Justin Fields says Ohio State takes The Game more seriously than Michigan

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields got to experience the Ohio State rivalry for the first time on Saturday, and he had a great day during The Game. Fields went 14-of-25 for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns. When OSU needed Fields to make a play, he came up clutch time and time again.

At Fields’ post-game presser, he made a comment that caught the attention of college football fans worldwide. Fields claimed that Ohio State takes The Game vs. Michigan more seriously than the Wolverines.

“I think we just take it more seriously than they do,” Fields said. “We prepare for it all year, like (coach) said, we’re preparing for them next year right now so I think it just means more at Ohio State so that’s pretty much how I think the bigger reason why we have more success than they do.”

It’s somewhat of a head-scratching comment from a player that transferred from Georgia to Ohio State less than a year ago, someone who experienced his first taste of the rivalry today.

Does Fields’ comment carry any weight and have a factual basis? Just because a team as Ohio State has rattled off a resounding 15 wins over Michigan in the last 16 seasons doesn’t mean that the Wolverines take the rivalry any less serious than the Buckeyes. Jim Harbaugh has acknowledged Michigan prepares for Ohio State “on a weekly basis”. The results, the final score, isn’t a clear reflection of the time, energy, and seriousness one program puts into The Game.

While it’s clearly fair to say Ohio State is preparing in a better manner that leads to continuous success against Michigan, speculating that Michigan doesn’t take the rivalry as serious is silly. Recruits come to Michigan for the rivalry against Ohio State, and losing to them is a brutal experience.

Results aren’t a reflection of what a team takes seriously, the better team won and maybe we can leave it at that.