Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer didn’t hold back when recently discussing the Buckeyes’ bitter 2022 loss to archrival Michigan—a game that not only derailed Ohio State’s Big Ten title hopes but also further fueled a growing controversy around Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation. In a candid moment that has since gone viral among college football fans, Sawyer offered a raw assessment of what happened on the field that day in Columbus. “We lost by double digits, and it felt like we beat the shit out of them,” Sawyer said. “It just didn’t make sense.” For many fans in scarlet and gray, that statement rang true with the confusion they felt in the immediate aftermath of that 45–23 defeat at the hands of the Wolverines. The Buckeyes had seemingly controlled much of the first half, only to watch Michigan blow the game open late—just as they did again in 2021 and once more in 2023. But Sawyer’s remarks also bring new weight to Ohio State’s long-simmering frustration over allegations that Michigan used illegally acquired signals to gain a competitive advantage.
For context, Michigan was accused in 2023 of orchestrating a widespread sign-stealing scheme under then-analyst Connor Stalions, who allegedly bought tickets to games involving future opponents and used surreptitious methods to obtain sideline signals. The NCAA launched an investigation into the matter, and although many of the exact details are still being confirmed, several Big Ten coaches and insiders have since gone on record to say they believe Michigan’s system gave them a measurable and unfair advantage. Ohio State, given the significance of its rivalry with Michigan, was naturally among the most vocal. Sawyer’s 2022 comments, viewed retroactively through that lens, suggest players on the field felt something was off even before the scandal surfaced publicly.
It’s rare for a player of Sawyer’s caliber to express such blunt frustration nearly two years after a loss, but it also shows how deeply the defeat—and the surrounding controversy—has impacted those in the program. Sawyer, a former five-star recruit and Ohio native, grew up immersed in the significance of “The Game.” Losing to Michigan is never acceptable at Ohio State, but back-to-back losses in 2021 and 2022—followed by another in 2023—shattered the Buckeyes’ aura of dominance. Ryan Day’s program, once riding high off the momentum of the Urban Meyer era, found itself in unfamiliar territory: three straight rivalry defeats, growing doubts from the fanbase, and now, an off-field scandal that’s added gasoline to the fire.
Sawyer’s frustration likely stems from more than just the scoreboard. Ohio State entered the 2022 matchup ranked No. 2 in the nation, boasting Heisman candidate C.J. Stroud and one of the most potent offenses in college football. On paper, they were the better team. They outgained Michigan in total yards in the first half and were able to consistently move the ball between the 20s. But inexplicable miscues, blown coverages, and suspiciously well-timed blitz pickups by Michigan all combined to turn the tide late in the game. Sawyer’s words suggest the Buckeyes felt they were controlling the line of scrimmage, winning individual matchups, and dictating the pace—yet the scoreboard told a different story.
What he didn’t say, but what many in the Ohio State community are now implying, is that Michigan’s understanding of the Buckeyes’ play calls, formations, and tendencies may have allowed them to anticipate and counter key plays with uncanny precision. Defensive coverages appeared tailored to neutralize specific routes. Offensive line adjustments seemed one step ahead of Ohio State’s blitzes. And Michigan’s confidence only grew as the game wore on—something that seemed less organic and more orchestrated in hindsight. If these things were indeed the product of an elaborate sign-stealing scheme, it raises serious questions about the legitimacy of not just the 2022 outcome, but the entire competitive integrity of that stretch of Big Ten football.
This isn’t the first time someone from the Ohio State side has hinted at deeper issues surrounding those losses. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline previously alluded to “strange in-game patterns” and former players like C.J. Stroud and Paris Johnson Jr. have acknowledged that certain plays felt disrupted by opponents who appeared to know what was coming. Ryan Day himself was notably emotional after the 2023 game and even reportedly contacted conference officials behind the scenes in the wake of the Stalions revelations. But Sawyer’s public comments add a new dimension to the story because they come from a defensive leader, someone whose job was to react and adapt in real time.
The magnitude of his statement also reflects the cultural weight of this rivalry. Ohio State vs. Michigan isn’t just a football game. It’s a defining moment that shapes legacies, coaching careers, and even university reputations. It affects recruiting pipelines, television ratings, and national perception. When one side is accused of cheating—particularly in a matchup of this scale—the fallout extends well beyond the gridiron. For Sawyer and his teammates, the feeling of betrayal is compounded by the fact that their championship ambitions may have been derailed by something outside their control.
The emotional toll of the losses has been significant, too. Many Buckeye players from the 2022 squad believed that was their year to not only win the Big Ten but also the national championship. Losing to Michigan effectively ended that dream. Though Ohio State still made the College Football Playoff after the 2022 season and nearly beat Georgia in a heartbreaker, the bitter taste of that Michigan defeat lingered. Sawyer’s comments now serve as a window into how those players processed that loss privately—feeling dominant in the trenches, executing their assignments, and yet watching the scoreboard unravel in a way that felt unnatural.
There’s also a broader implication in all this: if Michigan’s alleged cheating did indeed alter the outcomes of multiple high-stakes games, what should be done about it? The NCAA is notorious for moving slowly, and its punishments often come years after infractions occur. Michigan has already served a quasi-penalty in the form of a three-game suspension for Jim Harbaugh in 2023, but critics argue that’s not nearly enough given the potential scope of the advantage gained. Ohio State fans and players alike are calling for more—stripped titles, vacated wins, or at the very least, a formal acknowledgment of the wrongdoing and its impact on the rivalry’s balance.
For Sawyer, the comments may also represent a cathartic release ahead of what could be a pivotal season for the Buckeyes. With another showdown looming in Ann Arbor and a chance to reclaim bragging rights, Ohio State enters 2025 with renewed focus. Sawyer has emerged as a vocal leader on a defense that’s expected to be among the best in the country. He knows this might be his last chance to flip the script on Michigan before heading to the NFL, and he’s carrying the emotional residue of previous defeats as fuel. His words, though sharp, reveal the mental edge that Ohio State is hoping to recapture.
But the question now is whether the rest of the country will start to see those 2021–2023 Michigan wins in a different light. Public sentiment is already shifting. With more evidence being reported and whispers becoming louder, many neutral observers are beginning to wonder just how deep the rabbit hole goes. If Jack Sawyer’s intuition is any indication, the players knew something wasn’t right long before the media caught on. They felt the confusion in real time. They sensed the misalignment between what they were doing on the field and how the results were unfolding. That psychological dissonance, amplified by the sheer magnitude of “The Game,” is something that no post-game film study or coaches’ explanation could fully reconcile.
In that sense, Sawyer’s remarks aren’t just about 2022. They’re about reclaiming a narrative that many in Columbus believe was hijacked. They’re about speaking a truth that’s been hard to articulate but easy to feel. And they’re about holding the sport accountable to its own standards of fairness, even when the stakes are at their highest. Whether the NCAA delivers justice or not, Sawyer’s voice adds to a growing chorus of players and coaches who believe Michigan’s success came at a price—a price paid by those who played the game honestly. And for Sawyer, that price still stings. Not just because of the score, but because deep down, it felt like they’d won.
