Taking a step back from licking the wounds, this is something I have talked to with my friend group multiple times the last few years. In the past, OSU had to beat TTUN in order to do anything further in the season. Had to win to make the Rose Bowl. Then, had to win to make the B1G championship out of the division. Everything ran through that one weekend. Now, that has changed.

We are already seeing that the expanded playoffs are just going to benefit the blue blood programs moving forward. OSU, Bama, Georgia are all going to get passes for losing 3 or less games

Now, this is definitely not an excuse. For the sake of Buckeyes, you HAVE to win that game for pride, if nothing else. But, I fear that the actual NEED to win that game is going to get further and further away