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Will Howard Issues Emotional Apology to Ohio State Fans After Ugly Loss to Michigan

The Buckeyes quarterback addressed the fan base in his postgame press conference following his team's fourth straight loss to the Wolverines.

Tom Dierberger

Howard threw for 175 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 19-of-33 passing in Ohio State's loss to Michigan.
Howard threw for 175 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 19-of-33 passing in Ohio State's loss to Michigan. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Kansas State transfer quarterback Will Howard experienced Ohio State's fierce rivalry with Michigan for the first time Saturday.

In a game featuring four total interceptions, a pair of missed field-goal attempts and a postgame fight on the field sparked by Wolverines players planting a team flag at midfield, the Buckeyes came up short 13–10 at Ohio Stadium. It was Ohio State's fourth straight loss in the rivalry, the university's longest losing streak to Michigan since the early 1990s.

Howard might be new to Columbus, but he was emotional in his postgame press conference while addressing the Buckeyes fan base.

"I still love this team. I still love this university. I'm just... I'm sorry, man," Howard said while getting choked up. "I'm blessed to have the opportunity to be a Buckeye and I'm sorry I couldn't get this one."

Howard had a rough day under center, throwing for 175 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 19-of-33 passing. His first interception gave Michigan the ball at Ohio State's two-yard line, and his second one occurred inside the red zone to disrupt a possible scoring drive.

It was his only game with multiple interceptions this season.

"It hurts, man," Howard said. "I can't say it enough: I'm sorry to Buckeye nation. But listen, we still have things in front of us. And we can still run the table and win a national championship. At the end of the day, that's what we have to focus on."

The loss to the Wolverines bounced the Buckeyes from the Big Ten championship game against Oregon, but Ohio State is still expected to make the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. It'll now wait to find out its first-round opponent during the selection show Dec. 8.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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