Ohio State Beats Georgia If Not for Harrison's Injury - Buckeyes Star Says
The controversy surrounding the Ohio State Buckeyes' loss in the college football playoff semifinal to the Georgia Bulldogs this past fall doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.
As Buckeye and Bulldog fans continue to debate the originally called targeting hit on Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., then controversial was overturned following a review, the star wide-out has caused the latest wave in the argument.
When speaking at Big Ten media day recently in an interview with CBS Sports' Harrison Jr. finally opened up on the feeling of the Chick-fil-la Peach Bowl game getting away from Ohio State following his injury.
"I think it came down to a couple plays … towards the end of the game, unfortunately, I wasn't there to play in that fourth quarter," Harrison said. "I think I could've helped my team out down the stretch, but yeah, I think, you know, a couple plays away from having a totally different story this year."
Although that wasn't the controversial statement in question, Harrison would go on to answer the million-dollar question that everyone has had on their minds since the conclusion of the semifinal: Does Harrison believe, if he stayed healthy, the Buckeyes would've won?
"I think we go on to win that game against Georgia and I like our chances in the national championship," Harrison said.
Ohio State would've certainly been in a good position to win the national title if they were able to get past Georgia, as the Bulldogs made quick work of TCU in the championship, winning 65-7.
Yet, while Harrison and likely the majority of his teammates feel they should've beaten Georgia, and likely would have if not for the hit on their star wide-out, they aren't using it as an excuse for last season. Rather, as coach Ryan Day would explain in an interview with 247Sports', it has become fuel for the coming season.
"It's been about me competing against you in almost everything that we did in the offseason," Day said about the changes they've made in preparation for this season. "So, you know, if we're competing in something and you do 10, I'm gonna do 11. Once I do 11 you're probably going to do 12. So, how do you get that one extra rep, that one extra, you know, win."
While the debate of targeting or not will likely continue until the Buckeyes get their hands on the program's ninth national championship, Day and company are doing everything this offseason to make sure if Ohio State has another opportunity this season, they are prepared to finish the game.
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