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Former Michigan, Ohio State players clash over 'The Spot'
Memories of "The Game" die hard, especially those that end in controversy.
No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan locked horns in November 2016 for one of the most hotly anticipated rivalry renditions in recent memory, with a spot in the upcoming College Football Playoff on the line. The blockbuster game certainly lived up to the hype, as the Michigan defense, leading 27-24, was presented an opportunity to stop Ohio State on fourth-and-1 to end the game in double overtime.
Needing to cross the 15-yard line, Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett kept the ball on a read option and was hit right at the marker by a pair of Wolverines. Officials reviewed the spot and upheld their first-down decision, much to the arm-waving agony of UM coach Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan faithful, allowing Ohio State to go on and score a game winning touchdown.
Former Michigan defensive end Chris Wormley, who was a fifth-year senior during the 2016 season and delivered the high hit on Barrett six years ago, has remained frustrated ever since over the spot, according to reports.
Barrett, the only quarterback in Ohio State history to compile a 4-0 record against the Wolverines, was understandably less consumed by the spot when asked about Wormley's frustration by Toledo, Ohio station WTOL.
"That’s fine. I’m glad my guy wasn’t the referee, I don’t know," Barrett said Thursday. "We don’t have to discuss it, really. There’s no double-takes. We got a first down, move on. He’s not moving on, but he should."
Wormley did not appreciate Barrett's response, which quickly gained popularity in Ohio State and Michigan circles, taking a shot at Barrett's short-lived NFL career and objecting to the use of the phrase "my guy."
Wormley was selected in the third round of the subsequent 2017 NFL Draft by Baltimore and by 2018, he had become a key player in the Ravens' defensive line rotation, playing in all 16 games. Wormley was then traded to Pittsburgh in 2020, re-signing with the Steelers last month.
Conversely, Barrett went undrafted in 2018, bouncing around practice squads before signing a futures/reserve contract with the Steelers in December 2019. He was cut before the start of the 2020-21 season, however, recently signing with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League.
Barrett quickly fired back, calling Wormley bitter about the result and offering to discuss the infamous spot.
Fellow former Buckeyes gunslinger Cardale Jones also shared Barrett's sentiments, calling Wormley salty.
The rivalry — in college and in the pros — appears to be alive and well.
