That was a disappointing end to what should have been a run at a repeat national championship.
Getting eliminated before New Year’s Day? This team? With this dominant defense and playmakers galore on offense?
Not even getting to play for a spot in the national championship? How could this have happened?
Ohio State got beat. Plain and simple. They got beat where it matters most: at the line of scrimmage.
Julian Sayin was sacked five times. The Buckeyes couldn’t get the running game going. It turns out Indiana set the blueprint to beat Ohio State. Beat them up at the line of scrimmage, take away their running game, and frustrate Julian Sayin.
Miami did all of those things, and it all came back to haunt the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes’ inability to consistently run the football caught up to them. Sayin exceeded expectations this season, but he needed help. He couldn’t do it all. Every quarterback needs a running game to take the pressure off his shoulders and confuse the defense.
Even with the Buckeyes’ evolution on offense over the last decade, they have historically been a program known for running backs. That still needs to continue. If you can run the football, you can control the game against any team. It keeps the opposing offense on the sideline, wears down the opposing defense, and opens up downfield plays.
Throughout the season, we kept waiting for the Buckeyes to unleash the running game. They never did, and it caught up to them.
Against Texas, Indiana, and Miami, the Buckeyes could not overcome their offensive deficiencies. Their offensive line was not overpowering like it normally is. That caught up with them, and it affected Sayin.
Sayin will be back for the 2026 season, as will Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes will have the pieces to be an explosive offense. But they must be better up front and in the running game.
Ohio State can bounce back from this loss and be right there again to win the national championship next season, but they have to own the humbling they took on New Year’s Eve. They can have all the flash on both sides of the ball, but they need an element of physicality.
That will make them tougher to beat and less predictable.
