Man...
This one is going to sting for a while. And I'll be as salty as a hardened sailor for at least 2-3 days. But the Buckeyes had several opportunities to deliver the knockout punch and seal the game. And they just couldn't do it. As much as I love Ohio State, and will until I take a dirt nap, National Champions finish games like that. The Bulldogs did, and the boys in Scarlet and Gray didn't. Simple as that. If they had scored a touchdown on the second to last drive to go up 10 points, we're celebrating ridiculously hard right now! But alas, it wasn't to be.
I can't remember ever being this gutted from an Ohio State loss. I remember watching Michigan State knock off a top-ranked Buckeye team in 1998 when I was seven years old. That was my very first taste of heartbreak as a Buckeye fan. I was one sad little boy that day when the Spartans spoiled a shot at a National Championship.
But it's quite a bit different seeing your team get knocked out of national championship contention late in the regular season, versus seeing that chance disappear into oblivion with a wide left field goal kick. This may be the most heartbreaking loss I've ever witnessed in my 26 years as a fan.
But it was more than just a shanked field goal that led to Ohio State missing out on heading to Los Angeles for the National Championship. Several things just didn't pan out in order for the Buckeyes to get to the big one. Let's take a look at tonight's Keys to Victory.
Keep CJ Stroud upright, and match Georgia's defensive switches
For most of the night, CJ Stroud was actually able to do his thing thanks to fairly solid pass protection. He tore the Georgia secondary to pieces, and was able to make several plays with his legs, which makes me both incredibly proud of him, and frustrated at the same time. He could've been an even greater quarterback at Ohio State if he had learned to combine his accuracy through the air with a deadly ability to take off when he needed to. But that just isn't normally his style. But I am not taking anything away from him. He stayed upright for most of the night, and played like a champion!
Although sadly, the offensive line did give up four sacks... including a critical one that killed what likely would've been the game-sealing drive late in the fourth quarter if Ohio State had managed to score a touchdown to go up 45-35 with under four minutes left. This almost reminds me of how the Bengals lost the Super Bowl. Their offensive line wasn't expected to even contend with the Rams' pass rush in that game. But they held their own. Until that final drive when they absolutely HAD to have solid pass protection, and heartbreakingly didn't get it. The Buckeyes largely kept the Bulldog pass rush at bay, but Georgia unfortunately made just enough of an impact to influence the final outcome of this game.
Run the football!
Early on, Ohio State really struggled to run the football. But as a team, they ended the game with 32 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. Yes, that touchdown was a short little burst into the end zone by Miyan Williams. But going for over 100 yards against this Georgia defense when you're essentially running the football by committee is nothing to sneeze at. Dallan Hayden, CJ Stroud, Xavier Johnson, and Miyan Williams all made an impact in some way. And Stroud got us into position for that potential game winning field goal. By running the ball, of all things. If only he could've gotten an extra 15-20 yards before being tripped up! Ugh... But the Buckeyes ran the football pretty well, considering how banged up this backfield had been all season. No complaints here!
Win the battle of big plays, especially through the air
As soon as CJ Stroud threw that first touchdown pass of the game to Marvin Harrison Jr., I knew we possibly had something special going. We exploited Georgia's biggest weakness extremely well. Their secondary was flat out exposed by our passing attack. The Buckeyes just gave Max Duggan and TCU the full blueprint on how to defeat Georgia. Period.
But unfortunately for Ohio State, their secondary was still suspect. And whenever it seemed like Stetson Bennett needed to make a play, he made one, He only made one extremely rare mistake, that early interception which the Buckeyes cashed in for a touchdown. Ohio State did have their share of explosive plays. But the Bulldogs sadly made just a few more with the game on the line. Sometimes that's all it takes. That's college football.
But you know what? Even after the excruciating loss, I'll still be here no matter what. I can't stay sad or upset forever. I'm an Ohio State lifer. They were the first team I ever rooted for. I learned the game of football while watching them with my dad. And if I ever have kids of my own, I'll raise them to be Buckeyes too!
Being a fan means not only celebrating the best of times, but also sticking around after heartbreakers like this one. That's what true Buckeyes do. I've been a fan since 1996, and I'll be a fan until the Good Lord calls me home. Heck, I may very well be buried with a Block O ballcap in the casket when my day comes!
But for now, I just need to decompress, get some sleep, and allow my brain to process what in the world happened in one of the greatest college football games I witnessed as a fan. It's just a shame we had to come out on the losing end of it. Hang in there everybody. The Buckeyes will be back before you know it. And I will be ready to write another season's worth of articles for the best fans around!
Thanks for riding with me this season. And as always GO BUCKS!
Stat Leaders
CJ Stroud: 23-34, 348 yards, 4 TDs
Dallan Hayden: 9 carries, 43 yards
Emeka Egbuka: 8 receptions, 112 yards, touchdown
Source: ESPN
Picture Credit: wpadmin.com.nitrobetting.eu
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