Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore is putting an asterisk next to Ohio State's national championship run.
At Big Ten Media Days on Thursday, Moore stated that the Buckeyes’ national championship isn't a "real win" after Ohio State lost to its rival 13-10 in November.
"I'll congratulate them on the win. But you know it's not a real win if y'all ain't beat us," Moore said. "I'm gonna congratulate them on their win, but this year, it's gonna be different."
Moore contributed one pass breakup to the Wolverines' win over Ohio State, which didn't keep the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff, as the edge rusher was quick to point out. He credits his team for galvanizing Ohio State and enabling its national title journey.
"If the playoff extension wasn't around, they wouldn't have won the national championship," Moore said. "We pretty much look at it like, ’Hey man, y'all had an easy little run. We helped y'all along the way. So we pretty much helped y'all build back up.’ But like I said, after that game, they dominated everybody that came in front of them. So I've got to give all the credit to them."
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore echoed Derrick Moore's final sentiment on Thursday, calling Ohio State deserving of being crowned national champions.
“They won. They won the national title. They were the best team at the end of the year, so I give them all the credit that they get," Moore said. "They were well deserving. They played really well. They obviously won it all, so kudos to them.”
These comments from both Moores are the latest in a series of building remarks and rivalry tensions. A few weeks ago, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith promised he'd never lose to Michigan again.
"I ain't really got no reaction to it," Derrick Moore said when asked about Smith's remarks. "All I can say to that is, see y'all in November. If that's how he feel, that's how he can feel. But when November comes around and it's time to play, we're gonna see then."
Derrick Moore was also central to Michigan's flag plant at midfield, as he confirmed on Thursday, though he didn't plant the flag. A brawl broke out between the Wolverines and Buckeyes during the playing of Carmen Ohio while Ohio State players tried to stop the action and eventually ripped the flag from its pole.
Both teams were fined $100,000 for the incident.
"I actually was trying to just run around the field with the flag and as (I was) running around with the flag, I got pushed and things like that. So I ended up talking trash and next thing, the flag ended up coming out of my hand and the whole scuffle turned out," Derrick Moore said. "But looking back on that, I probably got two views on it. I feel like I could have done a better job as a leader of not letting that get out like that. Pretty much just celebrating with my teammates and things like that. But at the same time, I feel like that right there is pretty much why people come to Michigan or Ohio State. It's 'cause of rivalries and atmospheres like that. I feel like that right there is going to be a good leap going into this year again."
Derrick Moore also offered his thoughts on the proposed law in Ohio to make flag-planting a felony.
"It's actually crazy, for like a whole month straight, they had a picture of me with the flag on the field and it was pretty much (captioned) 'Criminal,' or something like that," Derrick Moore said. "I'm like, 'Bro, wow.' I'm a criminal now just because I (was) running around with a flag or plant a flag? I feel like that's actually crazy. But all I gotta say, hey, man, that's Ohio for you. That's Ohio for you, man."
Ohio State and Michigan will rematch in Ann Arbor on Nov. 29.
