Epic collapse ends Ohio State’s season

First of all, no one is allowed to blame a college kicker for missing a 50-yard field goal at the end of a game. If that’s your trump card, you had a lousy hand.

Noah Ruggles, this is not your fault.

Actually, losing 42-41 to No. 1-ranked Georgia should leave fourth-ranked Ohio State with plenty of moral victories, if that’s your thing.

So let’s note those.

After steadfastly refusing to run at all costs in the last two years, Buckeyes’ QB C.J. Stroud finally made some plays with his feet. He was OSU’s second-leading rusher (more about that later) with 34 yards against the Bulldogs. His 27-yard scramble on the final drive gave Ohio State a kicker’s longshot at the end.

Stroud completed 23-of-34 passes for 348 yards and 4 TDs, but he was unable to compensate for a Buckeyes’ defense which slipped into complete yield mode in the fourth quarter, again.

Emeka Egbuka caught eight passes for 112 yards and a score. Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches for 106 yards and 2 TDs. But just when it became clear Georgia couldn’t cover Harrison, the Bulldogs knocked him out of the game on a hit that was originally ruled targeting. That flag was promptly overturned on replay.

Defensively, there’s not much positive to say. Steele Chambers had a big interception that led directly to a touchdown. Lathan Ransom led the way with nine tackles. Georgia didn’t score in the third quarter.

But the final 15 minutes, oy.

The Buckeyes battled, and maybe that’s progress. The last three encounters with Top 5 teams were all blowout losses — to Alabama (52-24), Michigan (42-27) and Michigan again (45-23). This was not that.

This game also meant dealing with the loss of tight end Cade Stover to back spasms, and Harrison to a knockout hit. It should be noted Georgia lost superb tight end Darnell Washington, but worked through his departure.

As has been the case in most recent big games, the Buckeyes’ ground game was not a factor, with freshman Dallan Hayden registering 43 yards as the most prolific ball carrier. OSU’s top running backs, TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, didn’t play due to injury, and gained eight yards on three carries, respectively.

Losing to the undefeated defending national champion by one point in what was basically a true road game in Atlanta, is not cause for shame.

Yet anyone claiming Ohio State should have won is wrong. Ryan Day’s team could have won, but they shouldn’t have won.

Georgia had more yards rushing (135-119), more yards per rushing attempt (5.2 to 3.7), more yards passing (398 to 348), more yards per pass attempt (11.7 to 10.2), and more total yards (533-467). Kirby Smart’s club also coughed up the only turnover, but won in spite of that miscue.

Most importantly, when the Bulldogs had to have it, they found a way to win. Ohio State couldn’t do that.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett calmly led his team out of a 38-24 fourth-quarter hole by scoring on every possession, leading Georgia to three long point-producing drives of 62, 76 and 72 yards.

Actually, that 76-yarder wasn’t a march, it was a one-play strike when the Buckeyes inexplicably played man coverage with a safety (Ransom) against the Bulldogs’ lone speed threat (Arian Smith). Ten seconds later, touchdown.

That was one of two clutch, fourth-quarter TD passes by Bennett, who also completed a monster two-point conversion throw. He outplayed Stroud by hitting 23-of-34 passes for 398 yards and 3 TDs. The Bulldogs outscored Ohio State 18-3 in the final period.

That’s what makes one wonder if a pattern is emerging.

This marked the second straight second-half meltdown for the Buckeyes. They were hammered at home after leading Michigan at halftime, and gave up five plays of more than 50 yards in the process.

This fourth-quarter collapse takes its place right next to that one.

A year ago in Ann Arbor the Buckeyes got destroyed in the second half as the Wolverines scored four touchdowns on four possessions, and didn’t face a third down after halftime.

Chalk it up to defensive ineptitude, and that’s certainly valid. One fourth-quarter stop wins this game, and OSU couldn’t get it.

But the offense managing just three points in the fourth quarter of a shootout isn’t getting it done either.

For the second straight year, Ohio State finished 11-2, with no division title, another blowout loss to Michigan, and no trip to the Big Ten title game.

Is dropping a tight tilt to the defending national champion enough salve for a two-game losing streak heading into next season?

Depends on your perspective, doesn’t it?

No doubt it’s a tough standard in Columbus. But finding a way to win games against elite foes, instead of those teams consistently snatching huge wins away, is what separates good coaches from great ones.

Day’s predecessor was simply incredible against elite opponents. Urban Meyer was 6-2 against Top 5 teams while at Ohio State. He went 14-5 against Top 10 squads.

Meyer was 83-9 in Columbus, 7-0 vs. Michigan, recorded a perfect season in 2012 (kept at home by Jim Tressel’s NCAA penalties), while winning four bowl games and a national title. His last team went 13-1, finished No. 3 in the final polls, blew out fourth-ranked and favored Michigan 62-39, before bringing home a Rose Bowl trophy.

Meyer left a program stacked with top-five recruiting classes that Day inherited.

By contrast, Day is 2-5 against Top 5 teams, and 6-5 against Top 10 teams. Overall, Day is 45-6 in four years at OSU, an .882 winning percentage, and 1-2 vs. Michigan with two bowl wins.

The winning percentage is strong, but the Michigan and postseason bugaboo are John Cooperesque.

Ever since Day’s first year, opposing coaches have whispered that Ryan Day woke up on third base and thinks he hit a triple. Until he finds a way to win games like this painful Peach Bowl defeat, those whispers aren’t going away.

But for Buckeye fans, at least Michigan lost to TCU in the other semifinal — in painful fashion, too.