WDYM What Do You Mean?
WDYM What Do You Mean?
THE Ohio State playoff run to a Championship!
Ohio State's path to the national championship was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, and we're here to dissect every twist and turn. Have you ever wondered what it takes to rebound from a heartbreaking loss to a fierce rival like Michigan and still emerge as national champions? Join me, as we explore the extraordinary narrative of Ohio State's football season. We'll uncover the immense pressure on Coach Ryan Day, the strategic brilliance that led to victory over Texas, and the significance of Ohio State's defeat of Notre Dame, all while critiquing the dynamics of conference independence in college football.
But this episode isn't just about reliving past games—it's about cherishing the present triumph and looking forward to a bright future for the Buckeyes. As fans, we often fixate on high-stakes matchups, but it's crucial to savor this monumental achievement. We'll celebrate standout players like Jeremiah Smith and discuss the strategic advantages offered by the transfer portal, considering the exciting possibility of back-to-back championships. Through it all, I encourage Buckeye fans to pause and relish this moment of glory, for it's these hard-earned victories that define the legacy of a champion.
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Intro by Kobeofei via Fiverr
Season 2 Artwork: Ishida1694 via Instagram
you're listening to the wdym, the what do you mean? Podcast, hamilton's number one podcast. Now sit back and relax. Here's hamilton's own, michael gillespie, and welcome to the wdym podcast. I'm your host, michael Gillespie.
Speaker 1:As Kobe said, how's everybody doing? Hope, everybody's doing great. Ohio, we're doing real good. We are doing great. You know why? Because the let me emphasize that the Ohio State University has just come off a national championship in football. How wonderful is that? That is a great thing when Ohio State, in my opinion, when Ohio State wins a football championship. Now, this is the second championship in the Big Ten, back to back-back, because Michigan won last year and now Ohio State got it this year.
Speaker 1:But Ohio State's journey to the championship was a little tricky because of the loss to Michigan. So this episode is dedicated to that playoff run. But at the same time, at the same time, buckeye fans, we got to chill because I'm sick of it. I'm sick of y'all. I'm sick of some of y'all when it comes to being Buckeye fans, because we are so quick to forget our history, our past and everything.
Speaker 1:So this journey, this episode, this podcast starts with the Michigan game. The Michigan game that was set in Columbus, with a six and five Michigan team coming up to Columbus or coming down to Columbus to play the Buckeyes. This game should have been a blowout. Unfortunately things didn't go Ohio State's way, where they lost 13-10. Ohio State team that's been putting up crazy numbers all season long lost 13- 10 to michigan in ohio. Now, before we go into that game, we had games of 52 to 6, 56 to nothing, 49, 14.
Speaker 1:I might as well go over the whole schedule 38, 7 against state mich, michigan State 35-7 against Iowa. The loss to Oregon earlier that year 32-31. Nebraska 21-17. Penn State 20-13. Purdue 45-0. Northwestern 31-7. Indiana 38-15. And then the actual loss to michigan 13 to 10. And when this happened, buckeye fans all together lost their s**t. Yes, it's going to be edited out because this is a pg show, but they lost their stuff because ryan day lost. I think this will be his fourth time in a row. Four out of five he lost to Michigan. Let's take a couple listens. Takes on Ryan Day after the Michigan game.
Speaker 3:I want to say this short and sweet here Ryan Day should be fired as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Please fire Ryan Day hosting.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's an opinion of one person. How about another? Quote-unquote fan.
Speaker 4:Ohio State fired their coach, ryan Day. Let's talk about it. Ryan Day just lost to Ohio State's number one rival, michigan, for the third year in a row, and I feel like that is enough. That right, there is enough to do it, because if you can't beat Michigan at Ohio State, it's not going to work out. Now, ryan Day all-time is 56-7, which is a phenomenal record. You come to Ohio State, you have to beat Michigan. I do think that they should move on from Ryan Day, and I feel like he's going to end up at Texas A&M. They're going to give him a call, they're going to give him a fat paycheck. He's going to be on his way.
Speaker 1:Now for Ohio State, hit Vrabel's line and bring him in. So, while Mike Vrabel would have been a good you know heritage, pick 56-7 people and we're talking about firing him for a loss to Michigan. Again, yes, the loss to Michigan does sting, but at the end of the day, does he have a chance for a national championship? Yes, he does. And this is what I say to Buckeye fans Slow your roll and look back. Okay, but Ohio State versus Michigan did not start when Jim Trestle was here as the fed football coach. Again, this has been a up and down up. You know, michigan wins a couple, ohio State wins a couple, and that's the way it's always been.
