Three’s Company: Monday Night's Importance for the Buckeyes in College Football's Arms Race
Many say, “three’s a crowd."
But on Monday night, Ohio State will try to erase their title as “third wheel” in the luxurious automobile that is college football's most dominant programs.
Over the past decade, for most rational Ohio State supporters, there is no denying that while the Buckeyes are certainly among the most elite programs in the country, they are not the most elite.
Ohio State dominates its conference schedule on a regular basis, winning the previous four Big Ten championships. They are 106-10 since Urban Meyer took over in the 2012 season. With a resume like that, playing second fiddle to any team is surprising. But while you could stack up the Buckeyes' run of form during that stretch over just about any team in the country, they're clearly third best of the three college football elites right now.
Talking the Alabama Crimson Tide off college football’s top spot in recent memory will get you thrown out of every bar outside the 614-area code, and probably even some in Columbus before midnight. There is no denying the success Nick Saban has built with the active dynasty in Tuscaloosa. Winning five of the last 11 national titles, the Tide have become the signature program of college football by a landslide.
Yes, the Buckeyes bested Alabama during their signature 2014 title run in the Sugar Bowl. But since that game, Alabama has won 2 national championships and made the finals on two other occasions. Prior to Monday's showdown, the Buckeyes have not had a championship game appearance since that legendary run seven seasons ago.
The other team currently outperforming Ohio State in recent memory: the Clemson Tigers. Certainly, those with short memories will be shouting about how the Buckeyes embarrassed Dabo Swinney and the Tigers New Years Day in a 21-point rout. But don't ignore the big picture. Clemson has won two of the last four national titles and came up just one game short last season. With a remarkable ACC title run of six that even eclipses Ohio State’s dominant conference mark, their body of work is more impressive recently than Ohio State.
While that's not necessarily what Buckeye fans want to hear, that could all change on Monday.
In the short term, a win Monday night for the Buckeyes would give all three programs two national championships in the 7-year Playoff era. With the Bowl Championship Series becoming a distant memory (can you even name the last BCS national champion?), the CFP has become the measuring stick for elite programs - and the Buckeyes would be tied at the top with Bama and Clemson with a pair of titles.
In the long term, Ryan Day picked up right where Urban Meyer left off with elite-level recruiting. Yes, Alabama and Clemson are certainly holding their own, but most national outlets would give Ohio State the edge with recruiting over the next couple of years. A win over each of those programs in this year's CFP would only further enhance Ohio State's recruiting pitch as all three schools are often recruiting the same players.
Adam Prescott pointed out earlier this week that Buckeye fans should just be happy to be in this game, given this tumultuous season and the several months leading up to it.
However, there is no denying that on a national scale and for overall national recognition and dominance, Monday night is as big as it gets. Ohio State can vault its phenomenal program into the conversation for the phenomenal program by upsetting Alabama in Miami and drawing even in the race for college football's top program.
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