Tanner McCalister spoke on the Ohio State’s College Football Playoff potential following a tough loss to Michigan and preparation for top-ranked Georgia, who Ohio State plays in the first round.

Reflecting on the loss to Michigan, McCalister said there were “a lot of missed assignments,” including himself as the Wolverines routed the Buckeyes easily.

With Ohio sports betting coming at the end of the month, you can pre-register today and get hundreds of dollars in free bets to use on the Buckeyes, NFL games and other sports:

Defeated after the loss to Michigan, McCalister said J.T. Tuimoloau stood in front of the defense to remind everyone of the possibility that they could still make the CFP in order the light a spark under the team. The words of encouragement helped the team stay locked in even though their fate was undecided.

He said the game sparked a fire within the game however. Now, they are more focused than ever. He said there’s a “different level of focus, different level of seriousness” in practices following the loss as they prepare for the CFP.

McCalister had a solid season with the Buckeyes, picking up 19 solo tackles and 3 interceptions.