Speaker 1:We had a football coach named John Cooper before Jim Trestle was the head coach. We had a head coach named John Cooper. John Cooper was great against everybody except the bowl games and except Michigan. John Cooper was 2, 10, and 1. Let's think about that for a second 2, 10, and 1. Let's think about that for a second. He had 13 tries against Michigan and lost 10 of them and was the coach for 13 times. He played Michigan and that's what happened, and they kept him. And we are tripping when Coach Day loses four out of five.
Speaker 1:It's not. It's not a pretty thing and again, the assignment is to beat Michigan, but the grand scheme of things is to be the king of kings, right To be the national champion. So that's what I need Buckeye fans to remember. It's always up and down with Michigan, let that be clear. It's always and down with Michigan, let that be clear. It's always a we'll win a couple, we'll lose a couple. Win a couple, lose a couple.
Speaker 1:If you are a Buckeye fan like me, like from the nineties and I and you know I don't mean to try to throw my age way back in my day we just understand that these are, these are, these are facts. Right, I've been a buckeye fan for as long as I can remember. I remember all these times where michigan would come up and whoop us and it would be, it wouldn't be fair. Be like wait, wait, we got, we got eddie george. Well, how are we losing to this? We got david boston. How are we losing? Like we had some good athletes that have lost to michigan. So that's what I need buckeye fans to do chill out, it's not. It's not that I mean. Yes, is it a fireball offense? No, but does it raise the eyebrow. Absolutely we cannot. We cannot lose to Michigan.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you about the all-time record. Right now it's 61-52-6. That's the all-time record for Ohio State and Michigan, with Michigan winning 61 of those games. If they haven't won those four, it'll be 57-56. And that's one of my bucket list things before I die I want Ohio State to be on top of that all time rivalry. I need that in my life before I die. That and Everton Premier League Championship that's the two things I would love to have before I go. If that happens, I can say all right, jesus, take the wheel, I'm ready to go.
Speaker 1:But that happened and ohio state was still in the playoffs, right? So why? My question to buckeye fans is why were we tripping? People were saying fire Ryan Day.
Speaker 1:Only thing I said, the only thing I said is the play calling. The play calling was super sus, and I understand why, kind of, as the pressure builds for a Michigan-Ohio State game first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, that fourth quarter you run out of options. You run out of options and you're nervous. That's what happens when you are a Michigan fan or you're an Ohio State fan. When this game comes on, you better slap some extra deodorant on because you're going to sweat it all off. That's what happens. That's what happens every time I watch this game, like I wear two shirts because the first shirt is soaked. I know it's tmi and knows too much information, but that's what the game does to me.
Speaker 1:And, being a buckeye fan that has gone through the 210 and one of John Cooper and then coming up for a Jim Trussell who went 9-1 against Michigan and then Urban Meyer who went 7-0 against Michigan, I could take four losses, buckeye fans. We could take four losses, but you guys were tripping, calling for him to be fired. I even put on my Facebook look y'all, this is your chance to publicly apologize to Ryan Day Because A we're still in the playoffs, we still have a chance to win and let's not forget this Buckeye team's loaded. Yes, we stumbled and we lost to Michigan, but what's our odds? Our odds are good. We're going into this new playoff I think the seventh seed and we have to play the elite of college football. But you cannot tell me, other than Oregon, that we're not one of the best teams in the land. Now watching Ohio State. It's just we're loaded. We're so loaded it's ridiculous. We shouldn't have lost to Michigan, but that happens. But we're moving onward because we got Tennessee and they're the SEC. Now the SEC has always owned the Big Ten. Now, the SEC has always owned the Big Ten.
Speaker 1:But again, as a lifelong fan, the idea is we go down south play a bowl game which is in their backyard, it's their home field. They get the most seats right. So this time, guess what? The SEC has to come up north. They gotta come up to Ohio State in December. Okay, come on. This is one of the things I've always loved about the FCS level of college football. Teams have to travel. Appalachian State gets to go to Montana to play the Grizzlies in snow in Montana. What happened? Montana won. That's what football is. That's what football is. You can't go to no bowl game in the south in the dome and expect to play. So Tennessee had to come up north to Ohio play us in Columbus. What do you think happened? Had to come up north to Ohio to play us in Columbus. What do you think happened? What do you think happened when these Southern boys came up north? I'm going to tell you what happened. They weren't ready. They weren't ready for December football.
Speaker 1:And the thing that when I watched the game, watched the clips Tennessee fans. One Tennessee fan went on some kind of website and renamed Ohio Stadium Nolan North Stadium. They think that's funny, you think. They said they're going to have the stadium orange. Okay, okay, I see you. I see you Don't do that. Listen, we don't have like a rivalry with with tennessee, other than sec versus big 10. That might be it, but they, they tripping, they they named us nolan, nolan north I guess that's what their stadium's called and they said they're gonna have the stadium orange. That's okay. So what happened? What happened when they finally came up north? Let me play one clip of the game.
