Ohio State Football: Near Misses In The Past Haunt, Teach
The strange twist of fate about the 2006 Buckeyes is that the man who dealt their loss would one day lead Ohio State. From the day Urban Meyer took the reins, the Buckeyes have been national championship contenders.
Meyer has one national championship and another undefeated season that sanctions robbed of further glory. Urban’s great success is accompanied with his own set of near misses. Unfortunately for the coach and his 61-6 record, every year without a trophy feels like a missed opportunity.
Meyer’s 2013 team sat in prime position for a BCS championship invite before a confounding loss in the Big Ten title. The 2016 Buckeyes spent stretches of the season at number one but got trounced after making the playoff — a loss in the Fiesta Bowl reminiscent of a decade prior. However, no collection of talent seems more wasted than the 2015 Buckeyes.
They returned 14 starters from the team that stormed through the playoff. Not included in that total was Braxton Miller whose position switch offered additional talent at wide receiver. Additionally, the Buckeyes possessed the most envious quarterback situation in college football history, one Heisman contender and one national champion.
However, the Buckeyes never seemed to reach their full capability. A week one victory over Virginia Tech solidified their hold on number one. However, close calls against Northern Illinois and Indiana showed the problems with the team.
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Back and forth decision-making on the quarterback position prevented the passing game from finding a groove. This caused an over-reliance on Ezekiel Elliott, the one Buckeye who played to his full potential throughout the season.
The rollercoaster continued on and off the field. The team crushed Penn State behind JT Barrett, but a DUI took him off the field versus Minnesota and halted further progress.
The team finally bottomed out in a cold and snowy game versus Michigan State. Despite playing at home against the Spartans back-up quarterback, the Buckeyes failed to generate any semblance of offense. Questionable play calling also plagued Ohio State with Elliott only getting 12 carries in the most important game of the year.
A field goal by the Spartans as time expired sealed Ohio State’s fate. Unfortunately, the loss finally brought out the best in the Buckeyes. They ended with a demolition of Michigan on the road and an easy bowl victory. The NFL now reaps the benefits of the talented line-up.
Next: Urban Meyer’s 2018 Offensive Backfield Envy of All?
This year’s Ohio State team again returns an experienced roster. Hopes are high once again, but only one team can win a national championship. All other teams will lament over their opportunity being a near miss.