Showdown : Would a National Championship Redefine Ohio State’s Football Culture?

Could Winning the National Championship Redefine Ohio State’s Legacy?

Buckeye Nation is grappling with a big question: Would winning it all change Ohio State? And would a victory in the College Football Playoff make the rivalry with Michigan feel less significant? To explore this idea, it’s helpful to look at history.

Over the last 50 years, only two teams have lost to their primary rival at the end of the regular season and still won the national championship: LSU in 2007 and Alabama in 2017.

Nick Saban, the former Alabama coach and current ESPN analyst, weighed in on this very scenario. When Desmond Howard attempted to downplay Ohio State’s playoff run, Saban responded, “We lost to Auburn, which is like Ohio State and Michigan. We went on to win a National Championship, and guess what, Des, no one remembers.”

Since Alabama’s 2017 title — despite not having an SEC title or an Iron Bowl victory — the Alabama-Auburn rivalry has evolved. In recent years, Alabama’s postseason destiny hasn’t hinged on the Iron Bowl results, making it feel less consequential. Likewise, LSU’s rivalry with Arkansas has faded in the same period.

Does the Iron Bowl still matter? Absolutely. Does it have the same weight as it did three years ago? Not quite. Would the legendary Kick-Six moment have had the same impact if Alabama had gone on to win the national title anyway? It’s doubtful.

Could a national title for Ohio State, despite losing to Michigan in The Game, reduce the rivalry’s importance? Would the national championship feel as monumental as the Super Bowl in the NFL? It’s a complex, unprecedented question.

Fans have plenty to consider, but the real answers may only come if Ohio State wins the national championship. If that happens, it will be fascinating to explore how this changes the narrative of Ohio State football. Until then, it’s Ohio Against the World! Go Bucks, Beat Notre Dame!