As the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines fought on the gridiron following the conclusion of the game, FOX Sports was documenting the action for a nationwide audience to observe in real time. The fight, which is believed to have precipitated from Michigan players planting their school flag at the 50-yard line of Ohio Stadium, began while sideline reporter Jenny Taft was in the midst of interviewing Wolverines defensive tackle Mason Graham. Upon the chaotic scene beginning, the broadcast cut away from the interview and went back up to the booth where play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and analyst Joel Klatt conveyed what was taking place and their feelings on the situation.
Throughout the quarrel, Johnson opined that Michigan planting its flag at midfield was an “unsportsmanlike gesture” and classified it as being “unnecessary.” The Wolverines had already secured the 13-10 victory, marking the university’s fourth consecutive win over their Big Ten Conference rivals, and that there was no reason for the team to be disrespectful towards the opponent. Once the audio finished playing, 97.1 The Ticket morning co-host Jon Jansen remarked that it was purportedly a matter of perspective on the situation. Jansen was on the call with Doug Karsch on the Michigan Sports Network providing analysis during the annual contest and witnessed the fight break out from the press box.
“I mean, if you got to talk about [something], talk about something you know about, and I don’t really think he understands the context of this rivalry, so sign off,” Jansen said regarding Johnson. “Hopefully everybody enjoyed the radio broadcast – turn your TV down.”
Jim Costa, who is in his first year as the co-host of the weekday program, voiced that the display may have been disrespectful by Michigan, but at the same time, there are instances where Ohio State emits vitriol and antipathy as well. Jansen later referenced a marching band routine in which Ohio State visually maligned Michigan weeks before the matchup took place.
“We’ve seen disrespecting the rivalry, but to me, you win, you get to celebrate,” Costa said. “If you lose, you get to tuck your tail and get the hell off the field, and Ohio State wasn’t willing to do that. That’s on them. Michigan’s allowed to revel in it. They had four quarters to defend their field.”
Greg Hargrave, who was behind the glass for the morning show, referenced a situation when Ohio State players ripped down the ‘Go Blue!’ banner at Michigan Stadium in 1973. The clip, he explained, is used in historical retrospectives reflecting on the impact and eminence of this rivalry. As the matchups between the two teams continue under the seven-year media rights agreement with the Big Ten Conference reportedly worth about $8 billion, Hargreaves expects the clip to be part of recurring highlights.
“Like Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt saying, ‘Nobody wants to see this,’ while this is going to be used as promo fodder for the next decades to come is the high point of hilarity,” Hargreaves remarked.
Costa added that when Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was waving to the crowd after the game and reveling in the victory, Johnson voiced that he was saying, “We didn’t cheat – this time.” Furthermore, he added that it was something Michigan fans did not like on top of Johnson’s broadcast of the game, leading Jansen to elucidate that everyone is going to take their shots. When he asked what the Buckeyes were doing this week, he hypothesized that they had no plans since the path to the Big Ten Championship Game had become more complicated.
“And planting a flag doesn’t have to turn physical,” Costa said. “We’ve seen it happen in years past in this rivalry and other rivalries and other big games. It got physical because Ohio State had an attitude about it, because they were sore losers. That’s what it came down to.”
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