Ohio State Football: 4th and Short, questions following Week 8
A look at how the loss to Purdue may affect the Ohio State football team going forward and the playoff scenario heading into week 9.
The Ohio State football team had deja vu this past weekend in West Lafayette as they fell victim to the House of Horrors that is Ross-Ade Stadium. Purdue and Rondale Moore dominated the Buckeyes in the fourth quarter and seemingly all game as well as the defense keeping the Buckeyes out of the endzone when they made a trip to the redzone.
The night was highlighted by a massive, yet expected upset that had a touching inspirational story for motivation which set aside hostility and brought sportsmanship as the Buckeyes and Boilermakers alike rallied behind three-time cancer survivor, Tyler Trent.
ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi did a special feature during College Gameday providing the heroic twenty year old with a platform to share his emotional and powerful hard-fought journey that is still ongoing. Trent foresaw the upset and wanted nothing more than to be there cheering his beloved Boilermakers to victory. Against all odds, he was able to experience the game of a lifetime.
Though the outcome was not what Buckeye Nation had hoped, Ohio State and football fans alike found good in the loss as a situation greater than football inspired and touched the hearts of millions.
The journey of Tyler Trent reminded the world that sports bring coalition to rivals and strengthen the camaraderie of neighbors as well as how powerful a united group of people can be, like those who helped make Saturday night so special for Tyler Trent.
Following the major upset to Purdue, many ongoing, unanswered questions were forcibly raised as the obvious problems of the Buckeyes were exposed by an explosive Purdue offense and surprising defensive performance.
Let’s take a look at this week’s headlining questions surround the Buckeyes and the possible playoff scenarios.
Q: Which stings more? Getting smoked by Iowa last year [or] getting smoked by Purdue this year?
A: Losing to Purdue by twenty-nine this season has to sting more for the Buckeyes. Last year, nobody expected what unfolded in Iowa City, not even Iowa. This year, every direction you turned, Purdue was labeled as a trap game with the possibility of being the 2018 version of Iowa from last year.
Allowing it to happen again is equally on the players and coaches. The Buckeyes looked flat, unmotivated, and uninspired to win. They were not playing with an edge. For Ohio State, this loss to Purdue could very well keep them from a playoff berth (see my reasoning later in the article) even as a one loss Big Ten Champion.