Mailbox: Ohio State lost to Michigan in football, and readers aren't happy

Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com

On Ohio State football

Dear Mr. White: Regarding Ohio State’s loss to Michigan: Too much hype leads to too much emotion, which leads to too many dumb penalties, questionable coaching decisions and players' mistakes. I’m not suggesting Buckeye Nation and the team emulate J.J. McCarthy and get into meditation, but toning down the pregame hype, calming down a bit, coaches thinking better and players playing smarter is sorely needed to beat Michigan.

Andy Jones, Galena

To the editor: Looks like Ryan Day got stranded on third base again.

Brent DeWees

To the editor: Ohio State got punched in the mouth by Michigan for a second year in a row. Shocking, to say the least. This year’s beat down was much worse than last year. Everything was in place for an OSU win – perfect weather, better talent, etc., until it wasn’t. Two plays stand out to me. The first one was the jump pass by the Michigan linebacker demonstrating a level of creativity that the Ohio State coaches clearly do not have. The second play was when the OSU player head-butted a Michigan player on the sideline, demonstrating a lack of discipline and focus. Easy to think your team is outstanding going 40-0 beating cupcakes. Calling Mike Vrabel!

Mickey Geslak, Galena

To the editor: Ryan Day needs to lose the beard! It brings nothing but bad luck!

LA Cook, Sugar Grove

To the editor: Didn't OSU pay a few million dollars to improve the defense? Seems to me it got worse, at least in the last game. No safeties back, even when it became clear to all but apparently the millionaire coaches that UM was capable of passing, after all? No changes at halftime? Seems also to me that someone should work on tackling, which is almost as bad as it's ever been. Are we in for another era of John Cooperism?

Mike Howard, Westerville

Dear Editors: At the risk of adding to the cavalcade of letters on The Game you must be receiving this week, I would like to add a voice that seems to be lost.

The dominant narrative around here, with a few exceptions, is how and why Ohio State lost. I read every day of the miscalculations and mistakes that Ohio State made. There was even an article in Tuesday's Dispatch suggesting that a different fourth-down call might have switched the game's momentum. Or Ohio State lost on a "few big plays." (Is this akin to a Phillies' fan explaining that except for a few bad pitches, they should have won the World Series?) An alternative explanation, of course, is that Michigan won. The distinction is subtle but significant. However unpleasant for some to consider, a 22-point victory at the opponent's home field with their best player sidelined is a decisive one. Did the Wolverines play better football? Could one even say that Michigan was the better football team?

I wonder if part of the problem is the underlying assumption of Buckeye football in central Ohio that Ohio State should win whenever and wherever they take the field. And if they don't, something has gone terribly wrong. I suppose this assumption can be termed confidence or arrogance, depending on one's viewpoint. This lofty expectation might be justified by the high quality of recruiting and player development in Ohio State's football program. But is it even remotely realistic in the current world of college football? And is it dangerous and costly? The ancient Greek writers teach us that tragedy comes from hubris, an overbearing pride that fails to recognize our limitations as human beings. Considering the history of the rivalry in the past two decades, we Michigan fans celebrate and cherish our victories these past two years largely because they were unexpected. And, trust me, these are even sweeter than the expected ones.

Mitchell Snay, Columbus

To the editor: The Buckeyes played hard against the M team, but the stars were brighter up north. We lacked a Maurice Clarett or Jim Stillwagon to appear on Saturday to lead the way, but that is OK. While our current coach is great for quarterbacks, he lacks the experience of Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel on the whole team concept. Unlike Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud will be a great QB at the next level, but his unwillingness or inability to run hurt him on the collegiate level. The Buckeyes gave my home plenty of good cheer, smiles, and laughter this season, and it gave me a chance to teach our 5-year-old grandchild to scream 'Go Bucks' and not to root for the team up north despite his mother being a U of M graduate. I hope the Bucks whump Michigan next year. I thank the Buckeyes for how hard they tried this season even though coach Hayes said you either win or have a locker room of losers. In my book, the Buckeyes will always be winners no matter the final score of the game.

Michael N. Oser, Columbus

To the editor: As a lifelong OSU fan (I'm 71 now), fire Ryan Day. He's another John Cooper - aka I can't beat Michigan. He's a nice guy, but he's 1-2 vs. them and will only continue to lose. Sorry, but don't let this guy build a never-beat-Michigan legacy. He has to go by Christmas.

Tom Ruef

To the editor: To the naysayers of Ohio State Football success: I wonder how many top-level football programs could achieve a one-loss season after having injuries to your top receiver and running back basically reduce their output to little. Then to have your second-string running back also reduced in output due to injury. Top programs play similar top programs and the talent-level difference is minimal until you experience injuries as deep as Buckeyes had this season. Coach Day continues to run a top-notch program year in and year out.

