COLUMBUS, Ohio — The scene at Ohio Stadium was intense as Ohio State’s linebacker Sonny Styles, his helmet gone and his eyes scorching with pain, careened away from the fray after being hit with pepper spray. “I can’t see!” he bellowed before crumpling to the turf.
The game between Ohio State and Michigan had just come to a close, with the Wolverines emerging victorious with a 13-10 win. But this win was not without controversy. Michigan players had invaded the field, attempting to plant their flag on the midfield logo, which sparked a melee.
As the police rushed in to break up the fight, the field was left with pepper spray lingering in the air, and players from both teams were seen coughing and rubbing their eyes.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who had been pilloried by fans beforehand, was seen standing on the field, looking stunned and disbelieving.
The win for Michigan marked the fourth time in the last four years that they had outgained Ohio State on the ground, and the third time in three years that an Ohio State quarterback had thrown costly interceptions.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Buckeyes, who are now 10-2 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten. The team is likely to make the College Football Playoff, but it will have to regroup and refocus to have any chance at a national championship.
Day, who had considered the rivalry to be one of the worst things to happen to him in his life, seemed devastated by the loss. “This is not easy to accept,” he said. “I have to take ownership. I’m the one who makes the final decisions on things.”
The loss also raises questions about Day’s future at the helm of the program. Day has a 66-10 record, but his team’s struggles against Michigan have been a significant factor in his tenure. He may need a national championship to ensure his return next season.
The game marked the third time in the last four years that Michigan has won at Ohio Stadium, and the second time in 10 years that an unranked Michigan team has beaten a ranked Ohio State team on the road. The win was a significant upset, with Michigan entering the game as 19.5-point underdogs.
“We’re very disappointed,” Day said. “We’re expecting to win this game and then go play in the Big Ten Championship Game, and neither of those things happened. We don’t know what’s going on now.”