The Ohio State Buckeyes are feeling as fresh as they have all season heading into their College Football Playoff semifinal showdown with the Oregon Ducks, according to head coach Ryan Day. Despite the rigors of a 13-game season with potentially three more contests to go to capture a national title, Day said his team is in peak physical condition for this crucial stretch.
Buckeyes Battle-Tested and Built for the Playoff Grind
“I feel like all things considered that we’re as healthy and as strong and as fresh as we’ve been all season,” Day remarked to reporters on Tuesday. “I think right now we’re battle tested. I think we’ve built depth, and when we put the roster together, we knew that this was going to be the case, that we had to be strong and powerful late in the season and continue to build as the season’s gone on.”
The second-seeded Buckeyes routed Tennessee 42-17 back on Dec. 21 in their playoff opener to set up this semifinal date with the top-ranked Ducks. Oregon hasn’t taken the field since defeating Penn State 45-37 in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 7 to complete a perfect 13-0 campaign.
Managing the Marathon to a Championship
In the expanded 12-team playoff format, teams that lose their conference title tilts would need to win five postseason games to claim the national championship, making this the longest season in major college football history. Day credited his sports science, training and strength and conditioning staffs for keeping the Buckeyes in top form.
“For us, it’s something you prepare for throughout the season, knowing what the season could look like and having a 365-day plan of how you want to prep for these moments,”
Oregon’s Dan Lanning on his team’s approach to the lengthy campaign
The Ducks have also managed to stay relatively healthy despite the extended season, with Lanning commending the work of his support staff to have players setting personal bests in the weight room at this late stage.
Ohio State’s Ability to Overcome Adversity
The Buckeyes haven’t been immune to the injury bug, losing starting center Seth McLaughlin and likely first-round NFL draft pick offensive tackle Josh Simmons to season-ending ailments. But Day believes his team is playing its fastest and most physical football when it matters most.
Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly credited Day’s steadying presence for the Buckeyes’ ability to rebound from a deflating home loss to archrival Michigan and perform at such a high level against Tennessee. Kelly said Day’s consistency set the tone for the team to handle the mental and emotional demands of this marathon season.
Day made it clear his squad’s mindset heading into their second crack at Oregon is no different than before their first playoff test – hungry and focused to make the most of the opportunity ahead, determined to prove any doubters wrong. With the experience of already facing the Ducks earlier this season, the Buckeyes know exactly what it will take to advance.
Key Takeaways
- Ohio State is as healthy and fresh as they’ve been all year entering the CFP semifinal against Oregon, per head coach Ryan Day
- The Buckeyes have built quality depth to withstand the rigors of this historically long season
- Day credits the team’s sports science, training, and strength staffs for the Buckeyes’ peak physical condition
- Oregon has also managed the marathon well, with players setting personal bests in the weight room in mid-December
- Day’s steady leadership has been vital to Ohio State’s ability to rebound from adversity and play its best when it matters most
The table is now set for an epic rematch between these two college football heavyweights, with a berth in the national championship game on the line. The Buckeyes managed to get revenge on the Ducks once already this season, trouncing Oregon 49-20 in Columbus back on Sept. 22. We’ll see if Day’s squad is truly peaking at the perfect time to finish the job and end the Ducks’ unbeaten run on the grand stage of the “Granddaddy of Them All.”
