No. 3 Ohio State is set to play No. 1 Texas on Saturday, but a win at home in the season opener over the top-ranked team in the country would mean little to a fan base that’s thinking about playing Michigan on Nov. 29.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, Nick Saban argued that the Buckeyes’ loss to Michigan last year was what propelled them to win a national title, and they should keep that angst so they don’t become complacent this season.
“You’ve got to replace that hunger that’s created by not having success, Saban said. “Like, Ohio State getting beat by Michigan last year probably had as much to do with them winning a national championship as anything.”
In December, Saban defended Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, saying that the fan base was too critical of Day and the players for losing to the Wolverines four seasons in a row. He thinks that the pressure Day and the players have going into the rivalry game is “killing” Ohio State.
“They needed it”, Saban said of his lecture toward Ohio State fans. They needed it. They got this psychological disposition about Michigan that’s just killing them, killing them.”
That’s a worry for the program 11 games from now. The Buckeyes have other concerns, and it starts with trying to stop Arch Manning and the Longhorns in sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin’s first start for OSU.
If Ohio State can knock off Texas on Saturday, it won’t erase the loss to Michigan last season, but it would be an important win for Sayin as the Buckeyes make progress through the season and gain confidence before their all-important contest against the Wolverines in late November.
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