At his best, Gus Johnson elevates any game he broadcasts.
His excitement is pure, his commentary is smooth and his joy at watching athletes make plays is palpable.
At his worst, the Fox play-by-play man is a caricature of himself. As much as Johnson’s fans tune in to his games ready for his signature emoting, the reality is that he sometimes comes off as someone so concerned about his next catchphrase or narrative that he misses what’s happening right in front of him. This is the cardinal sin of a play-by-play man, of course. The best broadcasters are merely role players. Gus Johnson is, often regrettably, the main character of his broadcasts.
Saturday in Columbus was a cursed combination of those flaws. Johnson was so quick to tie a cute ribbon on Michigan’s 13-10 upset at No. 2 Ohio State game that he missed the actual fracas unfolding on the field.
As soon as the game ended, Johnson got a little petty by saying Michigan “didn’t have to cheat this time” — a nod to the Connor Stallions scandal, which, aside from being a cheap shot, doesn’t even feel like the biggest part of this win.
Sherrone Moore waves goodbye to Ohio State fans after that Ohio State play pic.twitter.com/N6EtxiEa2h
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024
This was a five-loss Michigan team upsetting a highly ranked Ohio State program that made clear all week how important it was to beat the defending national champions. Ryan Day compared losing to Michigan to the death of his father. The Buckeyes were 21-point favorites.
Which is not to say Johnson needed to bring up any of that, just that the Stallions drama was so far removed from this game.
But it got worse moments later when Michigan and Ohio State began to brawl. Wolverines players attempted to plant a block M flag at midfield only for a some Buckeyes to rush over and rip it down.
An altercation breaks out after Michigan's upset victory over Ohio State when Michigan players attempt to plant their team flag over the Buckeyes logo.
"Now there is some skirmishes on the field. An unsportsmanlike gesture by Michigan." -Gus Johnsonpic.twitter.com/vJdiggVp3E
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2024
Johnson’s view of the fight was that it resulted from “an unsportsmanlike gesture by Michigan.” Every bit of evidence we’ve seen since the scuffle makes that feel like a real stretch.
Michigan alone on the field at the 50 after winning
OSU players ran all the way across the field and began this fight
OSU could not beat Michigan, but they cheap-shotted Michigan after the game
If you can't win the game, you don't get to cry post game
100% loser move pic.twitter.com/QbhOmE6gfN
— Bill Speros (@billsperos) November 30, 2024
For starters, flag planting after big wins has been around in college football for years. For another, Texas did it to Michigan earlier this year (in a game broadcast on Fox by Gus Johnson, no less). Michigan planted a flag at The Shoe in in 2022, as well.
But Johnson’s “unsportsmanlike” comment ignores the fact Ohio State was already halfway off the field before players ran back to confront Michigan.
That might not have been apparent to those watching at home, but Johnson was in the broadcast booth high up above the field with a clear view. It’s his job to explain what’s happening. His failure created a false narrative that wouldn’t be corrected until after the millions of fans watching at home had already flipped the channel.
It was not lost many that Johnson’s “unsportsmanlike” comment occurred mere moments after he made a Stallions joke as Michigan celebrated.
Gus Johnson talking about Michigan planting the flag being disrespectful when his game-winning call was literally "Michigan didn't cheat — this time!" is a choice.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 30, 2024
Johnson is certainly divisive and, honestly, he’s just the latest in a very long line of A-list sports broadcasters to fall into that category. Yet it’s his self-inflicted errors that keep detracting from legitimately fun moments like when his voice broke during an Ohio State interception in the end zone.
That’s Gus Johnson at his best. Now he’s often his own biggest distraction, and what a shame it is.
