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Ohio State Buckeyes Face Urgency After Loss
Confirmed
In Short: Junior linebacker Payton Pierce says it's playoff time now for the Buckeyes after their loss to USC.
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The Ohio State Buckeyes face a critical moment after their 30-18 loss to USC, which has dinged their College Football Playoff chances, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and Fox News.
Both publications report that the Buckeyes are now ranked 12th in the committee's first rankings, effectively out of the playoff field if the postseason were to start this week.
Junior linebacker Payton Pierce emphasized the urgency, telling the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 'It’s pretty much playoff time now for us cuz we can’t lose.' Running back Isaiah West echoed this sentiment, saying, 'The playoffs have started early for us,' as reported by Fox News.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle and Fox News both highlight the importance of the upcoming game against Oregon, noting that a loss could put the Buckeyes in a precarious position for the postseason.
Pierce, a team captain, stressed the need for intensity and focus, telling the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 'We gotta go — leave it all on the field.' He also noted that the sense of urgency starts at the top with head coach Ryan Day.
The Eagle-Tribune and Herald Bulletin also reported on the Buckeyes' loss to USC, though they did not provide as many quotes from players.
All four publications agree that the Buckeyes must step up their game to stay in contention for the College Football Playoff.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle and Fox News both report that the timing of the loss to USC could not have been worse, coming just as the committee released its first rankings.
Both publications also note that the Buckeyes face Oregon this week, a team that has already lost three games but showed resiliency in their recent victory over Northwestern.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle and Fox News agree that the Buckeyes must win this week to keep their playoff hopes alive, with Pierce emphasizing the need to 'go out there and let it rip.'
What this adds
The sources have not established the exact impact of the loss on the Buckeyes' playoff chances beyond the current rankings.
What's confirmed
- More than one player expressed some concern that effort was lacking at times in the loss to the Trojans, who were facing their own CFP mortality after getting throttled at Wisconsin on Oct. 24 to fall to 6-2.
- Most notably was two years ago when the Buckeyes were reeling after a 13-10 loss to Michigan in which they might have been too amped to play their best.
- The Buckeyes lost 30-18 at USC, dinging their College Football Playoff chances.
- Junior linebacker Payton Pierce says it’s playoff time now, emphasizing urgency and focus.
- The Buckeyes came in at 12th — effectively out of the field if the playoff started this week because a team from a Group of 5 conference will get an automatic bid.
- "There’s no stepping back, no regrets. Guys gotta go out there and let it rip."
- "And so there’s a sense of urgency, and intensity, and focus." Pierce is a captain, so he is part of the chain of command when it comes to leadership, but he said it starts at the top with head coach Ryan Day.
- "We gotta go — leave it all on the field," Pierce said.
What's still developing
- This week it sounds like Day is on the warpath to prevent a repeat — not only out of a sense of pride but also a feeling the Buckeyes (6-2) might be out of chances to make the postseason if they stumble this week against Oregon (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) or in subsequent games against Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan.