The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is one of the fiercest in American sports. So it was an especially tough blow for Buckeyes fans when the Wolverines beat Ohio State in November for the third season in a row—and went on to win the national championship. But as the Wall Street Journal puts it, the win "might have been the best thing to ever happen to Ohio State football." Supporters who don't want to see Michigan come out on top again have raised huge amounts of cash to help attract top players to Ohio State through the lucrative endorsement deals made possible by a change in NCAA regulations.
"You never want to see your rival hoist the trophy," says Drew Esler, an exec at the 1870 Society, one of three Ohio State booster collectives. "Instead of complaining, everyone's put their money where their mouth is." The 1870 Society, which raises money from fans to fund endorsement deals, announced a "Buckeye Signing Day Blitz" within weeks of the loss to Michigan. Esler, who says the group's funds are in "the high seven figures," per the Journal, estimates that 60% of its members joined since Michigan's Jan. 8 championship win. Members give recurring donations of up to $5,000 a month.
The money has helped the Buckeyes attract big-name players "like Thanos did with the Infinity Stones," as Carron J. Phillips at Deadspin puts it. Alabama coach Nick Saban's Jan. 10 retirement announcement was a well-time boon for the Buckeyes, as it opened up a 30-day window in which Alabama players have the option of transferring. Ohio State scooped up two big names from the Crimson Tide: defensive back Caleb Downs and Julian Sayin, who had been named ESPN's top quarterback recruit in the 2024 class. (More Ohio State Buckeyes stories.)
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