Than Johnson, Urbana

To the editor: I’m a longtime, multi-generational Buckeye. I’ve been to more games than I can count. (The Michigan) game was tough to watch, to be sure. Like most, I second-guessed play-calls and was frustrated by broken coverage and dropped passes. There was a good deal of the fan base that took it a step further hurling insults, derogatory names and complete condemnation of our team and coaches − taking one, albeit important, loss to mean the worst of character failures.

Our team gave everything they could. They were beaten by a better team. That loss doesn’t discount the thousands of hours they have spent all year round to bring us 11 wins. They have risked their physical safety, their social lives, time with their friends and family, for the most popular members of the team their privacy in order to bring us four hours of entertainment each week. To come to the end of that and fall short is painful enough for them. To be piled on by the very public that are supposed to be your biggest supporters is appalling.

I have no doubt most of those fans will not read this. If they do, they will fail to take stock of their gross exaggerations and regrettable behavior in order to find a broader perspective of what we get from being Ohio State fans and all that the team gives to us. They will fail to understand that we could never be as hard on the team and coaches as they are being on themselves this morning.

Thank you, coach Ryan Day, C.J. and the rest of the team and coaches for a great season. I am sorry that we let you down yesterday. This is a far bigger failure than any loss, even to Xichigan.

Amy Linkous, Westerville

To the editor: As a Michigan fan living in Columbus for the past 15 years, I have to say I was disappointed in The Dispatch’s game coverage on Sunday. There were no weather or illness excuses, no imploring Harbaugh to “win gracefully.” Only one game recap, a few notes, and one column from Oller? Couldn't you have at least gotten a few more photos of OSU fans looking glum? Oh well, the headline and photo from the sports section was nice, and it looks fantastic next to the one I have from last year.

Matthew Talicska, Hilliard 

To the editor: A little perspective: After a sleepless night, I was relieved when the sun rose on Sunday, Nov. 27. I resolved to have a serious talk with Will, my young grandson. Will has started life 0-2 against Michigan. I will remind him that his older sister started life 7-0 against the team up north. I will also point out that my own record is 40-27-2. Lastly, I will emphasize Ohio State’s record of 17-5 against Michigan in the 21st century. I am confident that Will has what it takes to turn around his two-game skid.

Mike Scholl, Worthington

To the editor: "Day's position feels tenuous after loss." Do we really need this "guest" writer to fuel the fires? Tenuous: "Precarious or insecure." Let's see, Day is 45-5, and 1-2 vs Michigan. Michigan copped out of COVID game when they would have gotten crushed, so make Day's implied record 2-2. Not bad for a man who has never been a head coach before. Let's recognize his achievements to date and hold off on calling in the dogs. There were six disastrous misplays by defensive players and a couple of dropped balls on offense that probably would have resulted in touchdowns. Yes, Day needs to hand off play-calling, but he certainly isn't in a "tenuous" position.

Mick Newman

To Mr. White: Mr. Oller wrote what could be considered a disparaging remark about the Ohio State football team in a column after its loss to Michigan. He wrote: "The OSU program simply is not designed to excel in the trenches. Or in the secondary. Instead, it is constructed to perform as a rousing circus act."

My reaction as a die-hard Buckeyes fan of 37 years: Ouch! The truth sometimes hurts.

Keith Robinson, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee

To Mr. White: I am writing to question the play-calling against Michigan. It appears to me that there are two situations that coach Day will not use. Why on third- or fourth-and-short coach Day will not run the ball, but pass? During Saturday's game I do not recall him going for it with the run. Also, why are we consistently throwing outside the numbers when the middle of the field is wide open. The one time we threw in the middle resulted in a red zone possession.

Fausto J Garofalo Jr., Columbus

To the editor: After the latest Daybacle, is it time for Urban renewal at OSU?

 Brent DeWees

To the editor: I think it was quite obvious the Bucks were outcoached. The Bucks' defense is not good enough in the big games when the offense is slowed down. We need a coaching change.

Donald Ocke

To the editor: Play 11 patsies, get embarrassed. Repeat.Michael Federer, Gahanna

To the editor: Beautiful day. Home-field advantage. No Excuses.

Carol Britt

To Brian: It's not just losing two years in a row that stings, but being thumped as well as the reality that the ghost of Rich Rodriquez has been exorcised; but we're not the only traditional power licking our wounds these days. Over the first seven years of the College Football Playoff, Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma monopolized 21 of those coveted 28 spots, but all have slipped from their lofty perch. I wonder with different rules the conference looks to eventually adopt and adjustments coaches do make how a conference championship rematch might have played out. Archie Griffin could tell you about how rematches can go when the 1975 Buckeyes went to UCLA in September and won by 21, but UCLA turned the tables to win the Rose Bowl by 13, costing OSU the national championship in his final collegiate game.

