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How are we feeling, fam? Has everyone recovered from the 13-10 Big Ten Championship Game loss that Ohio State suffered to Indiana on Saturday night? I know, for me, it was a disappointing outcome, but because of the quick turnaround to thinking about the CFP, I have been able to move on fairly quickly.
So, in this week’s fan survey, we have a couple of questions looking forward to the Buckeyes’ next game, which will be on Wednesday, Dec. 31, in the Cotton Bowl against the winner of the first round match-up in College Station, Texas, between No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami.
We want to know what you are hoping OSU will improve for that game and which of those two top-10 teams you are hoping will be on the other side of the field on New Year’s Eve.
Check out the questions below, and then make sure to vote in the survey beneath the article. If none of the options included in the survey line up with what you want to pick, feel free to head down to the comments at the bottom of the page and write in your pick. Then, on Saturday morning, check back with LGHL to see the results.
Question 1: What do you think that Ohio State most needs to fix before the CFP?
Coming into last weekend’s Big Ten Championship Game, Ohio State had given up only six sacks all season, but the Hoosiers were able to take down Julina Sayin five times (not to mention four other tackles for loss), which dramatically impacted how the offense operated.
So I completely understand why a near majority voted the offensive line as the thing that most needs to be fixed before the Buckeyes begin their playoff run. However, I am still in the camp of the red zone offense being what is most likely to stand in the way of OSU winning a second straight title.
Despite the offensive line issues and the aggressively poor offensive playcalling, the Buckeyes still had multiple chances to win the game. Down 13-10, they had one drive of 12 plays that went 70 yards over 6:58 that ended in a failed fourth-down conversion on IU’s 6-yard line, and a drive of 15 plays and 81 yards that took 7:57 off the clock that resulted in a missed field goal attempt from the Hoosiers’ 9.
Those are drives that absolutely must end in touchdowns. You cannot beat the best teams in the country when you cannot score from inside the 10. Last season, having two running backs who were not only able to make defenders miss in close quarters but could also run over guys in their way was a huge bonus for the team in short-yardage situations. Mixed with Will Howard being a willing and capable runner, and for the first time in Ryan Day’s tenure in Columbus, there weren’t red zone questions.
I don’t think that any of the backs on the roster can do what TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins could last year, and I don’t want to see Sayin keeping the ball like Howard did, but relying on four tight ends as your red zone offense just isn’t going to cut it against Texas A&M, Miami, Georgia, Indiana, or any of the other top teams that could stand in OSU’s way.
Question 2: Who would you rather see Ohio State play in the CFP Quarterfinals?
I have already gone on record in predicting every game of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff, and I believe that No. 2 Ohio State will face off against No. 10 Miami in the quarterfinals. However, what somebody thinks will happen and what they want to happen aren’t always the same thing.
Beating an SEC team in a high-profile matchup — in this case, Texas A&M — always brings some extra enjoyment for me. But beating Miami would bring back fond memories of one January night in the desert more than two decades ago.
So, I don’t know that I necessarily have a strong preference one way or the other, as they both bring bonus warm fuzzies. But, since I did predict the mild upset, I would vote for Miami, and it seems like nearly two-thirds of the respondents agreed with me.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
