Ohio State’s 2021 football season ended in dramatic fashion.

After spending a week in Southern California, where we watched Ohio State beat Utah 48-45 in what we both agreed was one of the wildest games we’ve ever covered, we have plenty to discuss from the Rose Bowl on this week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays.

Of course, we had to start by talking about Jaxon Smith-Njigba and C.J. Stroud, as we discuss how both Buckeyes rewrote the record books to cap off spectacular sophomore seasons and potentially set themselves up for even bigger years in 2022. We also talk about the emergence of Marvin Harrison Jr. (10:22), a few encouraging signs from the defense’s second-half performance even though the Buckeyes gave up 45 points and how the events that unfolded during the game were crazy both on and off the field (25:40).

We also discuss the Rose Bowl within the context of the 2021 season and whether it makes a disappointing season more of a success (28:30) and look back at the season as a whole by making our picks (beginning at 37:00) for who was Ohio State’s team MVP (aside from Stroud), what the Buckeyes’ biggest surprises and disappointments were and our favorite moments of the year.

We also answer a bunch of questions submitted by our listeners (beginning at 45:55) looking ahead to the 2022 season, including which players we think will have breakout seasons next year, which incoming freshmen could make an immediate impact and what further changes, if any, could be coming to Ohio State’s coaching staff now that the season is over.