Speaker 5:Play caller loves to feature the two backs as receivers. And now a downfield shot and first down for the end zone Touchdown Ohio State strikes first the freshman.
Speaker 1:Jeremiah Smith. Once Ohio State came out with all that red on, all that scarlet on, it was over. It was over. Tennessee didn't have a prayer.
Speaker 3:Attack these corners one-on-one. Does he hold on? Finish the catch Comes down. He gets the left arm underneath to be able to prevent the ball from coming loose. Really good job. Look at that right arm. Grab it on. Does he finish? He does. That's a touchdown for Ohio State, and what a way to start for the Buckeyes.
Speaker 1:So Tennessee comes in and gets smacked. We send them back to Knoxville with an L and a knock on the head 42-17. And this is the equalizer when it comes to college football. Now these SEC teams have to travel up north in November December time frame. You want to go up to Ohio State in December? Come on, come get your whooping. You want to go up north and play Michigan? Come on and get your whooping.
Speaker 1:It's revenge time for all us northern teams. When it comes to y'all traveling, we always have to go to the Cotton Bowl and the Peach Bowl and all the stupid bowls in the south Citrus Bowl, not anymore. Now you got to come up north. What happens? You ain't ready for that cold. You wasn't ready. 42-17 Ohio State, so Ohio State wins. Ready for that cold? You wasn't ready. 42 to 17 ohio state, so ohio state wins. And in this format they get a home game and then they go into the bowl games, right? So we get to play oregon, who beat ohio state earlier at the rose bowl, and again, that game was a tight one in eugene oregon, and oregon won that game 32-31, as mentioned before. So what happens when it's, you know, when we now on a roll. We don't understand how to play this game. Oh, these are the rules that we got to play, no problem. What happened in the Rose Bowl?
Speaker 5:See if they take a shot here. Howard looking to launch right down the middle. Smith is wide open. Too easy one playoff, I'm gonna tell y'all a secret.
Speaker 1:I shouldn't tell y'all the secret. The secret is that fight song. Once you hear that, it's over for you. That's the secret power of Ohio. Right there, if you hear that fight song, it's probably over, or it's going to be close to be over, or you don't know, you don't realize it's over and we already went home because it's over. Once you hear the fight song, that's our secret power. You hear that it just energizes everybody in Ohio, including the players, including the band. That's why it's called the best damn band in all the land, the Ohio State. You can't play with us. So we got our revenge against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Dominated them, final score 41-21. And it's on to the Rose Bowl. Dominated them, final score 41-21. And it's on to the Cotton Bowl to play the Texas Longhorns.
Speaker 1:Now this one. To me this was the national championship. Texas scared the bejesus out of me. Plus, it's in their backyard. It's in their backyard in Dallas-Fort Worth, texas. Yep, I'm sure my boy Sean had to be excited. I bet he was thrilled. And the thing I love about Sean he's a big Longhorn fan and he talks like he's a big Longhorn fan and he talks like he's from Texas. He's like well, you know, texas plays Ohio State. Michael, how's that going to be? We're going to whoop him. We're going to whoop him, maybe. Maybe Because whoever wins was going to win the National Championship. Because there ain't no way I think Notre Dame already played there ain't no way Notre Dame's gonna beat Texas, let alone beat Ohio State.
Speaker 1:The game with Texas was relatively close. That was again, in my opinion. That was the national championship, and it went back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, until one play on the goal line where Texas got as far as they could one yards, two yards, and they started making bad play. Call decisions instead of dry. Look, when you're on, listen, this is, this is football 101 for me. When you're on the one, two, three yard line, you're running through the middle. Don't run side to side. That, because that's just not, that doesn't work anymore. Run straight through the middle, that's what you do, that's what you do. And it came down to a third quarter play where captain jack, captain jack, all right, what am I talking?
Speaker 5:it's not do or die, but it's it's close for yours.
Speaker 2:Pressure comes. Sawyer knocked it out and picks it up. Jack Sawyer headed down the sidelines. Ohio State scoop and score and dagger. Here comes the fight song 82 yards.
Speaker 1:It's over. Listen, I don't lie, I'm telling you guys the truth. You hear that fight song. It's over.
Speaker 3:It's a veteran defense and nobody embodies that more than Jack Sawyer, the senior at 6'5" 260, who grew up in Columbus, ohio, lifelong Buckeye fan. With the game on the line, he makes the play that could send Ohio State to the national championship.
