Ryan Day Reportedly Vowed to “Hang 100” on Michigan After Heated Exchange with Jim Harbaugh

Few rivalries in college football are as intense and historically significant as Ohio State vs. Michigan. The Game, as it’s commonly called, has defined seasons, determined national championship hopes, and fueled decades of animosity between two of the sport’s most successful programs.

Now, it appears that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has added another chapter to the rivalry’s long history of trash talk.

According to reports, Day told his team that Michigan better hope for a mercy rule because the Buckeyes are “going to hang 100 on them” after a particularly tense exchange with Jim Harbaugh during a Big Ten coaches’ conference call. The reported comments have only added fuel to what was already shaping up to be another heated battle between the two powerhouse programs.

What Led to Ryan Day’s Bold Claim?

The reported comments stem from an alleged heated exchange between Day and Harbaugh during a Big Ten conference call. According to sources, Harbaugh took issue with Ohio State’s offseason workouts and potential NCAA rule violations, and he wasn’t shy about voicing his concerns in front of other Big Ten coaches.

While specifics of the argument remain unclear, Harbaugh reportedly challenged Day and questioned whether Ohio State had been practicing with too much contact during a no-contact period.

Day, clearly irritated by Harbaugh’s accusations, allegedly fired back with the now-infamous “100 points” comment to his team after the call.

The Intensity of the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry

This is far from the first time that tensions between Ohio State and Michigan have boiled over into open hostility. The rivalry has featured everything from midfield fights, postgame taunts, and bulletin board material to decades of coaches and players taking verbal jabs at one another.

Day’s comments recall previous fiery moments in the rivalry’s history:

• Harbaugh’s “born on third base” jab at Day (2021): After Michigan snapped an eight-game losing streak to Ohio State, Harbaugh took a direct shot at Ryan Day, saying, “Some people were born on third base and act like they hit a triple.” This was widely interpreted as a dig at Day inheriting an already successful program from Urban Meyer.
• Jim Tressel’s 2001 guarantee: When Jim Tressel was introduced as Ohio State’s head coach, he famously told Buckeye fans, “You’ll be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan.” Ohio State would go on to beat Michigan in Tressel’s first season, setting the tone for his dominance over the Wolverines.
• Woody Hayes’ disdain for Michigan: Ohio State legend Woody Hayes despised Michigan so much that he once refused to let the team bus stop for gas in the state and went for a two-point conversion late in a blowout win just because, in his words, “We couldn’t go for three.”

The Implications of Day’s Statement

If Ryan Day did, in fact, tell his team he wanted to score 100 points on Michigan, it sends a clear message—he’s feeling the pressure to beat the Wolverines again after back-to-back losses.

Since taking over for Urban Meyer in 2019, Day initially looked like he would continue Ohio State’s dominance over Michigan. The Buckeyes won the rivalry game in 2019 (56-27) in convincing fashion, and in 2020, the game was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. However, things have shifted dramatically since then:

• Michigan has beaten Ohio State in back-to-back years (2021 & 2022), outmuscling the Buckeyes in the trenches and flipping the script on what had been an Ohio State-dominated rivalry for nearly two decades.
• The pressure on Ryan Day has increased significantly. Ohio State fans expect national championships, and losing to Michigan twice in a row—even after reaching the College Football Playoff—has led to growing frustration.
• The Buckeyes are looking for revenge. After two straight humiliating defeats, it’s clear that Ohio State is preparing for their 2023 showdown in Ann Arbor with a chip on their shoulder.

If Ohio State truly wants to drop 100 points on Michigan, they’ll need their high-powered offense to deliver, and they’ll need their defense to step up against Michigan’s dominant run game.

How Realistic is “Hanging 100” on Michigan?

As bold as Day’s statement may be, scoring 100 points on Michigan is a nearly impossible task. In the modern era of college football, no team has come close to scoring that many points in a rivalry game of this magnitude.

The most lopsided victories in Ohio State-Michigan history include:

• Ohio State 38, Michigan 0 (1935) – A dominant win but nowhere near 100 points.
• Michigan 86, Ohio State 0 (1902) – This was in the early days of football when scoring was wildly different from today’s game.
• Ohio State 62, Michigan 39 (2018) – Urban Meyer’s final win over Michigan saw the Buckeyes light up the scoreboard, but still far from triple digits.

For Ohio State to score 100 points, they would need everything to go perfectly—a dominant passing attack, turnovers from Michigan’s offense, and complete control of the game from start to finish. Given Michigan’s recent physicality, it’s unlikely they’d ever allow the Buckeyes to score at will like that.

However, if Day’s comments serve as motivation for his players, they could be the fire that helps Ohio State reclaim the rivalry and end Michigan’s streak.

Final Thoughts: A Rivalry That’s Only Getting Hotter

Ryan Day’s reported “hang 100” statement is just the latest spark in a rivalry that is already burning red-hot. With two consecutive losses to Michigan hanging over his head, Day is making it clear that Ohio State is preparing for the most important showdown of his tenure as head coach.

The 2023 Ohio State-Michigan game could be a defining moment for both programs. Will Ohio State back up Day’s fiery words and reclaim dominance? Or will Michigan continue to control the rivalry under Harbaugh?

One thing is certain—when these two teams meet again, there will be no love lost, and tensions will be at an all-time high. Buckle up, because this year’s edition of The Game is shaping up to be one for the ages.