Outgoing Ohio State AD wants an asterisk on Michigan's rivalry winning streak

This might put his successor Ross Bjork in a tough spot, but Gene Smith probably doesn't care all that much about that. Yes, the outgoing Ohio State athletic director said something that will fire up Michigan fans while appearing on All Sides with Anna Staver. Smith, who is retiring after June 30, said that Michigan's last three wins over Ohio State in The Game should all have an asterisk next to them.

This is because of the ongoing investigation into the Michigan sign-stealing scandal. While former head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the final three games of the regular season, that was not enough to stop the Wolverines from winning their first national championship since 1997. Of course, nobody outside of Ann Arbor was happy about that. Michigan looks guilty as sin with this.

Smith kept reiterating he thinks Michigan should be punished for wrongdoing whenever it comes.

"Of course, I do ... The rules are in place to protect the integrity of the game and try your best to create a level playing field," said Smith, h/t CBS Sports. "When those rules are violated, then it affects those principles. We have to keep that in perspective."

While Smith said he was not one to look back, Ohio State did lose to Michigan the last three seasons.

"I'm not one that looks back. I think what's important for us is to look forward. We host that team up north this fall, and I'm assuming it'll be what it's always been The last time that we had the level of interest in that game was 2006 with No. 1 vs. No. 2. This year, it probably won't be No. 1 vs. No. 2, but it'll be No. 1 vs. somebody and we need to pack that place. Be in your seat early. Don't wait until the kickoff. Be in your seat early," said Smith, h/t CBS Sports.

Does Smith have a point in this? What could happen if the NCAA finds Michigan guilty in all of this?

Gene Smith says Michigan's last three wins in the game need asterisks

Smith may have been a phenomenal athletic director during his Ohio State tenure, but it was not one without controversy. We had TattooGate that resulted in Jim Tressel being asked to leave and Ohio State receiving a bowl ban. More recently, Smith dipped his toes into the Urban Meyer swamp water. Ohio State did win a national title, but Meyer's near-decade run in Columbus was highly controversial.

As for his successor, Bjork has certainly seen some things in his two previous stops. Texas A&M embodied pay-for-play more than any program in the country during the first few years of NIL. Before that, Bjork was the athletic director that oversaw Hugh Freeze's scandal involving the use of burner phones. Maybe third time is a charm for Bjork? Then again, he may have turned on the NIL spigot...

As far as Michigan is concerned, their athletic director Warde Manuel had an incredibly combative relationship with Harbaugh. This resulted in president Santa Ono having to take on a larger role in dealing with both prominent figureheads. As if that wasn't enough, Manuel has replaced NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan as the new face of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee...

Unless Michigan is found to be guilty, Smith's wishes of seeing asterisks are going to be only a dream.