Frustrated Ohio Lawmaker Proposes Jail Time for Rival Flag Planting

It seems that after Michigan’s fourth straight victory over Ohio State in The Game, some Ohio lawmakers are having a tough time swallowing their team’s latest loss—and they’re willing to go to extreme lengths to avoid seeing it happen again. Enter State Rep. Josh Williams, who has introduced the O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act, a bill that would make it a felony to plant a flag in the center of Ohio Stadium following a game.

Yes, you read that right. After a post-game flag-planting incident during the rivalry match, Williams is pushing to criminalize the act of planting a flag on The Horseshoe’s hallowed turf. According to the bill, anyone caught planting a flagpole and flag in the center of the field could face serious legal consequences, with the bill specifically targeting Ohio Stadium. That’s right—only Ohio Stadium is the site of this supposed flag-planting crime spree, so rest assured, if you happen to plant a flag in any other stadium in Ohio, you're safe… for now.

Now, of course, this bill comes after some tension during the game when Michigan players—having just secured their fourth straight victory over the Buckeyes—decided to plant their flag at midfield, causing a predictable altercation with Ohio State players. In a moment of pure rivalry energy, chaos ensued, and a little pepper spray was needed to break up the brawl. Notably, both teams were fined $100,000 by the Big Ten, and while the incident might be laughed off as typical trash talk between rivals, apparently for Rep. Williams, it’s a serious matter of public safety.

“Let’s make planting a flag on Ohio soil a felony,” Williams seems to say, channeling the frustration of a state still haunted by their inability to beat Michigan. His proposal is clearly a knee-jerk reaction to the flag incident, but it raises a bigger question: Is this what Ohio lawmakers have been working on instead of, say, improving local schools or fixing roads?

Unfortunately for Williams, his O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act might not be heading anywhere fast. House Speaker Jason Stephens has already pointed out that there’s not enough time to pass the bill before the legislative session wraps up next week. So, unless he wants to start a campaign to reintroduce this bill (again, really?), the felony flag-planting proposal might remain nothing more than a bitter reaction to Ohio State’s recent struggles.

While Williams might believe this bill will somehow prevent future flag-planting incidents, let’s face it—the real problem here isn’t flags; it’s Ohio State’s inability to get past Michigan for the fourth year in a row. Perhaps instead of focusing on making history with new laws, Rep. Williams could spend a little time figuring out how to make Ohio State’s football program relevant again in The Game. Because at this point, even a felony isn’t going to stop the Wolverines from planting their flag in Ohio’s hearts year after year.