The Big 10 Championship did not unfold the way Ohio State expected. The Buckeyes not only lost their shot at an undefeated season but also surrendered a highfer playoff seed to Indiana. For Ryan Day, the defeat served as a learning moment, and he admitted he plans to use it as motivation moving forward.

“I’ve watched it all a bunch. Didn’t sleep well last night. Have a sick feeling in my stomach over the game, so do these guys here,” Ryan Day said. “We’ll use this as motivation.”

With the playoff bracket set, Ryan Day revealed how his team plans on bouncing back from the Indiana loss in the upcoming playoff games.

“We’re gonna respond like men. We’re not gonna sit around and point fingers and feel sorry for ourselves. We lost. We were not at our best,” Day said. “Everybody, including myself, including the coaches, everybody. That’s what you have to do. You’ve got to address what the problems are and get them fixed. When you lose a game like that, you can’t just feel sorry for yourself or point fingers; you have to get the issues fixed. Certainly, the red zone was one of them, balance on offense, there are some things I know the guys on defense want to get addressed as well, and special teams.”

Despite taking an early lead on a Carnell Tate touchdown, the Buckeyes could not slow Indiana’s offense, which continued to string together big plays. Ohio State had dominated so consistently throughout the season that it had never trailed in the second half of any game. That streak ended when Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza delivered a perfectly placed back-shoulder throw to wide receiver Elijah Sarratt for a 17-yard touchdown, giving Indiana a 13-10 lead in the third quarter.

Mendoza completed 15 of 23 throws for 222 yards and a touchdown, leading Indiana to the championship and emerging as the clear winner in the Heisman head-to-head against Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. The performance could have major implications for the Heisman race going forward.

For Ryan Day, the loss highlights several issues that must be addressed heading into the playoffs.

What does the playoff road look like for Ryan Day?

The playoff draws are out, and Ohio State is preparing to defend its national title. While the Big Ten Championship loss to Indiana may have stung, it could ultimately serve as a valuable reminder not to underestimate any opponent. With a first-round bye, Ryan Day’s hopes of becoming a back-to-back national champion remain firmly within reach.

The bracket is set: the Buckeyes will face either SEC powerhouse Texas A&M or ACC representative Miami, which narrowly secured a playoff spot, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Ohio State would meet the winner of the Georgia vs. Ole Miss/Tulane. Indiana, meanwhile, sits on the opposite side of the bracket, meaning the two Big Ten rivals would only meet if both teams advance to the championship game.

If that matchup happens, the college football world would witness a dramatic Big Ten showdown in the national title game, with Indiana attempting to deny Ohio State a second consecutive championship.

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