Nick Saban: Ohio State fans have a ‘psychotic obsession’ with Michigan

Ohio State recorded a victory in the first round of the College Football Playoff despite falling to arch rival Michigan in its regular season finale last month. Still, former Alabama coach and college football analyst Nick Saban believes that Ohio State fans have an unhealthy obsession with Michigan as a result of that loss.

“These Ohio State fans have a psychotic obsession with Michigan and they need to go get therapy or something to try to get it fixed,” Saban said in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday. “They have a chance to win the national championship and here you are, nobody’s excited about their opportunity to play [against No. 1 Oregon] because they lost to Michigan, which was a tough game.”

Michigan had an underwhelming 7-5 record this season just one year after winning the College Football Playoff with Jim Harbaugh at the helm. Still, the Wolverines were able to do just enough to beat the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 30. (The postgame fracas made even more headlines when Ohio State players confronted Michigan players who were attempting to plant their maize and blue flag in the heart of scarlet and gray Buckeye country.)

“They lost the game by some of the mistakes that they made. Those are correctable things,” Saban said. “I think this is the most talented [Ohio State] team, if they play to their standard offensively and defensively, they’ve pretty much got it all.”

Ohio State rebounded in a big way with a dominant 42-17 win against Tennessee in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. Star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had a big game with six receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns, while Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns apiece on the ground.

Ohio State will look to continue their stellar play when they take No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl as one of the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day.