Speaker 1:So, with Texas now behind us, the national championship is just all but ours. It is all but ours. I'm just saying, I'm just being honest with you. I listen. Notre Dame, to me, is like the head cheerleader of a cheerleading squad. They get all the notoriety, they get all the press, they get all the oh, we love Notre Dame. Everybody named Mama loves Notre Dame.
Speaker 1:I cannot stand Notre Dame. You know why I can't stand Notre Dame? Because they think they special and they're not Hear me out. They get their own channel on NBC. They get their own games on NBC the rivalry game with Michigan. The one time, the one time I root for Michigan is when they play Notre Dame, because I can't stand Notre Dame. Their coach, lou Holtz, can't stand him.
Speaker 1:It seems like every time they get special treatment because they want to be independent. They don't want to join a conference. They should have joined the Big Ten years ago. Imagine the Big Ten with Penn State, notre Dame, michigan and Ohio State. Boom, that would have been a mega conference. Those games would have been crazy. But no, we get Nebraska instead. Why is Nebraska in the big 10 anyway? I would never understand that. So the one time I get the roof from michigan. They cancel that.
Speaker 1:And now it's ohio state's turn to put the smack on Notre Dame. And I can't. I know, I know in my heart of hearts that Ohio State's going to win. I can't. I can't fathom the idea that Notre Dame has even a remote chance against Ohio State. And look at the record. The all-time record for Ohio State and Notre Dame is 5-2. We've only played seven times and Ohio State has won five of those, not counting what happened this year 5-2. Kind of reminds me of Hamilton versus Baton, with the religious aspect of it and everything. And Notre Dame hasn't beat Ohio State since 1936 with the score of seven to two. So what happened? What happened with that game? Same thing happened.
Speaker 1:Notre Dame started out great, first, going for it twice, and they opened the drive on fourth down. That is a recipe for disaster. In your first series You're going forward on fourth down Twice already. Really, that's the best you got. You got quarterback sneaking Really. And they put up First draw. They put a touchdown. This might be something. But all in all, ohio State jumps on them After they score first 31-7. But all in all, all in all, ohio State jumps on them After they score first 31-7. And Notre Dame makes a little comeback. Everything this, that and the other Make it entertaining for a while.
Speaker 5:But at the end of the day and they come, heavy pressure. Howard delivers Downfield and Smith, he's got it.
Speaker 2:Jeremiah Smith hadn't had a touch in the second half.
Speaker 1:Cue the fight song.
Speaker 5:Potential game clincher Went zero meaning they blitzed seven.
Speaker 3:They left everybody on an island.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 3:Ohio State thinks that's a mismatch with Jeremiah Smith against anybody.
Speaker 1:So that's it, that's it. That's it. Ohio State wins the championship, wins the 2024-2025 College Football Championship, has the greatest run, one of the greatest runs in college football history. As of right now, because next year, one team is going to have to do the same thing again. They beat the likes of Tennessee, oregon, which was the number one team at the time, texas, and then finished it off with Notre Dame Again, not a Notre Dame fan. So, buckeye fans, where does this season rank for you? Where does this season rank for you? Because, at the end of the day, there's a national championship in the halls of Columbus, but we didn't beat Michigan. My opinion, it doesn't matter, nobody cares, we didn't beat Michigan. It happens again.
Speaker 1:This rivalry will have its ups and downs. Remember, john Cooper went 2-10-1. Had 13 opportunities to beat Michigan and lost 10 of them. And we're tripping over Ryan Day because he lost four. Oh, but he brought a national championship to Ohio State. We got spoiled, ladies and gentlemen. We got spoiled with that. We got spoiled, ladies and gentlemen. We got spoiled with that.
Speaker 1:Jim Trestle, urban Meyer, who combined to be 16-1 against Michigan and brought the overall series close. We're close, ladies and gentlemen. We have an opportunity to catch them. Imagine we did not win 16 of those games. Where would we be? So, buckeye fans, we need to chill a little bit and admire this championship run that Ryan Day had. And lastly, let's not forget our past, when we struggled against Michigan for the longest time. Imagine the frustration when we had more talent and we couldn't win.
Speaker 1:So, buckeye fans, let it be known, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it, but we got a national championship out of it and I'll take the national championship over beating Michigan. I said it. I said it, but I'll take it. Who wouldn't take a championship? You are the king of kings, but we need to chill. We got a championship out of it. Take that. Take that College football. Everybody else who's not Ohio State, screw you. That was such a good game. And Jeremiah Smith freshman Dude, and then the freshman Dude, and then the portal stuff. We can be back here next year talking about back-to-back championships. But I digress, slow down. Enjoy this championship, enjoy this episode. This is Mike Gillespie of the WDYM. Hope you guys had a good day, have a good night and I'll talk to you guys later. Peace out, bucke, you guys later. Peace out, buckeye fans. I'm out.
