I can't recall a better overall outcome for a Buckeye season that didn't result in a National Championship.  I'm not talking about the greatest teams in terms of talent, but in terms of accomplishing the most impressive milestones and achievements.

If you clear your minds of some of the frustrations with the offense and the QB play, and coaching at times (despite finishing in the top ten in most offensive categories),  Think of what was accomplished in retrospect:

• Revenge against a great Penn State team in a thriller
• Demolishing a very good MSU team that has been the bane of our existence for so long
• Beating TTUN in Ann Arbor against arguably the best front seven in CFB and who had the utmost determination and motivation to beat us
• Defeating a Whisky team that won 13 games
• Exorcising the demons of the last 4 decades by beating a PAC 10 champ USC with a first round QB.
• Winning what was arguably the toughest B1G conference in the past 20 years
• Defense and Offense both finish in the top ten.

What I recall as the possible non natty best season contenders:

• 1996
  • Beat Jake the snake and denied ASU a natty in a great rose bowl,.... BUT lost in a heart breaker to TTUN (Springs slips) 
• 1998
  • Possibly one the great teams of all time but the MSU loss shock really never went away and played what was for me a rather non satisfying match-up against a "meh"  Texas A&M team
• 2005
  • Another great team with 2 close heartbreaking losses against top 5 teams but a wonderful fireworks display against big mouth Charlie and the domers to end the season.
• 2009
  • Somewhat similar season as this year with a satisfying win over the Ducks, but IMO against a much weaker B1G overall.
• 2015
  • Not much to say here.  They never got to demonstrate how great a finish they could have had.  In the playoff era, it is almost inconceivable to imagine a defending NC team that never trailed a game in the 4th quarter until the final second of one game being denied an opportunity to win it all, but that's how fate threw her ugly hex on us in a surrender cobra, ripple-effecting fashion.

For me, this season takes the lead over the above.  It may be present time bias, but I think what was accomplished this season was uniquely amazing.

Thoughts?

(EDIT: undefeated 2012 has to be in this contender group - thanks to OSUBucknut2002 for pointing this out.  The NCAA forbids me from mentioning 2010 season )