Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland are Big Ten rivals … kind of.

Odunze went to the University of Washington, which joined the Big Ten in 2024, a season after Odunze entered the NFL Draft and was selected ninth overall by the Bears.

Loveland went to the University of Michigan, which has been in the Big Ten since 1896.

Their rivalry stems from the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Loveland and the Wolverines throttled Odunze and the Huskies, 34-13. In the game, both Odunze and Loveland led their teams in receiving yards, posting 87 and 64 yards, respectively.

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Now they are teammates and first-round NFL draft picks. Still, Odunze wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to take a shot at Michigan.

“He’s a baller man. I hate him though – Michigan guy, I can’t stand him, man,” Odunze said Saturday. “He’s got the (College Football Playoff) ring on me, man, he got his signing bonus the other day, that guy’s got everything. I’m telling you, it’s ridiculous.”

All jokes aside, Odunze has been impressed by the rookie.

“He’s been great in the locker room. He’s been great in the meeting rooms,” Odunze added. “And out there on the field, doing everything possible he can to get back onto the field. Now that he’s getting good reps in, it’s been awesome to see. (He has) great hands, very agile, can block. I think everything you desire in a tight end. Really looking forward to his development in the year that’s going to happen.”

Loveland, who is recovering from right shoulder surgery he had in January, participated in team drills for the first time on Saturday.

Once Loveland is fully healthy, pairing him with tight end Cole Kmet will give Bears head coach Ben Johnson plenty of options to work with on offense.