There’s no sugar-coating it, Ohio State football’s 42-27 loss to TTUN is devastating. Winning the Big Ten is now out of reach. Raising the national championship trophy is no longer possible. What now for the Buckeyes?
The season is not quite over yet. OSU will still appear in a New Year’s Six bowl game. That will still be a huge game, especially depending on the potential opponent. Plus, winning a bowl game will be a positive way to end a disappointing season and will be a building block for next season.
A potential Ohio State vs. Alabama showdown in a New Year’s Six game would have been fun. However, that is now highly unlikely with Alabama beating Auburn over the weekend. If Iowa loses in the Big Ten Championship this weekend, the Buckeyes will take part in another Rose Bowl game.
Their opponent will be the winner of the Pac 12 Championship, which is Utah vs. Oregon. OSU vs. Utah would be a little underwhelming, but potential revenge against Oregon would be an exciting way to end the year.
Either way, the Scarlet and Gray at least need to end the season with a bowl game victory. After the season ends is when things will get very interesting for Ohio State.
How will Ohio State Football bounce back in the offseason?
We all know what absolutely must be addressed in the offseason, the defense.
The way the Wolverine offensive line dominated the Buckeyes from start to finish was embarrassing. OSU takes pride in its defensive line, and they turned in a pitiful performance. Larry Johnson, the Defensive Line coach, has done remarkable things for Ohio State. Johnson cannot and will not be let go after one poor season unless he decides to retire.
Everyone outside of Johnson on the defensive staff is fair game. More than likely, Ryan Day will have a defensive overhaul ahead of next season. This needs to happen as this staff through two seasons has shown the inability to adjust mid-game, and poor schemes and decisions continue to be present.
For example, why in the world would the Bucks roll with two linebackers and five defensive backs against a run-reliant offense like the Wolverines? This was certainly puzzling since four linebackers were capable of playing: Steele Chambers, Cody Simon, Tommy Eichenberg, and Teradja Mitchell.
Instead of enforcing one particular defensive scheme, Day needs to be open to a new defensive play-caller implementing their own system. Becoming multiple defenses with better decisions on the fly is a must. Matt Barnes leaned towards multiple defenses mid-season but making that change during the year is too difficult. Day has at least shown he is willing to do whatever it takes to fix the defense.
Once the coaching staff is addressed, the impact of new players will be interesting. Hitting the transfer portal will be key. Ohio State reeling in the LSU cornerback transfer Elias Ricks would be massive. They may want to add more defensive tackles and linebackers too.
Overall, the offense under Day will be fine. C.J. Stroud will be back and the receiving and running back rooms are still loaded. Turnover on the offensive line could be good. Transitioned tackles playing guard led to poor run blocking at times this season.
Next year, traditional guards like Matthew Jones and Donovan Jackson could add the nastiness needed in the interior, while Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson are two uber-talented offensive tackles.
Yes, the season has ended up disappointing. But Ohio State football remains a powerhouse with immense potential. National championship goals will be put in place again for next season.
The Buckeyes must avoid another loss to TTUN next season
The pressing question after the disappointing loss to the rival TTUN: Could this lead to a shift in the rivalry? The simple answer is it should not.
Eventually, the Wolverines had to win one. They will have massive turnover going into next season, particularly on defense. Day has done plenty to prove he is a fantastic coach, concerns will be addressed.
If the Buckeyes managed to lose again to TTUN in Columbus next season, then the panic could set in. Ohio State’s program will remain more talented with an explosive offense. Not much should change when it comes to who wins more games in the rivalry. One thing is for sure, another loss to the Wolverines next season has to be avoided at all costs because that is when the situation becomes dire.
Day knows what this rivalry means and the Bucks will come back hungrier than ever. The rivalry could and has become more competitive. However, let’s not forget who has dominated The Game for 20 years.
It is a bit early to look ahead to next season and next year’s game vs. the Wolverines. With that said, most Buckeye fans are still thinking about the offseason and next season with many concerning issues at the forefront of the program.
Ohio State football will look to get back on track during the bowl season, followed by addressing several pressing issues in the offseason.