Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham on Monday pushed back against criticism of his earlier remarks about the Ohio State rivalry, insisting that personal hatred has nothing to do with his desire to defeat the Buckeyes.
Speaking during a media availability, Whittingham addressed comments he made at Big Ten media days in late July in which he said the storied matchup could remain intense without a “hatred factor.”
“Do we have a better chance of winning if I hated them? I don’t understand. Whatever gives us the best chance to win, I’m all for it. I want to beat them worst than anybody,” Whittingham said.
The first-year Wolverines coach said he was surprised his original comments became such a talking point among fans and media.
At Big Ten media days, Whittingham had described hate as “a strong word” while affirming he wanted to win the game “as badly as anybody in Ann Arbor.” He also called Ohio State coach Ryan Day “a good person” and said claiming to hate him would be untrue.
Those remarks drew significant reaction on social media, with some Michigan supporters questioning whether Whittingham fully grasped the depth of a rivalry that dates to 1897.
Michigan leads the all-time series 62-52-6. Ohio State won the most recent meeting 27-9 in Ann Arbor last November, snapping a four-game Michigan winning streak.
Whittingham, who compiled a 177-88 record in 21 seasons as Utah’s head coach, is no stranger to heated rivalries. He regularly faced BYU in the Holy War while building the Utes into a consistent winner that included an undefeated 2008 season and multiple conference titles.
He noted that the Michigan program continues to emphasize the Ohio State game through practice segments, weight-room discussions and countdown clocks.
“There’s periods, practice segments and things in the weight room where that’s talked about. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. It’s a huge game, gigantic. It’s something we all have in the back of our mind 24/7,” Whittingham said.
He acknowledged he probably should have worded his media-days comments differently but stressed that fans should not mistake his approach for a lack of competitive fire.
“Don’t confuse (not hating Ohio State) with a lack of desire to win the game,” he said. “We obviously understand that is The Game.”
Whittingham has maintained traditional Michigan signage in Schembechler Hall asking players what they have done to beat Ohio State that day.
The Wolverines open the 2026 season Sept. 5 at home against Western Michigan. The regular-season finale is set for Nov. 28 at Ohio State.
Whittingham has repeatedly described himself as an old-school coach who prefers focusing on one game at a time rather than looking ahead to the final matchup.
He has said the ideal scenario would be for both teams to enter the late-November clash with Big Ten championship implications on the line.
Michigan enters the season under new leadership after a transitional period. Whittingham was hired in December 2025 following a long and successful tenure at Utah that made him the program’s all-time wins leader.
His defensive background and steady results in conference play have been cited as reasons for the hire as the Wolverines aim to return to consistent contention.
The coach has emphasized preparation, culture and winning as the priorities for a program that has claimed 12 national championships in its history.
As fall camp continues, Whittingham’s message remains consistent: the focus is on putting the team in the best position to succeed every Saturday, including the one that matters most to the Michigan fan base.
Whether or not he uses the word “hate,” the 66-year-old coach has made clear he intends to prepare his players to beat Ohio State as badly as anyone who has ever worn the maize and blue.
