Ohio State Trades Style Points for Ugly Win, but Buckeyes Headed to CFP Title Game

Through two rounds of the College Football Playoff, no team put together a flashier run than the Ohio State Buckeyes.

After a dismal offensive day in a loss to Michigan during the regular-season finale, the sky seemed like it may begin falling in Columbus. It was the fourth straight loss to the program’s archrival, and the whispers around Ryan Day’s job security became a malcontented roar.

Fast-forward to Friday, and that bitterness had faded. Ohio State walloped Tennessee in the opening round of the CFP and ripped apart top-ranked Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

The offense, highlighted by quarterback Will Howard and star freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith, had become a near-unstoppable force at the perfect time. The unit racked up a combined 973 yards and 83 points in those blowout wins against high competition.

During their 28-14 triumph over Texas in the Cotton Bowl, however, the Buckeyes provided a simple reminder.

It doesn’t have to be pretty.

Because that certainly was not.

Ohio State stormed out of the gate in Arlington, forcing a turnover on downs before the offense yet again cruised down the field. Quinshon Judkins capped a 10-play drive with a nine-yard touchdown run.

However, the Buckeyes’ next possessions literally only got worse. They gained 55 yards but stalled just outside of field-goal range following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on TreVeyon Henderson. The ensuing drives covered 14, seven and negative-seven yards.

That resilient, stingy Texas defense showed its mettle—until a stunning, game-altering moment.

Quinn Ewers had lofted an 18-yard touchdown to Jaydon Blue to even the matchup at 7-7 with 29 seconds left in the second quarter. Ohio State called a basic screen to Henderson, who followed a caravan of blockers and burst through a seam for a 75-yard score. The play didn’t decide the game but absolutely played a major role in the outcome.

Still, the second half brought more of a similar story.

Will Howard threw an interception on OSU’s opening drive, and the unit gained four yards on the next two possessions. In the meantime, Texas pulled into a 14-14 deadlock as the fourth quarter began. That sizzling Buckeyes’ offense barely had a heat source.

Nevertheless, they found enough of a spark. Judkins powered in his second touchdown to close a methodical 13-play, 88-yard drive that nudged Ohio State to a 21-14 advantage late in the fourth quarter.

On the other end, standout edge-rusher Jack Sawyer came up clutch. With the Longhorns facing a 4th-and-goal at the 8-yard line, Sawyer hit Ewers and forced a fumble that bounced into his arms, and OSU’s star veteran raced 83 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.

Throw in Caleb Downs’ interception a few snaps later, and the Buckeyes locked in a trip to the CFP National Championship Game. They’ll take on Notre Dame for a chance to win the FBS crown.

Again, it wasn’t pretty.

Yet at this stage of the season, only the result matters.

What we see—and, more precisely, Notre Dame sees—on tape is meaningful, sure. Howard rushed for a key fourth-down conversion but otherwise had a nondescript evening; the short screen pass turning into a 75-yard touchdown helps his box score considerably. Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith a single time for three yards.

Additionally, the OSU running game managed 98 yards on 22 non-sack carries. Not awful, but definitely not great.

If a team was unable to escape with a win despite those issues on the field, though, the season is over. Ugly victories are more important than beautiful losses in January, and the Buckeyes clawed out a win.

Notre Dame’s defense, in theory, will be just as unforgiving as Texas. So far, the Fighting Irish have yielded no more than 339 yards or 24 points in CFP triumphs over Indiana, Georgia and Penn State—and hold top-10 national rankings in both categories this season overall, too.

Given that strength for ND, there’s a strong possibility the championship will feature a similar style. Both the Buckeyes and Irish are defensive-driven teams with QBs who, generally, just do enough.

But style points do not matter anymore.

Navigate one final showdown, and Ohio State can produce the most beautiful celebration of the season—no matter how pretty or ugly its performance in the national championship might look.