Well, that was awful. Ohio State’s repeated self-inflicted breakdowns on Saturday were so horrifying and egregious that it’s a true testament to us as podcasting “professionals” that this entire episode doesn’t just consist of a single, four-letter word repeated ad nauseum.

We had a job to do, so instead of cursing, we’re breaking down Ohio State’s unacceptable and maddening 45-23 home loss to Michigan. A lot of things went wrong in one game that have been going wrong periodically all season. Unfortunately, it was the biggest game of the year, on the biggest stage, and it is likely going to keep the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff. The penalties, the coverage busts, the inexplicable coaching decisions and even more ineffective wide receiver screens were on the menu on Saturday and we all collectively choked on that meal in the exact same manner as Ryan Day choked in The Game (again). Does that sound harsh? Because I can make it harsher if you want.

We didn’t much bother with our score predictions or picks to click because [/gestures broadly at Saturday’s result].

After the game discussion, we talked about what might be next for the Buckeyes, and one of those things is actually still a good thing. The lustre of the “regular” bowl games is long gone now, and the teams that take the field for them often do so without multiple star players in the age of the opt-out, but that’s just how it goes.

Beyond that, there were some other games around the Big Ten this past weekend, even if we cared far less about them. We walked through the rest of the results in the conference to see how everyone else made out. The music finally stopped in the B1G West’s season-long game of musical chairs and we’re not sure if Purdue won or lost, as seemingly every team with the inside track on the division melted down when in the driver’s seat. Someone had to win it this weekend and Iowa politely declined.

We also discussed the resignation of Ohio State’s now-former president, Kristina M. Johnson, and did some far-too-early pontificating about some potential candidates to replace her. We also opined on the new coaching hires at Nebraska and Wisconsin, with both schools seemingly finding exactly the right fit. Of course, that’s what Scott Frost and Jim Leonhard were supposed to be, so you never really can tell.

And finally, we answered listener mail (OK, it was a tweet in this case).

We’ll be back next week to talk about whatever’s next for Ohio State, as well as any additional news that may drop, such as bowl game opt-outs, coaching changes, or key players entering the transfer portal from around the B1G.

In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share.

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