Have you ever lost so badly that it made you question the future?
Usually a loss is a loss. "That was bad, but we'll get 'em next time fellas!" or some other permutation of dusting yourself off and trying harder next time is generally the most healthy way to handle defeat. You get better and try harder, and there's the belief that the next time you face a similar obstacle you can overcome it.
Sometimes though, you face a setback so painfully complete, so incredibly obvious, that you start to question what the hell you're doing at every fundamental level.
Ryan Day's coaching prowess is predicated on the idea that he's an offensive whiz kid, a guy who can turn lemons into lemonade no matter what the situation. Ohio State's 14-3 loss against Missouri felt like the closing argument of someone who vehemently disagrees with that premise, and who used the entirety of the 2023 season as his courtroom evidence. The Buckeyes took a significant step back offensively this past season in almost every facet of the game, and the culmination of that was a game where neither of the quarterbacks Day played seemed prepared for a top-10 opponent or had an offensive line ready to keep them upright.
It was a bad effort from an anemic offense that wasted an excellent effort by an elite defense. That's the kind of thing that's supposed to happen to Iowas and Ferentzes, not Ryan Day and Ohio State.
I feel some cracks in the foundation. They gotta be shored up.
— Chimdi Chekwa (@ChimChek) December 30, 2023
It's going to be a long, long offseason, but hopefully that gives the coaching staff some time to either polish their resumés or figure out how to shore up the foundations of Ohio State football.
Oh, and surprise! Ohio State players and staff were mostly silent after the game. Here's a hodgepodge (not a Hodgepodge) of Tweets from the Cotton Bowl:
#TBDBITL pic.twitter.com/vmQmR5cDVM
— Jim Lachey (@JimLachey64) December 30, 2023
— Cardale Jones (@CJ1two) December 30, 2023
CALL ME CRAZY BUT I THINK MIZZOU IS GONNA BLITZ OFF THE EDGE EVERY PLAY
— Mountain Man (@moore_of_kollin) December 30, 2023
elite uniform battle send tweet pic.twitter.com/rbzfBuTTUM
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) December 30, 2023
Cade Stover was livid before halftime. pic.twitter.com/bo6dGt9ECy
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 30, 2023
important reminder: bowl game results are largely meaningless unless they provide ammunition for your hatin' agenda
— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) December 30, 2023
Worst OL play Ive ever seen. Not only that, yet again the worst play calling. You get a couple big plays, and no tempo at all. You have the defense on their heals, so lets take our time and let them recover. This is just unbelievable, and as a OSU fan, becoming all too common.
— Graham Rahal (@GrahamRahal) December 30, 2023
Ohio State ends back to back seasons with losses to Michigan and in a bowl for first time since 1990-91
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) December 30, 2023
Dad, what if CJ Stroud had this defense? pic.twitter.com/FQy3gYtCcN
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) December 30, 2023
Ohio football and the ghost of Paul Brown just sacrificed a couple OSU seasons for an All-Pro QB and a Browns Super Bowl run. We will be back. #HelpIsOnTheWay lol its still #GoBucks around here.
— Dionte' (@DionteSays) December 30, 2023
Punting yards by Ohio State and Mizzou that first half: 563. Total offense by Ohio State and Mizzou that first half: 188 yards.
— Chris Lauderback (@Chris11W) December 30, 2023
Well the punts were great
— Drue Chrisman (@DChrisman91) December 30, 2023
Thats ballgame folks. Buckeyes will lose the last two games of the season for the third year in a rowIm cutting this crap off so i dont break my tv. Have a nice night.
— JAY RICHARDSON (@JayRichardson99) December 30, 2023
Weve been having top 3 recruiting classes since I can remember. Mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.. come on man. 3pts
— Maurice Clarett (@ReeseClarett13) December 30, 2023
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) December 30, 2023
I sincerely believe Ryan Day is a good guy who loves his players a lot. I think he represents the university well, carries himself with integrity, and has a lot of passion. I really do want him to succeed.
— kevin harrish (@Kevinish) December 30, 2023
But man. This is brutally bad.
Ohio State getting a delay of game on a punt in the first minute of the game is a tough look.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 30, 2023
IF PARKER FLEMING IS EMPLOYED INTO 2024 WE WILL MAKE CHITTFEST LOOK LIKE A MUMFORD & SONS CONCERT
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) December 30, 2023
Ohio State held to 203 total yards -- their fewest in 103 games (2015 Michigan State)
— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) December 30, 2023
Also snapped 88-game streak of scoring a touchdown
Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl:
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 30, 2023
203 total yards
3 points (lowest total in the Ryan Day era)
2/15 on third down pic.twitter.com/5VmAEb9oRI
Devin Brown limping off the field at the Cotton Bowl pic.twitter.com/NglJtgKH9e
— Ari Wasserman (@AriWasserman) December 30, 2023
Missouri wins Cotton Bowl, 14-3 over Ohio State who finishes 11-2. pic.twitter.com/16YWZkx0UI
— Clay Hall (@claywsyx6) December 30, 2023
He is a man of few words but his actions speak for him.
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) December 30, 2023
After the game an emotional Tommy Eichenberg stood outside the locker room and hugged every single teammate.
The Buckeye captain has meant so much to the rebuild of the Silver Bullets: pic.twitter.com/qfESepxvJP
Xavier Johnson emotional talking on his last game as a Buckeye after walking on to the team in 2018 and being a key part in Ohio State offense this season. pic.twitter.com/yLeA8bPWyP
— Lantern Sports (@LanternSports) December 30, 2023
See you next season! Or in a few days, when I try to forget this crap ever happened and turn into the biggest basketball fan you've ever seen.
- #9 Missouri 14, #7 Ohio State 3
- • Buckeyes Sputter in Cotton Bowl, 14-3
- • Cotton Bowl Provides No Answer at QB
- • No Complementary Football in Cotton Bowl
- • Notebook: O-line, Special Teams Struggle
- • Ohio State Postgame • Photos
- • Five Things • Social Reax
