Ohio State football play-calling vs Indiana didn't make sense: Mailbox

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Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.

On Ohio State football

Hi Brian: Thought the play-calling could not get worse after throwing two ridiculous passes on two different third-and-1 situations from roughly the Indiana 5. Any team with half a brain would run the ball, and if you don’t make it, then decide your fourth-down play. You might even pick up that yard. Imagine that!

Then comes the field goal attempt on fourth-and-1, down by 3 points. Would you not think if you are the No. 1 team you would go for it and live with the consequences? Playing not to lose football is the surest path to defeat.

Rick Higgins, Columbus

To Rick: The Buckeyes‘ inability to gain a yard in the red zone is baffling for a team filled with five-star players and millionaire coaches. If that is not cleaned up, Texas A&M or Georgia will punish them. As for the field goal, that was the right call. It was a chip shot and one a team of that caliber should never miss. Indiana’s defensive line was clearly dominating OSU’s offensive line, so taking the points was correct.

To Brian: I’m wondering how many marriages/relationships become strained now that a meaningful football game is being played each New Year’s Eve. I wonder if fired coaches watch their former teams play. How is it possible the CFP is not controlled by the NCAA? And how is it possible in 2025 that we still have cameras set up to televise games in a spot where fans are able to raise their hands and obstruct the view?

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

To the editor: I am happy the Buckeyes lost to Indiana. I am glad they kicked our butts, and not Michigan. A humbling like this before the big dance is a good thing.

My dad always taught me: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. The true test of character is how you handle defeat. My older brothers, Boo and Beanie, used to beat me in football and say, “Don’t go running home to mom – just fight harder.”

That’s where the Buckeyes are now. A loss like this can do what a blowout win can’t. It forces you to look in the mirror, admit you are not invincible despite what social media and friends say, and decide what kind of team you really are. As Archie Griffin reminds us, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

Coach Day now has the chance to be less conservative, to trust his talent and to coach with more edge. A loss can make this team leaner and meaner-less cocky, more focused, and hungrier. Now they have something no easy win can give them: motivation, revenge and a new goal – a national championship.

That kind of Buckeye bounce-back would make Woody darn proud.

Michael N. Oser, Upper Arlington

To Brian: The football Buckeyes have given us another year of excitement, but a word should be said for the continued excellence of the marching band. They work equally as hard and are so integral in energizing fans in the stadium while also excelling in the classroom. I only wish television would include some of TBDBITL during their broadcast. Without the band, it’s just a football game.

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

On college football

Dear sports editor: The talking heads at ESPN did the college football world no favors when they promoted Alabama to the college football playoff. Promoted? In the week leading up to the SEC championship game, ESPN commentators said no less than hundreds of times that it would not be held against Alabama if they lost to Georgia. Heather Dinich could be an AI animation − just a pretty face that continually promotes SEC football, as it is programmed to do.

We are living in the most precarious time of our lives as far as people thinking every judgment is BS. You can lay much of the blame for that at the feet of one man. But if we want to continue to be a nation in which some can be promoted to cast judgments in good faith, then an appearance of fairness must be maintained. When ESPN has an ownership stake in the SEC network, and then promotes its own teams even to the exclusion of game results that occurred in plain view of the public, then it is failing in its most basic duty. The result can only be diminished faith in the product, which will devalue that product as more and more conclude, “This is all BS.” If the SEC is the best football conference, then the SEC championship game was theoretically the most important game of the season. Yet the result meant nothing. And, ultimately, Alabama’s embarrassing loss to a bad Florida State team, which was the one that really should have kept them out of the playoffs, meant nothing. Is the committee independent, or are they ESPN shills? When interviewed the next morning, Nick Saban, who comes across as a person of integrity, looked and sounded ashamed to even be talking about it. And when ESPN says people would have been upset no matter what, that’s just part of their spin. ESPN prostrated themselves for Alabama, and Bama rewarded them with a big fat turd on the plate.

Speaking as an Ohio State fan, this negatively affects the Buckeyes, as well. Having a great college football team adds profile to the university. Much like with ESPN and the SEC, it’s a benefit to Ohio State if people believe college football is really important. By unduly promoting Alabama, ESPN instead gave a win to the “sports are stupid” crowd. It’s a thin line between “It just means more,” and “This doesn’t mean anything at all.” I hope ESPN can just acknowledge the mistake they’ve made, apologize to Notre Dame and the rest of college football fandom, and then act with more journalistic integrity moving forward.

Bob Young, Columbus

To Bob: Good points all around, though I have one nitpick: Just because ESPN is media doesn’t make it a journalistic entity. In our world, there is a big difference. For the most part, ESPN does what interests ESPN, not always what is right.

To Brian: In the words of Mr. Spock, continuing with a 12-team playoff bracket, is not “logical.” Toss it and go to 16 teams – no more byes or delays. That’s 8>4>2>1 games from start to finish.

There’s easily more room. Notre Dame would then be in. (Texas, Utah?) How Duke fell through the cracks is preposterous. Virginia, which beat Duke earlier, is now out. Another mistake: Ohio State should be in the Rose or Fiesta Bowl when appropriate – a choice before the start, given to the reigning champs.

What’s not to like about getting to watch more games (15) vs. 11 in ’24? As long as all teams are rested and ready to go. More popcorn and pizza. Besides, most bowl games have become almost meaningless. But, to each his own. Keep it simple (not complicated), this bracketing stuff.

Larry Cheek, Dublin

To Larry: I’m good with 16, too. Teams don’t need a bye after being off already for two weeks. But the problem with 16, of course, is that the complaining of Team No. 13 will be replaced by the complaining of Team No. 17. And what if one year that is … Notre Dame! Chaos! The Irish might just form their own football association.