COLUMBUS, Ohio — Money can solve problems, but in some cases, it can exacerbate fundamental human stressors with paralyzing interests.
No. 2 Ohio State paid the price again Saturday. Shocking 13-10 loss A matchup with unranked Michigan ended the Buckeyes’ hopes of winning a Big Ten title, and questions arose about the direction of the proud program following an unimaginable fourth straight loss at The Game.
The tension inside Ohio Stadium was immense, with Ohio State fans booing the team and coach Ryan Day after a managerial error, a penalty, two pathetic interceptions, and two missed field goals. At one point, frustration boiled over among the 106,005 fans and led to a goal. Then something happened that attracted attention. Michigan players planted a flag at midfield. Ohio State fans attack scene with shoving and punching. Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer snatched the flag, ran to the sideline and threw it away from the crowd as the Michigan boys gave chase. Police used pepper spray to break up a fight between more than 20 Buckeyes and Wolverines.
When the pepper spray disappeared into the air, all that was left was tears, anger, and unanswered questions. Both programs will be dealing with the aftermath of the fight, but there’s one question that lingers more than the other. “How can this happen?”
How could a program with the most expensive roster in college football (allegedly $20 million in NIL money) lose to a five-loss Michigan team that looked incompetent for most of the season?
Most of the questions left Day and the players confused, with some variations of “I don’t know” shaking their heads or even tears. of The College Football Playoff still seems achievable.Of course, but the future suddenly becomes cloudy. This was the perfect lineup to end the losing streak and win a national title. One of those goals is still achievable.
“It’s very unfortunate. I never thought something like this would happen here,” Day said. “We were hoping to win this game and get to the Big Ten Championship Game, but neither of those things happened. I don’t know what’s going on right now. Trying to figure out what’s next. It’s too early. But once we have more information, we’ll figure that out in a week or so.”
It seems foolish to question Day’s standing as Ohio State’s coach, but the pressure on the man critics lovingly refer to as “Big Game Day” is immense. That’s for sure. He entered the season 2-5 against top-five teams, but lost four straight to the Wolverines, especially after Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL amid two NCAA investigations. Especially for a mid-major Michigan team. Ohio State fans demand bloodshed.
“It’s not anyone’s fault that you’re upset,” Day said. “I’m more upset than anyone. So are the players, the coaches and everyone involved. We know what we’re doing here.”
Day is an impressive 64-3 in games not including “The Team Up North” and the College Football Playoff, but is 2-7 in career-defining moments. They also have a 4-6 record against top-five teams, including a win against Penn State and a loss against Oregon State earlier this season.
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork declined to comment on Day’s performance after the loss, which marked the Buckeyes’ fourth straight loss against Michigan since 1991.
“I’m focused on the team, the players and the coach,” Bjork told CBS Sports.
The Buckeyes managed just 252 yards, the run game with two new starters on the offensive line was flat, and they were shut out in the second half. Michigan State dictated the terms of The Game on the day the Buckeyes were scheduled to crown Day the new king of the sport’s biggest rivalry. Instead, the Wolverines strangled the Buckeyes, holding the ball for all but 1:57 of the fourth quarter, including an 11-play dagger that ended in the winning field goal. In typical fashion, The Game was decided by the team with the most rushing yards, a trend that stretched to 23 straight games.
Ohio State may have won the offseason spreadsheet battle, but the Buckeyes couldn’t come away with a win Saturday. Their $20 million roster failed to deliver when it mattered most. Quinshon Judkins, a transfer from Ole Miss, made headlines when he was drafted by the Buckeyes on the night Michigan won the national championship in January, but was held to 46 yards. Quarterback Will Howard, who transferred to the Buckeyes from Kansas State, returned to the game after suffering a blow to the head, but threw two interceptions and was ineffective in the second half, throwing for just 56 yards. He completed just 19 attempts for 175 yards. 33 passes.
Howard fought back tears after the game.
“There was nothing in me that wanted to get off that field,” he said. “I was trying to stand up. It hurts, it hurts. I’ve got to go back and watch the film and see what happened in the second half. I don’t know what happened. We’ve got to execute better. In short, we lost and it hurts, I can’t say it enough. Listen, we still have a long way to go and we can win a national championship. At the end of the day, that’s what we have to focus on, and that’s what drives us forward, because this really hurts, because at the end of the day, what they put into this day Thank you very much. , we still have challenges in front of us, so we’ll rebuild the team and go from there tomorrow. ”
Freshman phenom wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was great, but wasn’t targeted much despite scoring a touchdown and getting two pass interference penalties against Michigan in the first half. After the game, Day’s decisions were questioned, especially his ineffective running game and choppy tempo with a no-huddle approach. Howard was also asked if he was disappointed with the play calling or coaching decisions.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not going to get involved in that right now,” the quarterback said.
The picture for Columbus may not be bleak, but it is still cloudy. Ohio State has been at the top of the nation as the wealthiest school in the country able to attract the best talent in the sport, but that may not last long. The University of Michigan tapped into the coffers of Larry Ellison, the second-richest man on the planet, and acquired five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood last week on a NIL contract reportedly worth $10 million. They plucked him from LSU.
Of all the teams to take the quarterback, of course it had to be Michigan.
So, for another year, Michigan State fans will have something to brag about. Their words will outrage Ohio State fans, but it’s clear what happens in December will determine the success or failure of this season. The Buckeyes manager teased it to CBS Sports in July.
“So look at the big picture,” Björk said at the time. “You look at what (Day) is working on, you look at the stage of the program. You know it’s big and you can’t just focus on that game (game), but you have to look at the whole thing. I think the gap will be even wider in the 12-team playoffs, but will that game decide the postseason?
In fact, what would happen if Ohio State made it to the CFP?It may seem impossible to discuss a national championship so soon after an emotional loss, but as the sun rises over the north rotunda of Ohio Stadium again; Time will certainly heal wounds and help the Buckeyes regain focus.
“Obviously you have to take ownership. Ultimately I’m the one making the final decisions on things,” Day said. “I felt like I was in a really good spot heading into this game. I felt like I was ready to play well in this game.”
Money may not be able to hide the pain, but Ohio State is still betting it will be the difference this season.
