Ohio State Left Watching, Wondering as Indiana and Miami Clash for the Title
When Indiana and Miami take the field Monday night in Miami for the National Championship, it won’t just be a battle for the crown-it’ll be a gut punch for Ohio State fans still replaying every missed opportunity from a season that could’ve ended very differently.
The Buckeyes ended the 2025 campaign with just two losses. Unfortunately for them, those two losses came against the very teams now set to square off for college football’s biggest prize. That’s the kind of symmetry that stings.
What makes it even tougher to swallow in Columbus? Ohio State arguably gave Indiana its toughest test all season-especially in the postseason, where the Hoosiers have looked like a team on a mission. This Indiana run has had shades of last year’s Buckeyes, and that only deepens the sense of "what if" for fans in scarlet and gray.
And there are plenty of "what ifs" to go around.
What if Julian Sayin doesn’t slip on the QB sneak? What if he throws to move the chains instead of setting up a field goal?
What if the Buckeyes weren’t so committed to their two- and three-tight end looks, even when the offense sputtered? What if Jayden Fielding nails the kick?
Those questions will echo in the minds of Buckeye faithful all offseason. But at the end of the day, the scoreboard told the truth.
Ohio State didn’t make the plays when it mattered. And now, instead of playing for a title, they’re watching two teams they know intimately battle for the trophy they thought could be theirs.
The Cotton Bowl against Miami was a chance for redemption, a shot to prove they belonged in that final tier. Instead, it was another reminder of the same issues that haunted them against Indiana-issues Miami wasted no time exploiting.
So where does that leave the Buckeyes?
Are they just a field goal away from being the best team in the country? Or are they sitting somewhere in that murky 3-to-8 range, talented but not quite complete?
There’s no denying Ohio State had the best skill-position talent in the country this past season. Their wide receivers, running backs, and quarterback room were second to none.
But football is still won in the trenches, and that’s where the Buckeyes came up short-on both sides of the ball. The offensive line couldn’t consistently protect, and the defensive front struggled to impose its will.
That’s where the gap showed up, and that’s what ultimately kept them out of the title game.
Looking ahead, the Buckeyes are facing a critical offseason. The current era of college football has made one thing clear: experience matters.
Veteran rosters are winning championships. Youthful talent is exciting, but age and maturity win in January.
Ohio State leaned into that reality with how they’ve built their roster, and on paper, they’ll have the experience to compete with the oldest and most seasoned teams in the country.
But will that be enough?
That’s the question hanging over Columbus. The roster is largely set.
The foundation is in place. Now it’s about whether that group can close the gap that was so evident against the two teams playing for it all on Monday night.
For now, Ohio State watches from the outside, knowing they were close-but not close enough.