Something that isn’t being talked about enough and I’m glad it isn’t, is that Ohio State is deliberately playing a slow pace of football to limit the wear and tear on players throughout the season. More huddles, snapping the ball late in the play clock, Ryan Day laid the blueprint last season on how to navigate a 16-17 game season and so far other teams still haven’t caught on which is a great thing for Ohio State. 

Last season, Ohio State was 123/136 in plays per game at 62.8 plays ran per game, the next closest playoff team was Notre Dame at 64.7, coincidentally the two teams who made the championship game. After that, you had Penn State and Indiana way up at 67 plays ran per game. 

This season, Ohio State is 132/136 in plays ran per game at 60 plays ran per game. If this current pace continues, Ohio State would have played a full game less of snaps than other playoff teams. The next closest is once again ND at 65.2 assuming they make the playoffs.

Fans want more style points and stats, fans want more explosiveness, fans want uptempo, but the coaches are only concerned about one thing and that’s winning by any means, keeping the team fresh and bringing home that second straight trophy with a method that has proven to work just last season.