Wolverine Digest

Michigan Football legend trolls Buckeye teammates

Chris Breiler

Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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His playing days at Michigan may be over, but that doesn't mean that the rivalry with Ohio State has ended for Mike Sainristil. The former wide receiver-turned-defensive back spent five years at the University of Michigan, and his success against the Buckeyes - along with helping to deliver a national championship in 2023 - cemented his legacy as a legend in Ann Arbor.

Now in his rookie season with the Washington Commanders, Sainristil is still embracing the rivalry with Ohio State... and he's letting his Buckeye teammates know about it. On Thursday, he shared a video to his Instagram account that shows him pointing out all of the Ohio State "garbage" in his presence.

With a career record of 3-1 against Buckeyes, along with three Big Ten Championships and a National Championship on his resume, Sainristil has certainly earned the right to talk as much trash as he wants when it comes to that rivalry.

Here's a closer look at some of Sainristil's career highlights at the University of Michigan:

  • 2023 National Champion
  • All-American (first team, 2023)
  • Twice voted a captain by his teammates (2022-23)
  • Two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches, 2023; first team, media, 2023; honorable mention, coaches and media, 2022)
  • Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 20, 2023)
  • Won both the Offensive (2021, co-) and Defensive (2022) Skill Player of the Year Awards
  • Five-time letterman (2019-20-21-22-23)
  • Finished his career tied for the single-season (2023) and career lead in interceptions returned for touchdowns (two)
  • Program record-holder in single-season interception return yards (232; 2023) and second in career interception return yards (240)
  • Recorded the longest interception return in CFP National Championship Game history (81 yards; 2024)
  • Appeared in 62 games in his career at wide receiver, defensive back, and on special teams with 34 starts (nine on offense, 25 on defense) and work at punt returner
  • Changed to jersey number 5 from 19 prior to the 2021 season; changed to 0 from 5 prior to the start of the 2022 season
  • Though he played both sides of the ball in high school, began his U-M career on offense before switching primarily to defense prior to the 2022 season

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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