Last season, the Ohio State Buckeyes emerged as the national champions, but coach Ryan Day still had red on his ledger because of a 13-10 loss to the Michigan Wolverines in November 2024. It was their fourth consecutive defeat against their biggest rivals, raising questions about Day's future with the team.
On Monday, Colin Cowherd shared his thoughts on the showdown between the two teams in 2024. According to him, Days losing for the fourth straight time to his biggest rivals was a positive for college football in general.
"Well, I think what's happening in the sport is something," Cowherd said on the Joel Klatt Show (2:30). My primary complaint has been for years, we don't have enough great games. Too many people gaming the system. They're ducking big games. And this year it's like nope.

"The system is not as punitive," he added. "The storylines will last longer. There will be more fluid and I think we really saw it last year. I think Ohio State losing to Michigan, though Buckeye fans would disagree, was great for the sport, because Ohio State, as a 20-point favorite, lost and still got into the playoff and won the natty. That's the NFL. College football has some things I like. ... But I didn't like the punitive nature of the sport."
Ryan Day and Co. will get their chance at revenge this upcoming season. They are scheduled to take on Michigan on Nov. 29 in Ann Arbor.
Paul Finebaum downplays Ohio State as favorites in Week 1 showdown against Texas
The Buckeyes begin their national championship defense against the Texas Longhorns next month. The excitement surrounding quarterbacks Julian Sayin and Arch Manning is reaching a breaking point.
However, Paul Finebaum downplayed Ryan Day's team as the favorites to win this showdown. Last Thursday on ESPN's First Take, he explained how the Buckeyes' roster has undergone massive changes this offseason.
"These two teams met in January in the Cotton Bowl and Texas fell in that game," Finebaum said (1:11). "But the teams are different. The quarterback's different at Texas, the quarterback's different at Ohio State. I don't think Ohio State is what we saw last year winning the national championship.
"They're good, but I don't think they're a lead. ... It's a big event, one of the biggest games we have seen. But I think Texas roster is better."
The Buckeyes crushed the Longhorns' chances of competing for the natty after defeating them in the Cotton Bowl semifinal game. Will the odds be in favor of Steve Sarkisian this year?
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