The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk

Episode: Around the Shoe – Flipping the Michigan Rivalry, Big Ten Championship vs. Indiana

Date: December 1, 2025
Host Network: Blue Wire
Panel: Doug Lesmerises, Bill Landis, Sam Cipriani, Greg Wilson

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Ohio State’s pivotal win over Michigan, its implications for the future of The Game and the Big Ten, and the anticipation around the upcoming Big Ten Championship vs. Indiana. Guests Sam Cipriani and Greg Wilson of Buckeye Sports Bulletin join Doug and Bill for a lively discussion that covers the emotional landscape for fans, shifts in rivalry pressure, program trajectories, coaching legacies, and historic perspective on the Ohio State-Michigan matchup.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Immediate Takeaways from the Ohio State-Michigan Game

(Starting at 03:35)

• Run Game as the Breakthrough:
  Sam Cipriani (04:22):

  “The biggest thing for me was that it finally gave Ohio State a measuring stick... We finally got to see the true potential of Bo Jackson. ...Against Michigan, Bo Jackson’s a hard runner, fast, strong, can break tackles... he can be a workhorse.”

  • OSU’s run game finally tested by a top defense—Bo Jackson’s physicality and Isaiah West’s support inspire confidence for the postseason.
  • Offensive line’s run blocking and Carnell Tate’s blocking exemplified OSU’s physicality.
  • For the first time all season, OSU’s running backs consistently made defenders miss at the second level.
  • The 20-play, run-dominant drive after a Michigan interception underscored OSU’s commitment and capability on the ground.

• Ryan Day’s Attitude and Mental Reset:
  Greg Wilson (06:53):

  “Ryan Day... just has that attitude. That national championship really just—he didn’t need anything more. He doesn't feel nerves, he doesn’t feel doubt. ... He’s got a Heisman Trophy, possibly winning quarterback back there and maybe the greatest defense in college football history.”

• Smirk Seen ‘Round Buckeye Nation:
  Bill Landis (10:04):

  “If I’d seen that video [of Day’s smirk] before the game, I would have put a mortgage payment on Ohio State to cover.”

• Defense Responded to Early Adversity:
  Bill Landis (11:18):

  “Michigan sprung a couple of explosive runs early in the game... For that to not happen and for the defense to regroup... by the fourth time Michigan had the ball, it really did seem like Ohio State’s defense... had the game handled.”

2. Pressure in the Rivalry: Has It Flipped to Michigan?

(18:19)

• Has the Pressure Flipped?
  Greg Wilson (18:45):

  “I’m gonna say yes, but just in a different way... Ohio State is just at a completely different level as a program. ...How does Michigan get to that point? There are obviously ways... but it feels kind of impossible at this point.”

  Bill Landis (19:19):

  “I do think it’s flipped. ...Moore and Day are kind of mirror images... Now Sharon Moore has taken a loss and he is sort of on the same journey now.”

• Is Sharon Moore on the Hot Seat?
  Sam Cipriani (23:04):

  “I was not under the impression that he’s going to be under the hot seat after this season... they’ll at least give Sharon a chance to stick it out through the remainder of the Bryce Underwood era...”

  Bill Landis (24:24):

  “Jim Harbaugh leaves late and abruptly... There wasn’t really an opportunity to scour the planet for a successor. So... you could be more apt to make a change quicker than you would otherwise.”

3. The Big Ten Championship: How Important Is It?

(32:31)

• Rating the Game’s Significance (If Michigan/Championship are 100/100):

  • Bill Landis: “Like a 71 maybe. ... They give you a trophy for it, right? ... In general you don’t hold the Big Ten championship in as high esteem anymore. But... since Ryan Day has a national title and he has the Michigan win, adding a Big Ten trophy... would be a little meaningful.” (32:31)
  • Sam Cipriani: “I would honestly go closer to an 82 or 85... The only [goal] they haven’t done within six years is win that Big Ten championship.” (36:48)
  • Greg Wilson: “I'm just gonna go 100. Just with what they’re feeling right now... They have the chance this season to be 16-0 for the first time ever in college football history.” (38:21)

• Expectations for Atmosphere:
  Bill Landis (40:24):

  “It could be raucous... It could be a road game [for OSU]. ...This will be the best environment the Big Ten title game’s ever had. It won’t be close.”

4. Kurt Signetti’s Compliment: Genuine or Rat Poison?

(43:42)

• Did Indiana Coach Mean It? Or Was It Mind Games?
  • Doug Lesmerises: “I’ll say 75% Kurt Signetti meant it. 25% he’s trying to fatten up Ryan Day before Saturday.”
  • Sam Cipriani: “I’m gonna go with 90/10. He meant it... Signetti is one of the best coaches in the game himself. ...Maybe he’s... an evil genius. But I personally think he was being pretty genuine.” (43:42)
  • Greg Wilson: “I got suckered too... It’s hard to imagine that Signetti is going to be wrong when he says [Day will be a legend].” (45:28)
  • Bill Landis (47:01):

  “Yeah, 10% genuine. Flip it the other way. ...The motivation for Kurt Signetti putting Ryan Day on a pedestal is to make his win ...more impressive. ...He called Dan Lanning a ‘phenom’ before he beat him in Eugene. ...So I’m not saying he doesn’t mean it, but... you guys are being a little too generous.”

