Kyle Whittingham hasn't coached a single game at the Michigan Wolverines yet. But the biggest one of his career is already being circled on the calendar.

On the June 29 episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt said it is impossible to discuss the season's 10 biggest games without mentioning Michigan versus Ohio State. He didn't hold back on what it means for Whittingham either.

"It is absolutely my honor to call this game The Game. Kyle Whittingham's first in his stint as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines," Klatt said. "He's going to find out real quick what Ryan Day knows all too well, which is you are judged based on this game."

Even though Whittingham has just stepped into Ann Arbor, he is aware of the rivalry between the two Big Ten programs. The pressure is already high for the new head coach after Ohio State's 27-9 win last season snapped their four-game losing streak.

The Buckeyes dominated at the line of scrimmage in a way nobody had seen in that rivalry for years.

"Michigan also does not have an easy schedule," Klatt added in the same podcast. "They've got that game that I opened with against Oklahoma. They got some other tough games as well. Can they be in a position where if they beat Ohio State, they go to the College Football Playoff?"

Whittingham walks into Columbus with something to prove on both sides of the ball. Michigan's offense has a new coordinator, Jason Beck, running things. The defense got carved up in the second half last year when Ohio State pulled away with the running game.

Both programs could genuinely need that game to secure a playoff spot. Ohio State faces Indiana, Oregon, and Texas before November. Michigan has Oklahoma plus a brutal Big Ten slate of its own.

Klatt put it simply. A win for Michigan could push them into the College Football Playoff. A loss could end both programs' seasons in one afternoon.

Amidst the bold prediction for Whittingham, the 2026 Buckeyes roster underwent a huge transition.

Ohio State fixing the gap on defense puts Michigan Wolverines on high alert

The Buckeyes had a generational defense in 2025 under Matt Patricia. That group is mostly gone now, with seven players from defense heading to the NFL Draft.

That matters a lot for what Michigan can do offensively in Columbus. Whittingham built programs at Utah on physicality and development. If Beck can get the offense clicking and the defense improves on last year's second-half collapse, Michigan goes into November as a real threat.

However, Ohio State took immediate action to fix the gaps.

"In the transfer portal, three of their most important portal acquisitions were on the defensive line," wrote Anthony Moeglin of Round Table.

The first was UCF transfer John Walker, a four-star defensive tackle whose size and physicality make him a natural fit in the middle. The Buckeyes also secured commitments from former Alabama teammates Qua Russaw and James Smith. Having developed side by side in Tuscaloosa, the two now bring their experience and chemistry to Columbus.

Do you think Michigan can beat Ohio State in Columbus this season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar