Eric Boggs
Michigan’s ongoing instability reached a new low on Wednesday as Sherrone Moore was fired for cause after just two seasons as the Wolverines’ head coach. For Ohio State fans who have watched this rivalry shift dramatically over the past decade, the latest development feels like another sign that Michigan’s brief resurgence under Jim Harbaugh is fading fast.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced Moore’s dismissal following a university investigation that concluded he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. What began as an anonymous tip in mid-November escalated quickly when new evidence surfaced within the last 24 hours, forcing the university’s hand. Just minutes before the situation became public, the Pittsfield Township Police Department responded to an alleged assault involving Moore. He was arrested Wednesday afternoon and later booked into the Washtenaw County Jail, where he remains pending review of charges.
Moore’s firing caps off a messy two-year stretch defined by controversy, regression and, ultimately, an on-field unraveling. After taking over for Jim Harbaugh—who himself departed under the cloud of the Connor Stalions in-person scouting scandal—Moore managed only a 16-8 record. The Wolverines slipped from national champions in 2023 to a program scrambling for answers. He was already suspended twice for his connection to the scouting saga and was expected to miss next year’s season opener due to ongoing sanctions.
His tenure ended in perhaps the most fitting way possible for Buckeye Nation: a 27-9 loss to Ohio State, breaking the Wolverines’ four-year streak and reestablishing the Buckeyes’ dominance in The Game. It was the first time since 1928 that a Michigan head coach lasted only two seasons, and the abrupt downfall seems symbolic of a program still paying the price for years of missteps and shortcuts.
Even more jarring is the timing. Michigan had just hired former Ohio State assistant Kerry Coombs as its special teams coordinator four days earlier, giving no indication that a coaching change was imminent. But with the investigation intensifying and the assault allegation unfolding almost in real time, Manuel had little choice. Associate head coach Biff Poggi has been named interim head coach as the Wolverines limp toward a Citrus Bowl matchup with Texas.
From an Ohio State fan’s perspective, the contrast in program stability is stark. While the Buckeyes continue building a culture rooted in leadership and accountability, their rivals to the north are once again mired in scandal and uncertainty. And with Michigan now scrambling to pick up the pieces, the momentum in the rivalry—both on and off the field—has unmistakably swung back to Columbus.
