Ad Disclosure
Not looking ahead: Ryan Day says national championship not on Ohio State’s mind
Published:
Not many network analysts, websites or other publications are talking much about Ohio State’s regular season. After a 13-1 year in 2019, it’s all about the College Football Playoff.
Head coach Ryan Day and his team don’t take that approach, though. The Buckeyes play by a “one game at a time” mindset and are solely focused on the first week of the season. As tempting as it might be to discuss a national championship, the only thing Ohio State is concerned with is Nebraska.
On Tuesday, Day said there’s “no conversation” about competing for a national title right now, according to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors. If the Buckeyes start thinking too far into the future, they’ll be vulnerable to an upset.
Ryan Day said there's “no conversation” about competing for a national championship right now. Buckeyes need to focus on beating Nebraska and getting to 1-0. If they start thinking too far ahead, they'll be vulnerable to getting upset.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) October 20, 2020
And after the Buckeyes pummeled Nebraska in Lincoln last season, that’s exactly the mindset the Huskers are taking to Columbus for the Week 1 matchup. But Vegas still favors Ohio State, which is a 26-point favorite heading into the game.
Ohio State is considered by many to be one of the favorites to win the B1G and compete for a national championship. But Day and his team understand they have to be absolutely perfect this fall to guarantee even an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
None of it will even be possible without a win over the Huskers on Saturday.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB