Another Michigan Man is spouting off some nonsense about Ohio State.
If the analytics on this website are any indicator, you probably saw the news about three-star offensive tackle Tristan Bounds — who committed to Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines last week — and the interesting comments he made in The Wolverine's podcast.
“I've been pretty adamant about this. I don't want to lose any games," Bounds said on Rivals' Michigan podcast. "I want to win national championships. I want to kick the shit out of Ohio State. Those are my goals. The best class that we can get is going to help us do that.”
Bounds' bold statements will help him fit right in at Michigan, which has a strong recent history of vowing vengeance against its chief rival, only to fall short. Let's take a trip down memory lane.
Mike Hart
Our journey starts with our favorite little engine that couldn't.
After suffering his third loss to Ohio State in the 2006 matchup that pinned No.1. vs. No. 2, Hart infamously told reporters that he knew a rematch would go differently.
"It would be a whole different game," the former Michigan running back said. "We definitely would have beaten the Buckeyes (in the national championship game). There's no doubt in my mind we would've beat the Buckeyes."
One of the main reasons he, quarterback Chad Henne and offensive tackle Jake Long returned for their senior seasons was to do just that. To that point in their careers, the trio of juniors were 0-3 against Ohio State.
"We haven't finished a season strong as a group," Long said. We haven't beaten Ohio State. We haven't won a bowl game. We want to come out on top as seniors."
They did not go out on top as seniors. Their season started with arguably the greatest upset in college football history, when Appalachian State beat No. 5 Michigan at Michigan Stadium. The following week, Oregon came to town and thumped the Wolverines 39-7.
The senior-heavy team bounced back with eight straight wins, but they fell to Wisconsin the week before hosting Ohio State. They could've salvaged their season and put a bow on their Michigan careers by finally beating the Buckeyes, but the offense was limited to 91 yards of total offense and the defense got ran over by Beanie Wells to the tune of 222 yards in a 14-3 Ohio State win.
Kyle Kalis
When Kyle Kalis was a prized four-star offensive tackle from Cleveland, Ohio, he was one of the Buckeyes' top targets for the 2012 class. The uncertainty surrounding the Buckeyes program after Jim Tressel's departure hurt them early in the recruiting cycle, though, and Kalis not only deferred to Michigan, but dove head first into the Wolverines Kool-Aid.
"There will be blood on the field and it won't be mine," he said in January 2012. "Quote it. Let them know."
Factoring in a redshirt season, Kalis' Michigan teams had five cracks at Ohio State between 2012-2016. They came away with an absolutely awesome zero victories, with the most memorable matchup coming in the final regular season game of his career.
Karan Higdon
Running back Karan Higdon had every reason to feel optimistic about Michigan's chances heading into the Ohio State game in 2018, despite recent history. His Wolverines were favored over the Buckeyes for the first time in his career. His team was ranked No. 4 and on the doorstep of the program's first playoff bid. All Michigan had to do was roll over what might be the worst Ohio State defense since the turn of the century.
So when Higdon was asked if he wanted to guarantee a win over Ohio State like his coach did as a Michigan quarterback in the 80's, he responded accordingly.
"Yeah, I do. I do," Higdon said. "That's how I feel. I believe firmly in my brothers, this team and this coaching staff. As a captain, I'll take that stand. Why not?"
Nothing went right for the Wolverines the following Saturday. Dwayne Haskins shredded Michigan's previously top-ranked defense as Ohio State hung 62 points on the Wolverines in a 23-point victory.
Keep talkin' that shit, Michigan.
