Kyle Whittingham isn't interested in hating Ohio State.

He'd rather beat them.

Michigan's first-year head coach addressed reporters Wednesday, Aug. 12, for the first time since his comments at Big Ten Media Days sparked a fan backlash. At the July 30 event, Whittingham had called hate "a strong word" while insisting he wants to win The Game "as bad as anybody in Ann Arbor." Two weeks later, he didn't flinch.

"Would we have a better chance to win if I hated them?" Whittingham said, according to The Michigan Daily. "Whatever gives us the best chance to win, I'm all for."

Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood has adopted the same lens. Asked about The Game at Media Days on July 30, Underwood kept it simple: "Every game, we're trying to be one and zero this year."

Inside Schembechler Hall, the rivalry hasn't been minimized. Countdown clocks to the Nov. 28 trip to Ohio Stadium are mounted in the weight room, and Whittingham said the matchup comes up regularly during practice periods.

"We've got the countdown clocks. We're not trying to downplay it at all," Whittingham said.

The approach marks a deliberate cultural shift from the turmoil that surrounded the program under former coach Sherrone Moore, who was fired in December 2025 after a university investigation and later charged with felony home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering. Moore's tenure ended with a 27-9 loss to Ohio State at home in the 2025 regular-season finale.

Whittingham brings 21 seasons of head-coaching experience from Utah, where he compiled a 167-86 record and went 11-5 against BYU in the Holy War rivalry, according to Utah Athletics. That mark against a bitter rival suggests the business-first philosophy produces results.

The early returns in Ann Arbor have been positive. Whittingham graded Underwood "an A-plus" through the first six practices of fall camp, telling Big Ten Network on Wednesday that the quarterback has improved significantly since spring, MLive reported.

Underwood completed 60.3% of his passes for 2,428 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a true freshman in 2025. He spent the offseason training with quarterback guru Jordan Palmer in California alongside Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The No. 16 Wolverines in the preseason Coaches Poll open the season Saturday, Sept. 5, against Western Michigan at Michigan Stadium with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on NBC. The Game at Ohio State is set for Saturday, Nov. 28, at noon on Fox.