COLUMBUS, Ohio — Following Ohio State’s 42-13 win over Michigan on Saturday, the celebration from the visitor’s locker room could be heard loud and clear. But as the Buckeyes piled into the bus for their three-hour ride back to Columbus, Ohio State’s festivities soon doubled as a Penn State pep rally.
Having just blown out their rivals to complete an 11-1 regular-season record, the Buckeyes still needed a Nittany Lions win over Michigan State to seal a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game, which would give OSU its clearest path to defending its College Football Playoff championship. “Our season kind of rests on their shoulders right now,” said Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott. “We’re cheering them on to get that ‘W.'”
Unfortunately for Elliott and his Ohio State teammates, Penn State couldn’t pull off the upset, with the Spartans punching their ticket to Indianapolis with a 55-16 beatdown of the Nittany Lions.
With that, the Buckeyes’ playoff hopes didn’t quite die, but you won’t find more college football fans rooting for more chaos during conference championship weekend than you will in Columbus.
Ranked eighth in last week’s College Football Playoff standings, Ohio State’s win over the Wolverines figures to have moved the Buckeyes up at least two slots following losses suffered by No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 7 Baylor over the weekend. That would leave Ohio State with one week left to climb two spots into the selection committee’s all-important final four, but…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Must Root for Chaos for Slim Playoff Chances to Remain Alive
