The Ohio State Buckeyes are running roughshod through the College Football Playoff right now.
Anyone who saw Ohio State coming into the season probably wouldn't be surprised. The Buckeyes had one of the most experienced defenses in the country and added Caleb Downs to the mix via the Transfer Portal.
In addition, the Buckeyes went and added several pieces on offense — led by Will Howard and Quinshod Junkins — and then fans were pleasantly surprised to find that Jeremiah Smith was a freshman stud, a future Top-10 pick in the NFL Draft.
But, Ohio State never really saw that all come together in the regular season. The Buckeyes lost a thriller to Oregon on the road early in the season and, honestly, they never looked overly dominant in other games. They took care of opponents like Indiana and Penn State, but the certainly didn't look like the "highest-paid roster in the country."
Then it got really bad.
Ryan Day found a way to lose to Michigan — a team that finished the year 7-5 — to close out the season. As a result, Ohio State didn't make it to the Big Ten Championship game and the next two and a half weeks were spent discussing if Day would even have a job once the Buckeyes' season came to a close.
How things can change.
Ohio State blew Tennessee off the field in the friendly confines of the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes won 42-17 in a game that, honestly, wasn't even that close. Then, they casually went into the Rose Bowl and blasted Oregon in the first half, taking a 34-8 lead into halftime.
So, the question that comes to mind is this: Does Ohio State need to give Michigan some credit for this playoff turnaround?
The team is hitting a gear here in the postseason that looks unlike anything we've seen all season. The defense is flying to the ball and they are so much more physical than their opponent. The offense, which has had its struggles from time to time, is explosive with weapons all over the field. They are firing on all cylinders and that has to be to the credit of losing to Michigan.
Had Ohio State slept-walked to a victory in the Michigan game, it's hard to know what might have been the case for the team in the postseason. However, this team looks like one on a mission and one that is motivated to prove every naysayer wrong. They look like a totally different team.
Credit to Ohio State for being able to flip the switch, but the Buckeyes might need to at least send a thank you card to Ann Arbor if they win the national championship.