“I don’t know.”
The curt but brutally honest response by beleaguered Ohio State coach Ryan Day could have been the answer to a myriad of questions, such as why can’t you beat Michigan?
How can such a talented group look so feeble against a less than stellar Wolverines team that was a three-touchdown underdog?
What does this mean for your future?
All are good queries, but he was asked specifically how the No. 2 (not for long) Buckeyes regroup for the playoffs after one of the most devastating upsets in the history of the storied rivalry. That’s saying something given the number of times the Wolverines have been spoilers.
The 13-10 defeat in Ohio Stadium on Saturday prevented the Buckeyes from getting revenge against Oregon in the Big Ten title game on Dec. 7. The top-ranked Ducks won 32-31 in Eugene, Oregon, on Oct. 12, and ever since Ohio State knew it would have to win out to attain that goal. So, what did the Buckeyes do?
They went to Happy Valley and defeated No. 4 Penn State, the same Nittany Lions, who, by virtue of Ohio State’s loss to Michigan, will play Oregon for the conference championship and give another distressed coach (James Franklin) a chance for redemption. Oh, the irony.
Ohio State downed overrated No. 5 Indiana handily in the leadup to the Michigan game, and everything seemed in order to pour it on against the Wolverines, who needed a win over Northwestern in the penultimate game to become bowl eligible.
So, again, Ryan Day how will a program that spent $20 million to attract or retain players this season and had a dozen of them return when they didn’t have to and stated their top priority was not a national championship but to beat Michigan now prepare for an unknown opponent at an unknown place in three weeks after a demoralizing setback?
“I don’t know. I’m fresh off the game so I don’t really have the answer to that,” Day said. “We’re disappointed. Never thought this would happen right here.”
“We were expecting to win this game and play in the Big Ten Championship Game and neither of those things happened….” It’s too soon to figure out what’s next.”
He wasn’t the only one shocked. A source said OSU Police were planning to let the fans tear down the goal posts after the Buckeyes’ first win over their rival since 2019.
Instead, they spent the moments after the game using pepper spray to disperse the melee after Michigan players tried to plant its flag at midfield and the Buckeyes, uh, objected.
It was a farce but another example of the toothlessness of the NCAA, which has no governance on paying players tens of millions before they step on campus to “get an education.”
It’s the same NCAA that looks the other way when fans storm fields or courts because, well, kids will be kids. So, who cares about taunting an entire stadium with those big bad flags?
Of course, all the Buckeyes needed to do to shut up Michigan was to win. Now, they face the prospect of possibly losing home field for the first round of the playoffs while the heat on Day increases exponentially over the next three weeks until the playoffs begin.
Just ask the hordes of fans outside the home locker room area where parents and families were waiting who chanted long and loud, “Fire Ryan Day.”
Just making the national championship game may not be enough to mollify them after another Michigan disaster. It’s natty or bust for those who were promised so much and have received so little.
Ohio State has an embarrassment of riches. Saturday was simply embarrassing.
