The Ohio State football team won the national championship last season after an all-time four-game run. The Buckeyes were able to beat Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame en route to winning it all. Ohio State won the first national championship of the 12-team CFP era.
Ryan Day and his team were hoping to run it back this season and win a second straight national championship. Unfortunately, the Ohio State Buckeyes fell to Miami in the Cotton Bowl. Miami took on Indiana in the National Championship Game, which the Buckeyes also lost to.
While Ohio State football fans would have loved to see their team play for another national championship, they can be happy for a former Buckeye. A former Ohio State offensive lineman was able to win his second straight national championship when the Hoosiers dumped the Hurricanes.
Former Ohio State offensive lineman Zen Michalski wins his second straight national title
Former backup Ohio State offensive lineman Zen Michalski has won his second straight national championship after winning a title with the Hoosiers. Michalski entered the Transfer Portal after the Buckeyes won the title. He wasn't slated to get much playing time this season with Ohio State.
Michalski was a backup offensive lineman for the Hoosiers, but he played a lot. He was in several times during the national championship against the Hurricanes. Oftentimes, he was the extra offensive lineman that Indiana would bring in on certain run plays.
Michalski was able to do something that the Buckeyes were not. Ohio State fell short of its goal of becoming the first program to win back-to-back titles since Georgia did in 2021-22. They will try to get back to the top of the mountain in 2026 with another loaded team.
Next year, the Buckeyes will have to knock off the Hoosiers as the defending national champions.