COLUMBUS, Ohio — Money can treatment issues, however generally it compounds a person’s underlying stressors with crippling curiosity.
No. 2 Ohio State paid the value — once more — Saturday in its surprising 13-10 loss to unranked Michigan, thrusting the Buckeyes’ Big Ten title hopes into the ether and prompting questions in regards to the course of a proud program following an unimaginable fourth straight loss in The Game.
The pressure was immeasurable inside Ohio Stadium, and generally the frustration boiled over among the many 106,005 followers to factors when Ohio State followers booed their workforce and coach Ryan Day following teaching miscues, penalties, two expensive interceptions and a pair of missed subject targets. Then got here the show-stopper: Michigan gamers planting a flag at midfield, which led to Ohio State followers charging the scene with shoving and fisticuffs. Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer snagged the flag, ran to his sideline and tossed it away from the group as Michigan males gave chase. Police deployed pepper spray to interrupt up the fracas between greater than two dozen Buckeyes and Wolverines.
When the pepper spray within the air dissipated, all that remained had been tears, anger and unanswerable questions. Both packages will cope with the fallout of the postgame combat, however one query will linger greater than most: How can this occur?
How does a program with the costliest roster in school soccer (reportedly $20 million in NIL cash) lose to a five-loss Michigan workforce that seemed inept a lot of the season?
The questions principally drew befuddlement with Day and gamers providing a variation of an “I do not know,” a shake of the pinnacle and extra tears. The College Football Playoff nonetheless appears attainable, after all, however the future is out of the blue cloudy. This was the proper roster to finish the streak and win a nationwide title. One of these targets continues to be attainable.
“We’re very disenchanted. Never thought this could occur proper right here,” Day mentioned. “We’re anticipating to win this recreation and go play within the Big Ten Championship Game, and neither of these issues occurred. We do not know what is going on on now. It’s simply too quickly to strive to determine what’s subsequent. But as soon as we have now extra info in a couple of week, we’ll determine that a part of it out.”
It appears foolish to query Day’s standing as Ohio State’s coach, however you might be positive the strain is immense on the person critics unlovingly consult with as “Big Game Day.” He entered the season 2-5 towards top-five groups, and dropping to the Wolverines for a fourth straight time — particularly this unranked, middling Michigan workforce after Jim Harbaugh bolted to the NFL amid two NCAA investigations — will solely immediate extra diehard Ohio State followers to demand blood.
“I do not blame anyone for being upset,” Day mentioned. “I’m upset greater than anyone, and people gamers are, too, and the coaches and everyone that goes at it. We know what we’re getting ourselves into right here.”
Day is an unimaginable 64-3 in video games that don’t embrace “The Team Up North” or the College Football Playoff, however he is 2-7 in these career-defining moments. He’s additionally 4-6 towards top-five groups, together with a win towards Penn State and a loss to Oregon earlier this season.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork declined to touch upon Day’s efficiency after the loss signaling the Buckeyes’ first four-game dropping streak towards Michigan since 1991.
“Focused on the workforce, gamers, coaches,” Bjork instructed CBS Sports.
The Buckeyes managed solely 252 yards, its operating recreation was flat with two new starters alongside the offensive line they usually had been shut out within the second half. Michigan dictated the phrases of The Game on a day the Buckeyes had been set to coronate Day as the brand new king of the game’s biggest rivalry. Instead, the Wolverines strangled the Buckeyes, holding the ball for all however 1:57 within the fourth quarter, together with the 11-play dagger that ended with the game-winning subject objective. In typical style, The Game was determined by the workforce with probably the most speeding yards, stretching that development to 23 straight video games.
Ohio State could have received the battle of the spreadsheets within the offseason, however the Buckeyes did not money out Saturday. Their $20 million roster did not ship when it mattered most. Ole Miss switch Quinshon Judkins, who made a splash when he picked the Buckeyes on the evening Michigan received the nationwide championship in January, was held to 46 yards. Quarterback Will Howard, who left Kansas State for the Buckeyes, returned to the sport after struggling successful to the pinnacle however threw two interceptions and was ineffective within the second half, throwing for under 56 yards to complete with 175 yards on 19-of-33 passing.
Howard choked again tears after the sport.
“There’s nothing within me that wished to come back off of that subject,” he mentioned. “I used to be attempting to stand up. It hurts, man. It hurts. We obtained to return and have a look at the movie and see what occurred within the second half. I do not know what it was. We’ve gotta execute higher. The backside line is we lose and it hurts, man. I can not say it sufficient: I’m sorry to Buckeye nation. Listen, we nonetheless have issues forward of us and we will nonetheless run the desk and win a nationwide championship. At the tip of the day, that is what we have now to concentrate on and that is obtained to maintain us going as a result of this one hurts like hell, man. I really feel for these guys who got here again. I really feel for Coach Day,. Everything they poured into this. At the tip of the day, we nonetheless obtained stuff in entrance of us. We’ll regroup and go from there tomorrow.”
Freshman phenom broad receiver Jeremiah Smith was stellar however wasn’t focused typically regardless of catching a landing and drawing two move interference penalties on Michigan within the first half. Day’s selections had been questioned after the sport, notably the ineffective operating recreation and the herky-jerky tempo with the no-huddle method. Howard was additionally requested if he was disenchanted within the play-calling and training selections.
“I’m sorry, I’m going to avoid that proper now,” the quarterback mentioned.
The huge image may not be bleak in Columbus, however it’s nonetheless cloudy. Ohio State sat atop the nation because the nation’s richest college able to attracting the game’s greatest expertise, however which may not final, both. Michigan tapped into the coffers of the second-richest man on the planet, Larry Ellison, and landed five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood final week, flipping him from LSU with an NIL deal value a reported $10 million.
Of all of the groups to land the quarterback, after all it needed to be Michigan.
So, for an additional yr, Michigan followers will boast. Their phrases will irritate the hell out of Ohio State followers, however It’s clear what occurs in December will outline whether or not this season is a hit or failure. The Buckeyes’ boss foretold it to CBS Sports in July.
“So, have a look at the large image,” Bjork mentioned on the time. “Look at what [Day] is working with, have a look at the stage of this system. You cannot simply pin it on that one [game], realizing that it is huge, however I believe it’s a must to have a look at the totality. In the 12-team playoff, the margin is loads wider. And so does that recreation outline what the postseason appears to be like like? What in case you make a run?”
Indeed, what if Ohio State makes a run within the CFP? It could seem not possible to debate a nationwide championship within the fast aftermath of an emotional loss, however positive because the solar will once more rise over the north rotunda at Ohio Stadium, time will heal wounds and assist refocus the Buckeyes.
“Obviously it’s a must to take the possession and I’m the one finally that makes the ultimate selections on issues,” Day mentioned. “I felt like we had been in a extremely good place coming into this recreation. I felt we had been ready to play nicely on this recreation.”
Money could not conceal the ache, however Ohio State continues to be betting on it to be the distinction this season.
