriller, handing the Buckeyes their third straight loss in the rivalry and briefly casting doubt on their College Football Playoff hopes. But with a strong resume and help from other results, Ohio State snuck into the CFP as the No. 4 seed.
What happened next shocked the college football world: the Buckeyes dismantled No. 1 Georgia in the semifinals and went on to defeat Texas in the national title game, capturing their first championship since 2014.
Vrabel, who served as a Buckeye captain in the 1990s and most recently coached the Tennessee Titans, said the pain of losing to Michigan added an emotional edge that carried into every practice and game afterward.
“Those guys were tired of hearing about Michigan. Tired of the disrespect,” Vrabel said. “I saw it in their body language. It wasn’t just about football anymore — it was personal.”
Current Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, often criticized for his record against Michigan, praised his team’s resilience and echoed similar sentiments after the title win. “We didn’t fold. We refocused. And we found our edge again,” Day said at the time.
While the rivalry loss remains a bitter pill for Buckeye fans, Vrabel says it may have been exactly what the team needed. “Sometimes, your greatest failure becomes your greatest fuel,” he said. “Losing to Michigan may have cost them bragging rights — but it helped win a championship.”
And in Columbus, that trade-off is starting to feel worth it.
