Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard game-winning field goal attempt sailed wide left at the exact second that the clock struck midnight.
You think I’m kidding? You couldn’t make this up if you tried.
Ohio State’s dreams of winning the 2022 College Football Playoff national championship ended as their New Year’s nightmare set in. The defending champion Georgia Bulldogs hung on by the slimmest of margins and they’ll try to be the first team in the CFP era to defend their crown.
When you lose a game, its natural to want to dissect the game and pinpoint exactly where things went wrong.
But the reality is, sometimes you just lose. Sometimes, the other team made one or two more plays than you did. They might not have been the kinds of plays you notice in the moment, they can certainly be subtle. And I think Ohio State felt the full brunt of that tonight.
The Buckeyes finished the game with 467 yards of total offense against a defense that everyone says is the best in America. They never turned it over, they scored five touchdowns, kicked two field goals, had a takeaway that set up a score, played their hearts out on both sides of the ball and literally had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds.
But the season that was supposed to end with a national championship dream realized instead concluded in Atlanta in the most crushing of ways.
Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover both suffered injuries that took them out of the game. The Buckeyes had a converted fake-punt taken away by a Georgia timeout just before the snap and they also had a fourth down conversion negated on an illegal motion penalty.
Lathan Ransom fell down (out of absolutely nowhere) on a 76-yard touchdown to Arian Smith and Georgia also hit a couple of other big plays that led to scores.
But to say those are the reasons Ohio State ultimately lost the game doesn’t really feel fair.
More News From Sports Illustrated: College Football Bowl Schedule | A Look Inside Georgia’s Ferocious Defense | TCU Makes History after Upsetting Michigan | What We’ll Remember From 2022: The Year Of Chaos
The coming days will provide the Buckeyes a chance to come up for air and figure out where to go from here. This team will certainly be different next year – including with a new offensive coordinator after Kevin Wilson accepted the head coaching job at Tulsa.
In all likelihood, C.J. Stroud will head to the NFL and there will be a new signal-caller trying to lead Ohio State to a championship in 2023 in Houston.
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As awful as it feels to have your heart ripped out at the end of a season like this, I feel a lot better about watching this team play the way they did in their final game. After a complete clunker against Michigan, Ohio State played their hearts out against Georgia.
It’s a tough night to be a Buckeye fan because of the loss, but its certainly a night where fans can be proud of the performance they watched.
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You may also like:
C.J. Stroud Leaves Heart On Field In Peach Bowl Loss To Georgia
Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. Exits Peach Bowl With Apparent Head Injury
Ohio State TE Cade Stover Taken To Local Hospital With Back Spasms
Xavier Johnson’s 37-Yard Touchdown Gives Ohio State 28-24 Halftime Lead
Miyan Williams’ Touchdown Run Puts Ohio State Ahead Of Georgia, 14-7
Ohio State Takes 7-0 Lead On Georgia With Marvin Harrison Jr.’s TD Catch
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