Ohio State looked nothing like a national championship contender on Saturday, stopping a two-point conversion with 32 seconds left to win at hated Michigan, 42-41, despite a porous and troubling defensive effort.
The Buckeyes’ season so far has been one long game of Seek and Hyde: It is seeking a BCS National Championship on the strength of running back Carlos Hyde.
To this point, that has worked out just fine. The Buckeyes are 12-0, and in their two toughest games, at Northwestern and Michigan, Hyde has been by far the best player on the field, rushing for a combined 394 yards on 53 carries (7.4 YPC).
The 226 yards he totaled in Saturday’s win were the most a Buckeye has ever rushed for against Michigan, according to Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch:
But every single one of those 226 yards—and especially his sole touchdown, which proved to be the game-winning score—was imperative, and therein lies the problem with this team, its makeup and its bid for a national title.
The defense was softer than a melted bowl of ice cream, puddled into a tepid mass of soup after being left on the table overnight. The coverage holes were so vast and gaping that you could hear each footstep echo. The unit ceded 603 yards to Michigan, which couldn’t muster 176 in three of its previous four games.
Things need to get better—much better. And fast. Otherwise, if this team gets shut out of the BCS National Championship Game, despite the potential 13-0 record,…
Continue Reading: Michigan’s Near Upset Win Proves Ohio State Defense Is Far from BCS Title Worthy
