Ohio State’s Playoff Exit: A Reality Check, Not a Fluke
When a powerhouse like Ohio State falls short in the College Football Playoff, the postmortem begins almost immediately. Was it the layoff?
Was the team overhyped? Did the matchup just expose something that had been there all along?
In this case, the answer might be simpler than fans want to admit: Ohio State just wasn’t the team we thought they were.
For much of the regular season, the Buckeyes looked like a juggernaut. They were steamrolling opponents, stacking up wins, and climbing the rankings with ease.
But here’s the thing-most of those wins came against teams that, frankly, weren’t all that competitive. The dominance was real, sure, but it was dominance against overmatched opponents.
And when the Buckeyes finally faced teams that could punch back, the cracks started to show.
Let’s rewind to Week 1. Texas rolled into Columbus and nearly walked out with a win.
The Longhorns had their chances-plenty of them-and if the version of Arch Manning that showed up in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Michigan had been on the field that day, there’s a good chance Ohio State would’ve opened the season with a loss. That wasn’t just a close call; it was an early warning sign.
Then came the Big Ten Championship Game. This was supposed to be a statement game, a chance for Ohio State to flex against a quality opponent.
Instead, Indiana’s defense completely disrupted the Buckeyes’ rhythm. Yes, freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith got his numbers-he always does-but the offense as a whole managed just 10 points.
Indiana’s defense didn’t just slow them down; they dictated the pace and made Ohio State look ordinary. That’s not something we’ve said about this team very often, but it was true that night.
And then came the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State entered as the heavy favorite, with most expecting them to handle a Miami team that had only put up 10 points earlier in the season at College Station.
But Miami’s defense came out swinging, and the Buckeyes were suddenly down 14-0 before they could catch their breath. To their credit, they responded-briefly.
But when Miami’s defense turned it up again late in the game, Ohio State didn’t have an answer.
That’s been the story with this team when they face opponents with equal talent. The offense, which looked unstoppable against lesser teams, suddenly becomes inconsistent.
Over their last two games-the Big Ten title game and the Cotton Bowl-Ohio State scored just 24 total points. For a program that prides itself on explosive offense, that’s not just a dip; that’s a red flag.
Miami didn’t just pull off an upset-they exposed a truth that had been lurking beneath the surface all season. When Ohio State isn’t in control, when they’re not dictating tempo and putting teams on their heels early, they struggle. And when they go up against teams that can match them athlete for athlete, the margin for error disappears-and so does their dominance.
This wasn’t about a bad day or a fluke bounce. This was about a team that looked elite against average competition but couldn’t sustain that level when the stakes and the talent rose.
The Buckeyes are still loaded with talent, and Ryan Day is still one of the sharpest minds in the game. But if this team wants to get back to the top, they’ll need to be more than just dominant-they’ll need to be resilient.
Because when the lights are brightest and the opponent hits back, that’s when the real Ohio State has to show up. And in the biggest games of the season, they didn’t.