Ryan Day and No. 8 seed Ohio State’s draw in the College Football Playoff is exactly what the Buckeyes should want in its quest for a title.

This is the spot you want if you’re Ohio State. Heading into the College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes played its best game of the year against Indiana and its flattest against Michigan. All of that has been wiped away as the bracket is official as Ohio State is set to host Tennessee at home in The Horseshoe on Saturday, December 21st at 8:00 pm. 

Checking in as the No. 8 seed raised some eyebrows in Columbus and across the country, but the Buckeyes await No. 9 seed Tennessee in the marquee matchup of the First Round of the College Football Playoff. Let’s analyze the spot Ryan Day’s team is in coming off its fourth straight loss to the Wolverines. 

The senior class left Ohio Stadium on November 30th with a loss. It was supposed to be the final stand to emerge victorious in front of the home fans. Losing to Michigan leaves a sting nothing but victory can remove. However, the silver lining in the loss is the opportunity to play in The Shoe one more time. 

Tennessee will make the trip north in late December. Yes, a southern football team from the SEC will play up north in frigid temperatures in a playoff game at night. Pinch yourselves, Ohio State fans; it’s not a dream. The expanded CFP makes games like this possible, and winning it could be the jolt the Buckeyes need to make a deep run. 

Being in this spot is something you fantasize about as a northern college football player and fan. It’s time to seize the moment now that it’s a reality. Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes have an opportunity to rewrite the story’s ending. The pen is back in their hands after Michigan took it away. Tennessee is the new target, as everything is on the line. 

The path forward is daunting and the most difficult in the bracket for the winner of the Buckeyes and Volunteers. No. 1 Oregon (in Pasadena), potentially No. 5 Texas (in Dallas), and No. 2 Georgia (in Atlanta) could be ahead. However, Ohio State has the talent and coaching to accomplish a seemingly impossible feat. 

At face value, it seems like one of the sport’s great redemption stories for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. The road starts at home at night in a playoff game with an electric atmosphere and a chance to get the monkey off of the back. A win creates confidence and momentum at unpredictable levels, which is precisely what this team and staff need to complete its most challenging assignment to date. 

Ohio State has precedent after losing to Michigan in 2022. Day and CJ Stroud put together one of the most incredible performances in the sport’s history, from game planning to elite quarterback play. That’s the version of the Buckeyes that needs to walk into the Horseshoe on Saturday, 12/21. 

Not all wins and losses are created equally. There are devastating losses, such as the one Ohio State suffered at the hands of Michigan. But it’s how the Buckeyes respond that matters. If viewed as a chance at new life and motivation, prepare to see a team without a ceiling be unlocked. 

Ohio State entered the season with sky-high expectations, an ultra-talented roster, and a superb coaching staff. Now, their backs are against the wall as a program. This team is poised for a run if it channels the energy to the right places. The pieces are there, so how will Ryan Day put the puzzle together?