There is never a dull day on Twitter when it comes to college football rivalries, and the best rivalry in all of sports got some fuel on Wednesday for a debate. Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy was asked about the sign-stealing investigation that the Wolverines are under, and he took a shot at Ohio State football with his response. McCarthy noted that the majority of college football teams steal signs because it is legal, and he noted that the Buckeyes are one of them.
“About 80 percent of teams in college football steal signs,” JJ McCarthy said, according to a tweet from On3. “We actually had to adapt because in 2019, 2020, Ohio State was stealing our signs — which is legal. We had to get up to the level they were at and make it an even playing field.”
Obviously, this claim didn't sit well with Ohio State football fans. Buckeyes fans clapped back with comments of their own, noting that Michigan and Ohio State didn't play in 2020, and also that Michigan didn't legally steal signs. The best rivalry in sports never disappoints.
Right now, this is the only thing that Ohio State football fans can cling onto when it comes to their rival with Michigan. The Wolverines beat the Buckeyes by 15 and 22 in the two years prior to this one, but when the sign-stealing investigation began, the fan base was certain that Michigan had to be cheating and that was the only reason for those two losses. Then, with the sign-stealing excuse not able to be used this season, Ohio State lost to Michigan, and this time, the Wolverines didn't even have head coach Jim Harbaugh. Since then, Michigan has gone on to win their third straight Big Ten title, and they beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl to advance to the national title. It might be time to officially retire the ‘they were only winning because of the sign-stealing' claims.
At the end of the day, however, this is a college football rivalry, and fans are going to poke fun at their rivals with any chance that they get. As this investigation goes on, both teams will get the opportunity to do that. There are also rumors going around that Ohio State could have an investigation of their own coming. Who knows what will happen in the coming months, but these two rivals will continue to pounce on the other with any chance that they can get.