Ohio State Head Football Coach Ryan Day said the No. 2 ranked Buckeyes are focusing internally as the team prepares to face the No. 3 ranked Michigan Wolverines Saturday, as that team faces sign-stealing allegations and investigations.
Day took questions from reporters at a press conference Tuesday, but didn't directly answer multiple questions from reporters related to the allegations and an NCAA investigation into a Michigan scheme to steal signs and signals from other teams and how that impacts the upcoming game.
The Buckeyes play the Wolverines at noon Saturday at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Day was asked if the respect between the two teams in the storied rivalry has been affected and whether he as a coach respects Michigan Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh, who is serving a three-game suspension from the Big Ten Conference because of the allegations. Harbaugh won't be on the field Saturday because of the suspension.
"With everything going on and the things you know that are out there, we just kind of stayed away from all the distractions we have, you know, and just focused on our team. And and I think our guys have done a good job of it," Day said.
Day instead said he thinks respect of a rivalry like the annual OSU-Michigan game is earned by the players working every day.
“We respect the rivalry and are certainly excited to play on Saturday," Day said.
Both teams enter the Saturday game undefeated. Ohio State has struggled against Michigan, dropping the game to their rivals the last two years.
Day emphasized multiple times that the players are focused on the game, the season and on preparation, when he's talked to them about what's happened this season.
Day says it will be important for the team to keep their emotions in check, and it won't be easy because of the magnitude of the game and what the rivalry means to them.
"You have to play with emotion. You can't let emotion play with you. I think that's important," Day said.
