Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Loss was the Best Thing to Happen to Ohio State

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The loss came at a good time for Ohio State.

After taking a few days to let the dust settle, I am perfectly fine with the fact that Ohio State lost. I am not even the least bit upset anymore. This isn’t me being over-optimistic, these are facts that show why the Penn State loss will win Ohio State a National Title.

Before this game, the 2016 Buckeyes had never lost a game. They didn’t even know what it felt like to lose a game. That is simply dangerous. When team’s play with “streaks,” they tend to get away from their game.

It seems like teams playing to keep streaks alive aren’t playing to win, but rather playing not to lose. It’s hard to argue that this wasn’t the case when Ohio State played in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions simply wanted it more.

More often than not, a team with a loss to an inferior team earlier in the season ends up winning the National Title. Just look at recent history: Last year Alabama lost at home to Ole Miss, and in 2014 Ohio State lost to a sub-par Virginia Tech team. Sometimes a wake-up call as significant as an actual loss is what a team needs to get whipped into shape.

Urban Meyer is the best coach in College Football. At age 52, Meyer has already won three National Titles. He is often compared to Nick Saban, who at age 52 only had one title. Though comparisons are fun, this is not my point.

All three of Urban Meyer’s championships came with a loss in the regular season. Meyer’s 2006 title run involved a loss to Auburn, in 2008 his champion Florida Gators squad took a loss to Ole Miss. Somehow…

The 2008 Gators were a super team – very similar to the 2016 Buckeyes. There are tons of parallels between Meyer’s two super teams.

Back to this year’s Buckeyes.

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The main reason as to why I was not at all mad about the loss is because it literally doesn’t matter. I repeat: IT. DOES. NOT. MATTER. I don’t care that it looks bad on the OSU resume. It matters none.

Let’s be real – what decides if Ohio State makes the playoff or not is ‘The Game.’ If Ohio State beats Penn State – then it’s a win that doesn’t matter, and just continues the “streak” that will hang over their head and keep them from playing up to potential – and then they lose to Michigan, They aren’t in.

Ohio State lost to Penn State and it’s not that big of a deal. A win over Michigan and we’re given the chance to play in the B1G Champiobship. That would bolster our resume enough for the PSU loss to not matter – thus making the CFP.

Urban Meyer is the ultimate motivator, the Buckeyes just got the ultimate reality check, and they can stop playing not-to-lose, and start playing to win a title. It’s hard to be happy about a loss, but this is the closest I think I can get to that status.

This loss will do wonders for the development of the team, and didn’t cost Ohio State much at all. It’s time to take the focus off of the streaks, and put it on winning football games.

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