5. Historical and Generational Perceptions of 'The Game'

(49:48)

• How Each Generation Perceives the Rivalry:

  • Doug Lesmerises: Lays out the three “generational realities” of The Game:
    • Woody/Bruce era (equilibrium) – 40s–80s today
    • Cooper era (pain/scars) – 30s–40s
    • Tressel/Urban era (assumed domination) – 20s/late teens (current Sam/Greg’s cohort)
    • Now: Youngest fans will have at least some “Cooper-era” perspective after four straight recent Michigan wins.

• First OSU Losses and Emotional Impact on Younger Fans:
  Sam Cipriani (52:37):

  “I was in college the next time OSU lost... I just kind of sat in bed and I didn’t know what to do with myself... a feeling of almost impending doom when the game was coming. ...It was a reality check.”

• Rivalry Reset and Meaning:
  Greg Wilson (56:27):

  “Maybe I shouldn't say this on an Ohio State podcast, but I’m glad that it did [flip] honestly... The emotion that is involved with it now, it just feels so much more heightened... these last two years of the rivalry have been more fun than I’ve ever had in any sort of way involved in this rivalry.”

• Media Perspective—Covering the Rivalry’s Tides:
  Bill Landis (58:08):

  “The first [loss] was shocking because, like, you just weren’t entirely sure that it was ever going to come, right? ...After 22 and 23, it didn’t get easier... you kind of got into the rhythms of covering a loss to Michigan... last year was so out of left field. ...It’s a difficult thing to try to wrangle this rivalry.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bill Landis (10:04):

  “If I’d seen that video [of Day’s smirk] before the game, I would have put a mortgage payment on Ohio State.”

• Doug Lesmerises (09:56):

  “I’m not good at math, but that’s like what, 14 years? I don’t know what 2100 days is, but. You pro smirk, Landis?”

• Greg Wilson (45:28):

  “It’s like the MLB record of 75 complete games thrown by a pitcher in a season. That’s never going to be touched again...”

• Doug Lesmerises (29:50):

  “I am just always curious about equilibrium in the rivalry, and there just has not been equilibrium in the rivalry since John Cooper took over. … that’s what I wonder about… Once upon a time, it was… more or less, not exactly even, but there was an equilibrium…”

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------|:-------------:| | Introduction/guest intros | 01:31 | | Best signs for Buckeyes from Michigan win | 03:35 | | Run game as a true test (Sam, Greg, Bill on Bo Jackson)| 04:22-06:50 | | Ryan Day’s attitude (‘The Smirk’ discussion) | 06:53-10:04 | | Defensive resilience | 11:18 | | Quarterback resiliency – Julian Sayin’s “Shush” | 12:47-18:19 | | Has the rivalry pressure flipped? | 18:19-29:37 | | Big Ten Championship—importance rating | 32:31-41:12 | | Is Indiana’s Kurt Signetti’s praise for Ryan Day real?| 43:42-47:55 | | Ohio State-Michigan generational context | 49:48-59:23 | | Wrap-up, Buckeye Sports Bulletin info | 60:04-61:22 |

Language & Tone

The conversation is collegial, humorous (lots of ribbing about age and money), and candid. There’s clear mutual respect between the seasoned hosts and the energetic younger guests. Jokes about media pay, college football superstitions, and playful takes on coach-speak lighten deep football analysis.

Summary Takeaways for Listeners

• Ohio State’s win over Michigan is viewed as transformative—not just breaking a streak but restoring confidence and resetting the rivalry’s power dynamic.
• The Buckeyes’ run game was power-tested and proven; the defense responded well to adversity; and both Ryan Day’s mindset and Julian Sayin’s poise are credited as major factors.
• For the first time in years, the emotional and psychological stakes around “The Game” feel balanced, providing fresh energy—and old anxieties—for both fanbases.
• The Big Ten Championship is seen as an essential, potentially historic prize, even in the playoff era, with the hosts predicting an electric title game atmosphere.
• Indiana coach Kurt Signetti’s effusive praise for Ryan Day is debated—genuine, or calculated gamesmanship?
• A generational lens shows how different eras of Buckeye fans relate to wins and losses in the rivalry, and how recent years have changed the “invincible” OSU mindset.

For more Buckeye coverage:

• Subscribe to Bill and Doug's Substack: osu.substack.com
• Buckeye Sports Bulletin: buckeyesports.com

This summary omits all ad reads and non-content sections, focusing solely on the episode’s meat for Ohio State football fans and big-picture college football listeners alike.