Ohio State’s perfect season shattered into a million shards after 10 unanswered points turned into a second-half shutout, giving Indiana their first Big Ten title in decades. That said, losing the Big Ten championship game could be the best kind of deja vu for the Buckeyes. Remember when they stomped Oregon, the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff, in the quarterfinals last year? Now, they're the No. 2 seed and that's a gift from the committee.
Instead of having to face the Oklahoma/Alabama winner for their first playoff game as the top seed, they get either Texas A&M or Miami. That’s a much more favorable path than the former. So Ohio State can get some solace in laying a goose egg in the second half against Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Hoosiers. If there’s one thing Ohio State loves, it's extra motivation going into the CFP.
Now they have it. And with a much more advantageous path, you have to think their sights are set on redemption and national dominance.
Why Ohio State’s path as the No. 2 seed sets them up to defend national title
Despite losing in the Big Ten title game, Ohio State is fortunate to have Texas A&M or Miami as its foe in the quarterfinals. Marcel Reed and Texas A&M kind of fell apart at the end of the year and even if they beat Miami, Ohio State has a defense just as strong as Texas'. With Miami, Matt Patricia and Ohio State would run circles around Carson Beck.
I’m not automatically assuming Ohio State wins out, but it's a lot easier to deal with their draw than the other three teams on a bye. When it comes to Georgia, in the semifinals Ohio State could run into a buzzsaw, however. The way Georgia beat down on Alabama, it’s fair to say Georgia is just as hot as any other team in the field.
Ohio State showed the SEC just how good the Big Ten’s top teams are, even if they aren’t as deep as the SEC. I like Ohio State’s odds against Miami or Texas A&M. The committee did Ohio State a favor after their conference title game loss.
Does Ohio State’s Big Ten title game loss help or hurt their playoff run chances?
While being a No. 2 seed certainly helps them in the sense that they have a slightly easier path, it also means that half of the bracket is harder as a whole, compared to the opposite. Indiana, as the No. 1 seed, will have Alabama or Oklahoma and then Oregon, who they already beat, or then Texas Tech.
The Buckeyes would benefit from being the No. 1 overall seed, but will have a tougher path than last year’s run after losing the title game. They’ll still get a first-round bye, but it doesn’t mean it won’t come at a cost. Ohio State's biggest test will be Georgia. They shouldn't struggle with Miami or Texas A&M in the quarterfinals. The CFP committee will certainly make them earn their title defense.