Ryan Day: Ohio State was 'exposed' in loss to Michigan

Ryan Day saw Ohio State’s College Football Playoff hopes crumble on Saturday in Ann Arbor, as the Buckeyes fell to the rival Michigan Buckeyes Ohio State Buckeyes by a 42-27 final.

In truth, Day’s Buckeyes lost far more than a shot to play in the College Football Playoff. They also lost their chance at playing in the Big Ten Championship game, and a conference title game could very well have helped their case as a two-win team. And, of course, it also meant losing The Game, Michigan and Ohio State’s famous rivalry, which the Buckeyes had not lost since 2011. With Saturday’s result, Jim Harbaugh picked up his first win over Ohio State — in his seventh try.

“Well, you know, you make progress and you keep growing. And any week, if you don’t show up and do it, this is what happens,” Day said after Ohio State’s historic loss. “This six-game run was a real run for us, week in and week out. There was a lot of good play run there.”

Ohio State has gone through the gauntlet in recent weeks, as Day noted, even if the scoreboard may not show it. The Buckeyes had to beat Penn State, Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan State — three of which were ranked at the time of the game — before taking on Michigan. Some, like the Michigan State game, resulted in an Ohio State blowout, but that didn’t mean they were physically ready to take on a task as tall as Michigan, and Day acknowledged that. Ohio State simply didn’t look ready to play, Day said, and that’s what happened when you aren’t ready: you get exposed.

“But this game, if you don’t bring it in all areas, you can be exposed,” Day said of the famed rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State. “Just like you see week in and week out, this is what happens what can happen when you don’t play your best game. We did not play our best game today, so this is what you get.”

Michigan absolutely bullied Ohio State in the rushing game, as quarterback Cade McNamara only needed to complete 13 passes in 19 attempts — coupled with no touchdowns and an interception — to win the game. And that’s because senior running back Hassan Haskins put together a historic performance, taking 28 carries for 169 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He wasn’t the only running back to see success, either, as sophomore Blake Corum went for 87 yards on six carries.

With the win, Michigan moves to the Big Ten Championship game, where it will face the Iowa Hawkeyes.