Ryan Day, Ohio State lost a great chance to put an end to Jim Harbaugh and TTUN.

To cut this section short, let me say this: That Ohio State was defeated by Michigan was a huge disappointment. I was selfish enough to let it spoil a late Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Because, when my team loses, I turn into an unbearable prick because I am a fan, which is short for fanatic. especially the one that symbolizes the school I attended in the city where I was born and raised and for which I have been a lifelong fan.

Before the game, I was certain that the Buckeyes would prevail. I had faith in their defense, believing that Kyle McCord could find his playmakers and let them (Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and TreVeyon Henderson) do the heavy lifting. I most definitely did not expect interceptions, dropped passes, missed tackles, or risk-averse coaching. Furthermore, I could never have imagined a leadership or evident lack of emotion when things got tough.

While it is true that fans are not privy to on-field conversations, I for one did not witness McCord or any other experienced defender inspiring the team. I take responsibility if I missed that. I also sincerely apologize. All players who put on the pads have my highest regard, no matter what.

Sadly, the majority of players on the Ohio State roster right now lack the highly sought-after gold pants. Despite a wealth of talent visiting Columbus, the Buckeyes have not prevailed in this rivalry game since 2019. We’re talking about Paris Johnson Jr., C.J. Stroud, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, among every single recruit from OSU’s 2021 class—the best-rated class in program history. Not to mention every other one.

Furthermore, the youthful Bucks on this team, who most likely grew up believing that the Scarlet and Gray could never lose to the Maize and Blue… None of them wore gold pants.

But hey, what do you know? I’ll move past it. I’m positive that I will. since I experienced the John Cooper era. Because, with a new quarterback, injuries, etc., I was a little taken aback that Ohio State was in this situation (11-0, chance to dance) in the first place. due to TTUN’s home game and No. 3 ranking. And above all, please understand that I am a realist.

I am aware that there is nothing my team is entitled to. Irrespective of whether the coach is Ryan Day, Nick Saban, Vince freaking Lombardi, or someone else entirely, it is never easy to take down a College Football Playoff contender at their location. It was never going to be easy to handle last Saturday. The Buckeyes were the underdogs, after all, for a reason! It implies that their victory was not anticipated.

Day, McCord, and the rest of us can all go to hell, but they fell short against what is possibly the best CFB team in the nation. Like almost every football game in history, the game came down to turnovers, tackles, and a few fourth down plays. Moreover, good-to-great teams occasionally just lose.

Having said all of that, the loss still hurts. Big time. Furthermore, being a realist does not stop me from being spiteful and small-minded. This particular OSU loss hurts so much because of those character flaws. The Buckeyes had a chance to accomplish something exceptional, which is why it stings and hurts. Better yet, magical. Something that would have caused me to cry one or more times.

Ohio State had the opportunity to put a dent in their rival’s life with victory in the final “Game” of its kind. Day and Co. could have earned bragging rights for all of eternity, buried Jim Harbaugh and TTUN six feet deep (figuratively, of course), and dumped shame and embarrassment on said coffin.

Consider this: Harbaugh coached in as many regular season games as he was suspended for, following his humiliating sixth season-long absence. The NCAA and/or Big Ten are furious with ol’ Khaki Jim for what is only the 20th different act, action, exploit, thing, whatever, and this most recent suspension was the result of an ongoing investigation into sign-stealing. Even this past Saturday, TTUN was led by an interim head coach who, only a few weeks prior, had given an emotional interview in which he claimed that THEY had suffered a terrible injustice.

It would have been satisfying enough for the Buckeyes, their supporters, and maybe most importantly, their head coach, to defeat a team and a program that is globally recognized as your rival, even though the latter is/was possibly in danger of collapsing. However, that wouldn’t even have been the conclusion or the full scope of it. No, since this “Game” was also the final one of its sort.

The B1G is growing, divisions are disappearing, and the CFP is growing, so it’s unlikely that OSU and TTUN will ever play another regular season game where everything is on the line. I am referring to bragging rights for a minimum of a year, a conference title, and a CFP berth.

It was possible for Ohio State to render Harbaugh’s tenure as U of M coach null and void. His whole life! Bowl games lost in a row, funny videos, recruiting infractions… skipped the 2020 Ohio State game… Unable to defeat them without pilfered signs… In the football world, Harbaugh would have been the laughingstock.

And maybe his beloved program did too. If Brady Hoke’s era seemed awful to TUN supporters, what does the Butch Davis, vacated wins, bowl ban, and scholarship reduction era sound like?

Who knows what this whole sign-stealing story will turn out to be in the end, but that program up north now has a strange arrow in its quiver. They can dispute rogue agents, ignorant coach(es), AND make an effort to downplay any advantages obtained: Hey Tony Panini, we understand that there were some dubious individuals in the building, but why would we deliberately lie to humiliate Ryan Day? We’re not required to!

Sadly, we will never know what might have happened to the coach and the team in the north with a victory over Ohio State. For Day lacked a killer instinct, or at least failed to demonstrate one. Although it may not be the right word, the Buckeyes’ coach was undoubtedly risk averse. Day appeared to be coaching for win. To be fair, he was defending players who simply weren’t very good. Unlike the last Peach Bowl, when Day and the majority of his players were performing at a high level.

I will always remember this past Saturday’s game as a wasted opportunity. A wonderful chance lost. It was possible for Ohio State and Ryan Day to bury Harbaugh and TTUN before getting ready to dance on the tomb of their rival. Rather, the Buckeyes and their coaching staff were overcome by this particular moment. And that is also awful.