Ohio State Lost to Michigan on Purpose

I said half-jokingly as Ohio State dismantled Tennessee that the Buckeyes simply had to have lost to Michigan on purpose because there was no way the team that showed up in that game was the same one that was running all over the field on one of the best defenses in the country. And after watching OSU throttle Oregon in the Rose Bowl, I'm actually pretty sure that's actually what happened.

They went out there and made the No. 1 team in the country look like Michigan State or Illinois. Jeremiah Smith does whatever he wants regardless of who's covering him. Will Howard actually looks like a quarterback who can win a national title. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins look like the best backfield duo in the country. There is simply no way this team lost to 8-5 Michigan without doing it intentionally.

I don't know why OSU would have been scared of playing Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game because the Buckeyes are clearly infinitely superior, but maybe they just wanted that extra week of rest before heading into the Playoff. And I guess you can't argue with the strategy because these guys are going to cruise to a national championship.

It's honestly a great deal for both sides of the OSU-Michigan rivalry. The Wolverines got to win a game that made their season and the Buckeyes got to rest up for the CFP and then roll over everybody in their path. Ryan Day was playing 4D chess the whole time. What a coach.