Dennis Singleton, Dayton

To Brian: It's clear to me that Ohio State doesn't belong in this year's College Football Playoff. All the bad things which occurred in The Game attested as to why. Michigan ranks fifth in total yards penalized at 395. OSU is 53rd with 600. The botched fake punt, the secondary out of position and the expletive by Cade Stover on ESPN all reveal a serious and disconcerting lack of discipline. Who belongs in the fourth slot? Alabama. Their two losses were by a total of 4four points, the first at the end of the game, the other in overtime. It's hard to knock on coaches Day and Knowles for their successful season.  But, up against another undefeated rival, I wonder if all the good obscured a slowly rising stream of complacency.

Larry Cheek, Dublin

Dear Mr. White: I attended the 1970 OSU v. Michigan game (OSU avenged their 1969 loss in Ann Arbor that ruined a perfect season) which culminated in a late-evening visit to campus from Woody Hayes, who, speaking through a bullhorn, urged fans to curb their “celebrating.”

The next 50+ seasons have included countless, smirky “TTUN” references, Urban Meyer tossing a guy from Ohio Stadium for wearing a blue shirt and students taking time from their studies to tape over the letter “M” on various campus buildings and signs. I’m not sure what high-brow antics TTUN counters with, but I do recall them being pilloried for suggesting that Notre Dame and Michigan State were also important games on their schedule. Moral of the story: No tree grows to the sky, and while it’s OK to opt for a one-game season, you’d better finish up 1-0.

Jon Armstrong, Columbus

To the editor: "Did botched fake punt change outcome of game?" Well, what was your answer? As a professional sportswriter I would expect you to provide your analysis and/or opinion and answer the question you posed in the headline. Don't need Harbaugh to do it for you. My question is why didn't the punter run instead of risk a blocked punt? Didn't coaches review the options with the players when they put this plan in place?

Mick Newman

To the editor:

Buckeyes Falling Flat(Casey at the Bat revisited)The outlook was brilliant for the Buckeyes SaturdayThey were undefeated, only one more game to playThe Horseshoe it was a-rockin’Playoff tickets in our stocking!

The sky was clear and blueSo when “Script Ohio” was throughThere was nothing left to doBut beat the Maize and Blue

We knew that C.J. StroudWould feed off of the crowdOne of the biggest in Buckeye historyThe result would be no mystery

Ceaseless Buckeye attackin’Another Wolverine shellackin’Avenge last year’s aberrationRestored glory for Buckeye Nation

I heard tens of thousands shoutTime for another Buckeye routA second Thanksgiving feastAs we win the Big Ten East

Up north where we are hatedThey claimed we were too smallDown south we’re “overrated”But we got hardware in our hall

All eyes were now on CJ StroudAs he strode before the hometown crowdHe’d win the Heisman and the dayWith his consistent highlight play

Then to a thunderous and blistering roarThe pigskin soared downfield once moreA thing of beauty… another scoreAll season long, we’d seen THAT before.

The first half things were clickingOn both sides of the ballThe score was close, as many guessedBut we knew who’d take the fall

The Bucks are better in half twoWe didn’t need to fretEnjoy the band here at the ShoeThis game is a sure bet

The game resumed, the WolverinesDrove downfield and scoredThat’s OK, they can’t keep upWith us, the home crowd roared

We’ve owned these guys for twenty yearsWhen it's all over they’ll leave in tearsWe’ll ring our victory bellOur Buckeye Pride will swell

And now an interceptionAnd now another puntWe’re going the wrong directionWe aren’t even in the hunt

In Ann Arbor beer is flowing - their future looking brightUp there it may be snowing, but there their hearts are lightSomewhere fans are happy in some other football townBut there’s no joy in C-Bus, ‘cause we didn’t win the crown

CODA

Next year we won’t be favoredTo the Big House we will rideOur victory there more savoredAs we reclaim Buckeye Pride

‘Cause all of us bleed scarletAnd at times our skies turn grayBut night will again be starlitOn our next glorious, victorious day

Frank Fullin

From Brian White: To all of those whose lives were ruined because Ohio State lost a football game: The Buckeyes were outplayed and outcoached, yet they are 11-1 and likely headed to the College Football Playoff even though they rarely looked this season like the perfect machine their fans demand. And, no, Ryan Day shouldn't be fired in favor of someone who doesn't have the record he does.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Readers are unhappy Ohio State lost to Michigan in football: Letters