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Quote from Michigan QB JJ McCarthy is already being used as motivation for Ohio State

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

Ohio State doesn’t need any additional motivation to focus its attention on Michigan. But, if the Buckeyes did need it, Wolverines quarterback JJ McCarthy might’ve provided it.

Speaking with Sports Illustrated recently, McCarthy spoke about Michigan’s 42-27 win over Ohio State in 2021, ending an eight-game losing streak. That victory also helped the Wolverines claim a B1G title, their first under Jim Harbaugh.

McCarthy said he and the rest of his team wanted to beat Ohio State more than any other team on the schedule. Now that it’s been accomplished, he has a lot of confidence that the success will continue.

“For us, the whole 10-year stretch of us not winning – that’s all we know is beating Ohio State right now,” McCarthy said. “So we’re going to keep that going.”

Ohio State is already using that comment as fuel. Alex Gleitman of Buckeye Scoop shows that McCarthy’s comment is on the screens across the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex in Columbus:

You can’t blame McCarthy for being confident. Even though Michigan has struggled over the past two decades in the rivalry game, it was the most physically dominant team on the field in Ann Arbor last November.

Still, poking the bear in Columbus probably isn’t the wisest move.  But, that’s what rivalries are all about, right?

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB