The Last Time Ohio State Lost 13-10, They Went On The Greatest Run In College Football History

Alright the next day after losing in the Big Ten Championship game, here’s where I’m at:

First of all, credit to Cig and Indiana. Big Ten Champs. Complete turnaround. Very impressive and if you don’t vote Mendoza Heisman you’re crazy. To go 13-0 and become the Big Ten Champions, while going to Autzen and beating Oregon and then knocking off #1 Ohio State, would be enough at any school. But to do it at Indiana while the rest of the field is as down as it's ever been....that race is one and anyone who votes otherwise should be criminally investigated.

From the Ohio State side of things....I gotta be honest this is the least hurt I’ve ever felt from a loss. Usually I’m gutted, can’t eat, can’t sleep. I said it on the way home after the game and I felt the same way this morning when I work up: I’m fine. And more importantly...we’re fine. 

Would it have been cool to win the Big 10 title? No doubt. But if the goal is to win the National Championship, I said it the week leading up to the game and I feel the same way now, the Big 10 Championship didn’t matter for that whatsoever (in terms of winning the Natty). 

In fact maybe we learned a few lessons last night that will help us win the Natty. For example, maybe last night's result helped our coaches learn that on 3rd and short and 4th and short, you cannot take your 1st round receiver talent off the field to sub in more tight ends. Rule of thumb: if it makes the other team breathe easier, it's probably not a good thing.

Additionally, maybe we got a little bit of a fire lit under our asses that will carry us into the playoff like last years 13 to 10 loss did?

And honestly, I wanted the 3 seed to play the winner of Tulane and Ole Miss, so it didn't shake out exactly how I'd hoped, but we've seen that the 1 seed doesn't necessarily get the best path. I think I like playing the winner of A&M / Miami over Oklahoma / Bama. And no doubt Georgia is tough in the semis, but Oregon would be too. Just saying, losing and becoming the 2 seed didn't kill us by any means.

But bottom line: this is the college football world we live in now where last night ultimately did not matter and I like the where the Buckeyes are at schedule wise, motivation wise, and hopefully decision making wise because of it. There was only one option last year to bounce back and that was to win the whole thing, and that’s the same message now: gotta go win the whole thing.