Wolverine Digest

WATCH: Kyle McCord had a priceless reaction to Michigan beating Ohio State — again

The former Buckeye didn't have much sympathy for his former coach and teammates...

Matt Lounsberry

Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
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As the old saying goes, 'the grass isn't always greener on the other side'.

Following Ohio State's 30-24 loss at Michigan in 2023, the Buckeye fanbase placed the majority of the blame on first-year starting quarterback Kyle McCord. It's pretty clear OSU head coach Ryan Day didn't think McCord was the right QB in Columbus either, as McCord quickly entered the transfer portal after the season, likely at Day's recommendation.

Fast forward a year.

On Saturday, McCord led Syracuse to a 42-38 upset of No. 6 Miami, throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions against the Hurricanes. Day and Ohio State, meanwhile, fell short against the Wolverines once again, and McCord's replacement — Kansas State transfer Will Howard — had one of his worst performances of the season.

After Syracuse's win, McCord was asked if he took extra satisfaction in outdueling a Heisman Trophy candidate in Miami's Cam Ward on the same day his former team scored only 10 points and fell to Maize and Blue — again.

"Everything comes full circle," McCord responded.

It's clear that McCord doesn't have too much sympathy for his former head coach or teammates in Columbus, and why should he? The former Buckeye QB was labeled the scapegoat a year ago, but Ohio State's shortcomings in 'The Game' ran far deeper than McCord, and that was evident on Saturday.

The reality is that McCord's performance in 2023 was far superior to the one we saw from Will Howard this weekend. Both quarterbacks threw a pair of interceptions against the Wolverines the last two years, but McCord finished his day with 271 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 18-of-30 attempts (60%). Howard, meanwhile, threw for just 175 yards with one touchdown on 19-of-33 passing (58%).

Day made a mistake when he recruited McCord over former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, which played a major role in the Wolverines flipping their fortune in this rivalry. However, Day then compounded that mistake by letting McCord walk and bringing in an even less-talented thrower in Howard. There are several reasons why Day hasn't been able to win 'The Game' in his last four tries, but his evaluation of quarterbacks is near the top of the list.

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Matt Lounsberry
MATT LOUNSBERRY

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