“I don’t know.”
The curt however brutally trustworthy response by beleaguered Ohio State coach Ryan Day may have been the reply to a myriad of questions, reminiscent of why can’t you beat Michigan?
How can such a gifted group look so feeble towards a lower than stellar Wolverines group that was a three-touchdown underdog?
What does this imply in your future?
All are good queries, however he was requested particularly how the No. 2 (not for lengthy) Buckeyes regroup for the playoffs after probably the most devastating upsets within the historical past of the storied rivalry. That’s saying one thing given the variety of occasions the Wolverines have been spoilers.
The 13-10 defeat in Ohio Stadium on Saturday prevented the Buckeyes from getting revenge towards Oregon within the Massive Ten title recreation on Dec. 7. The highest-ranked Geese gained 32-31 in Eugene, Oregon, on Oct. 12, and ever since Ohio State knew it must win out to realize that purpose. So, what did the Buckeyes do?
They went to Blissful Valley and defeated No. 4 Penn State, the identical Nittany Lions, who, by advantage of Ohio State’s loss to Michigan, will play Oregon for the convention championship and provides one other distressed coach (James Franklin) an opportunity for redemption. Oh, the irony.
Ohio State downed overrated No. 5 Indiana handily within the leadup to the Michigan recreation, and the whole lot appeared with a purpose to pour it on towards the Wolverines, who wanted a win over Northwestern within the penultimate recreation to grow to be bowl eligible.
So, once more, Ryan Day how will a program that spent $20 million to draw or retain gamers this season and had a dozen of them return once they didn’t need to and said their prime precedence was not a nationwide championship however to beat Michigan now put together for an unknown opponent at an unknown place in three weeks after a demoralizing setback?
“I don’t know. I’m recent off the sport so I don’t actually have the reply to that,” Day mentioned. “We’re disillusioned. By no means thought this could occur proper right here.”
“We have been anticipating to win this recreation and play within the Massive Ten Championship Recreation and neither of these issues occurred….” It’s too quickly to determine what’s subsequent.”
He wasn’t the one one shocked. A supply mentioned OSU Police have been planning to let the followers tear down the purpose posts after the Buckeyes’ first win over their rival since 2019.
As a substitute, they spent the moments after the sport utilizing pepper spray to disperse the melee after Michigan gamers tried to plant its flag at midfield and the Buckeyes, uh, objected.
It was a farce however one other instance of the toothlessness of the NCAA, which has no governance on paying gamers tens of thousands and thousands earlier than they step on campus to “get an training.”
It’s the identical NCAA that appears the opposite means when followers storm fields or courts as a result of, properly, children can be children. So, who cares about taunting a whole stadium with these huge unhealthy flags?
After all, all of the Buckeyes wanted to do to close up Michigan was to win. Now, they face the prospect of probably dropping residence discipline for the primary spherical of the playoffs whereas the warmth on Day will increase exponentially over the following three weeks till the playoffs start.
Simply ask the hordes of followers outdoors the house locker room space the place dad and mom and households have been ready who chanted lengthy and loud, “Fireplace Ryan Day.”
Simply making the nationwide championship recreation is probably not sufficient to mollify them after one other Michigan catastrophe. It’s natty or bust for many who have been promised a lot and have acquired so little.
Ohio State has a humiliation of riches. Saturday was merely embarrassing.