COLUMBUS, Ohio — Buckeye senior defensive tackles Robert Landers and Jashon Cornell may have different ways of dealing with the loss.
- Ohio State and Clemson are getting closer to squaring off in the desert
- Some Buckeye seniors can’t forget what happened the last time these two teams met there
- Ryan Day says it’s less about vengeance and more about using that emotion strategically
But one thing that’s for certain is that it stung — hard.
“That was my first season actually playing…we were redshirt freshman, said Landers.
“We actually played in that game too,” said Cornell.
“Freshman year, and I just remember we put in so much hard work and especially with the group of guys that we have…we just fell short,” said Landers.
When the third-ranked Buckeyes played the second-ranked Tigers, Ohio State was coming off a double-overtime victory over rival Michigan —with its sights set on a national championship.
Instead of a trophy, they got smacked in the face with what likely felt like a bag of that crushing Arizona sand.
It was a 31-0 victory for the Tigers, who would then go on to beat Alabama in the title game.
But this year, the Buckeyes have a clean slate — an undefeated record, and a chance to not only win a national title, but to get the revenge so many players on that 2016 team won’t ever get to have.
“It was one of those moments where for me, I’ll never forget, but at the end of the day it’s history, you know what I mean? We’re trying to rewrite a new chapter in this book and see what happens,” said Landers.
For first-year head coach Ryan Day, it’s less about vengeance and more about using that emotion strategically.
“I think we’ll use it as a reference point, but it’s two very different teams,” said Day.
Because even when going against the defending national champs, Day says it’s still the same game they’ve been playing all season long.
“The game hasn’t changed… it’s just being ready for that moment and we showed something in the second half, that we can overcome a game and impose our will on teams, and we have to carry that over into this game and show that we can do that and have enough confidence to do that against a team like Clemson,” said Day. “But really, our guys see ourselves as being the best in the country, so the moment won’t be too big for our guys, it’s just a matter of keeping our emotions in check and just doing a good job and staying focused.”
A focus the Bucks can now laser in on the Tigers —determined to leave an old wound salt-free.
“We’ve done everything we can to this point and now it’s time to go play Clemson,” said Day.
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