“Come Take This Rivalry Back”: Ohio State Buckeyes Fans Respond To 2025 Recruit’s Tavien St. Clair’s Twitter Post
The rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan has long been one of the most intense in college football. Recently, it was reignited in the recruiting world when 2025 quarterback recruit Tavien St. Clair from Bellefontaine, Ohio, made a bold statement on social media that sparked a wave of responses from Ohio State Buckeyes fans.
On Twitter, St. Clair posted a simple yet impactful message: “Come take this rivalry back.” The phrase, which many interpreted as a call for Michigan to reclaim the dominance it once had in the rivalry, sent ripples through the Ohio State fanbase. This was seen by many as a statement loaded with both confidence and a little bit of playful rivalry rhetoric, fueling excitement for what is expected to be a heated future of college football recruiting.
St. Clair’s message seems to have been inspired by Michigan’s recent success in the rivalry. The Wolverines defeated Ohio State in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, ending an eight-game losing streak to their archrivals. This marked a significant shift in the competitive balance of the rivalry, especially with Michigan’s growing prominence under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Ohio State fans, however, did not take kindly to the implication that Michigan had truly reclaimed any long-standing dominance.
In response to St. Clair’s tweet, Ohio State fans quickly flooded social media with their own messages, firing back with pride and defiance. Many Buckeyes supporters responded with a mix of humor, frustration, and even a little trash talk, reminding St. Clair that Ohio State had dominated the rivalry for much of the 21st century. Tweets filled with hashtags like #GoBucks, #BuckeyeNation, and #BeatMichigan were common, with fans pointing to the overall 58-51-6 record in favor of Ohio State in the all-time series. The Buckeyes’ five-year winning streak from 2012 to 2016, and their historical strength, were often highlighted in these responses.
Ohio State fans also expressed their excitement about the potential of having St. Clair, a highly-touted in-state quarterback, don the scarlet and gray. Many viewed his tweet as a sign of confidence and a possible harbinger of future success for the Buckeyes if he chose to commit to their program. St. Clair’s tweet served as an opportunity for fans to rally behind him and show their enthusiasm for a potential future star who could help lead the Buckeyes back to dominance.
Recruiting battles are often as much about the fans as they are about the players. The reactions to St. Clair’s tweet further emphasized the fierce competition between Ohio State and Michigan—not only on the field but also in the world of college football recruiting. In recent years, Ohio State has maintained a highly successful recruiting strategy, consistently landing top-tier prospects. This is part of what makes the rivalry so compelling, as both fanbases and coaching staffs are always on edge, knowing that a single recruiting decision can shift the balance of power.
Tavien St. Clair’s tweet was a reminder that the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry extends beyond game day, and that fans on both sides are always ready to engage, whether it’s on the field or through social media. The 2025 recruiting cycle promises to be an exciting one, with the rivalry continuing to fuel the passion and energy surrounding both programs.
