‘I Thought That Was Weak and Wack’: Former Ohio State Star Jonathan Wells Blasts Alma Mater, Says Fight Between Michigan and Buckeyes Was Deeper Than Planting A Flag
Former NFL player and Ohio State Buckeyes running back Jonathan Wells knows the pain of losing to Michigan and the joy of beating them all too well. He says his alma mater overreacted during the fight that broke out on the football field following Michigan’s 13-10 upset over No. 2-ranked Ohio State on Saturday, resulting in $100,000 fines for both schools for violating sportsmanship policies.
“My high school coach JT Curtis told me this a long time ago,” Wells said on The Shadow League’s “Locker Room” podcast. ‘You gotta win like a champion and you’re going to lose like a champion,’ and I keep that with me always, so I didn’t respect how they handled that.”
Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes fight following the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Nov. 30, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Wolverines and Buckeyes football rivalry is one of the fiercest rivalries in all sports, and emotions hit a boiling point when Michigan players, who entered the game as 20-point underdogs, attempted to plant their team flag in middle of Ohio State’s field after the unexpected win that damaged the Buckeyes’ national title hopes.
A fracas broke out, with blows being thrown and multiple officers from both universities deploying pepper spray to calm the situation. Several Michigan players could be seen visibly affected by the agent.
Former NFL and Ohio State Running Back Jonathan Wells Says Buckeyes Seniors Couldn’t Deal With Trauma Of Never Beating Michigan
Wells explains why the loss was so detrimental to the emotions of the players, particularly the seniors who were 0-4 against Michigan.
“Let me tell you what I saw and what I know,” Wells said. “What happened was you saw a bunch of guys that won a lot of games at Ohio State, but what you also saw is those seniors will never know the feeling of beating Michigan in their four years at Ohio State, and that’s a miserable state to be in when you’re leaving Buckeye Nation. I don’t care how many games you win. National championship, cool. But if you don’t beat them people up north, you’re going to live with that the rest of your life.”
“So what you saw was kids that was hurt and heart broken,” added Wells, who also holds the distinction of being the first player from the state of Louisiana to accept a college scholarship from Ohio State.
During his time in Columbus the rivalry was at its height and fans most remember him for his 129 yards and three rushing touchdown performance against Michigan, to help the Buckeyes beat the 11th-ranked Wolverines 26-20 in Jim Tressel’s first season as head coach.
Wells’ performance was significant because it helped snap a six-game losing streak for Ohio State at Michigan, getting a win there for the first time since 1987.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day didn’t think his players did anything wrong in defending their honor.
“These guys are looking to put a flag on our field and those guys weren’t going to let that happen,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who has led Michigan since 2019 and is 1-4 against their archrivals. “This is our field, and we’re embarrassed by the fact that we lost the game, but there’s some prideful guys on the team that are not going to let that happen. “
Jonathan Wells Blasts Ohio State Players For Fighting After Loss To Michigan
Wells, on the other hand, understood the emotion involved in the game, but agrees that his alma mater “absolutely” overreacted.
“You gotta remember I played in this rivalry four times and I was on the winning side twice and I was on the losing side twice,” Wells told the Shadow League. “I had to tuck my tail my last game junior year at home, and they came in there and beat our ass (38-26). Let’s keep it real.”
Wells took the current Buckeyes team to task for the way they handled the embarrassing loss.
“Were we out there fighting? No,” Wells continued. “I wasn’t looking for nobody planting a flag because I was already in the locker room. If I wanted to fight, we should have fought within the 60 minutes of the game. I’m not trying to hear nothing about no fighting after the game.”
Planting flags on the opposing team’s field after a win isn’t a new phenomenon in college football.
“I don’t care nothing about planting no flag, “Wells said. “I get it you want to represent, but no… you represent by going out there making plays, bringing a W back and celebrating with your team. I thought that was weak and wack. I was disappointed. I love my guys, but that’s not how you handle it.”
Former NFL player Jonathan Wells joined The Shadow League’s “Locker Room” podcast. The Ohio State Buckeye rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns against Michigan, to help the Buckeyes beat the 11th-ranked Wolverines 26-20 in Jim Tressel’s first season as head coach.
The loss was Michigan’s fourth straight win over Ohio State, raising its all-time series lead to 62-51.
Ohio State vs. Michigan: History of Heated Rivalry
When the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes lock horns in what has become known as “The Game,” the matchup between the two flagship programs usually plays a role in how the national championship picture plays out.
The last couple of meetings have been directly attached to how the College Football Playoff teams have been selected. In 2021, Ohio State was left out of it following a bitter loss. 2022 was a bit different, with the Wolverines winning again but both teams making the CFP. In 2023, Michigan cemented its dominance en route to a national championship with a late season win over undefeated Ohio State.
The Buckeyes and Wolverines first met on the gridiron in 1897, but the disdain between these two states goes back even further, as Michigan and Ohio nearly fought a war over the city of Toledo in 1835.
Six decades later, Michigan blanked Ohio State 36-0 in the inaugural meeting between the two programs on Oct. 16, 1897. Michigan had a clear advantage early in the rivalry, as the Buckeyes didn’t score a single point against the Wolverines defense until 1904.
It took 13 losses and two ties (over the span of 22 years) before Ohio State was able to get a W. Michigan’s nine-game winning streak from 1901-1909 remains the longest of the rivalry. The Buckeyes started to gain the upper hand as the rivalry moved well past its 100th year and in 2021, Michigan ended an eight-game losing streak to the Buckeyes, winning 45-27.
For the Ohio State seniors, the saying “get ’em next season” isn’t a possibility, and that reality contributed to the melee that ensued, but, according to Wells, who ran for 2,418 yards and 27 TDs before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 draft to the expansion Houston Texans, you can’t lose your cool when you lose. Even if your opponent rubs it in.
