Looking at Ohio State’s challenging matchup in the College Football Playoff, I couldn’t help but recall a memorable moment from the film “Apollo 13.”

When the NASA flight director, portrayed by Ed Harris, overhears someone declaring a potential disaster for the space agency, he asserts, “With all due respect, sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.”

While it’s a stretch to equate a College Football Playoff with a space mission, Ryan Day’s Buckeyes are facing a significant turning point.

This season, Ohio State underperformed with its expensive $20 million roster, landing them as the No. 8 seed, which creates a challenging situation. To advance, the Buckeyes need to overcome No. 9 Tennessee, then No. 1 Oregon, and potentially No. 5 Texas in the semifinals, followed by a possible showdown with No. 2 Georgia in the championship.

That’s tough.

This difficult draw could lead to a quick playoff exit, capping off a season that Buckeyes fans may label a failure.

Conversely, if Day manages to lead Ohio State to the national championship game, it would be a crowning achievement in his six-year tenure, which has seen a strong win-loss record marred by repeated postseason disappointments and losses to Michigan.

Ohio State Needs to Overcome Michigan to Conquer Tennessee’s Defense

Without the new 12-team playoff format, Ohio State might have found themselves in a lesser bowl game. This expanded postseason saved a team rich in talent, yet the Buckeyes are still haunted by the narrative that Day struggles in crucial games.

Now, he faces a series of critical matchups.

A swift exit from the playoffs would significantly heighten the pressure on Day, possibly leading to serious consequences for his position.

“We’re still breathing. We’re still alive,” Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork mentioned on a local Columbus radio station last week. “The season’s not over. The book has not closed, right?”

That sounds positive, doesn’t it? Not really. When I hear someone say, “we’re still breathing,” it doesn’t inspire much optimism.

This playoff will reveal the extent to which Michigan affected Ohio State’s team morale.

Did Michigan merely defeat Ohio State during the regular season, or did their victory drain the team’s spirit? Ohio State’s first game against Tennessee will provide some answers.

Tennessee’s defense is statistically stronger than Michigan’s, which previously held Ohio State to just 10 points and 252 yards. Compounding the issue, the Buckeyes will be missing two starting offensive linemen due to injuries.

History shows that talented teams can bounce back after a late-season loss. Three years back, Georgia fell to Alabama in the SEC championship, only to win in a rematch later on and secure their first national title under Kirby Smart in his sixth season. Interesting timing there.

A more fitting comparison might be the 2017 season when Auburn upset Alabama, keeping them out of the SEC title game. However, Alabama still made it into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and went on to defeat both Clemson and Georgia for the championship.

Unlike those teams, Ohio State faces the challenge of surviving four playoff games instead of just two, and it is impossible to overstate the mental anguish of losing to Michigan.

Is Ryan Day Approaching a Fizzling End or His Greatest Achievement?

Before this year’s loss to Michigan, Day expressed that past defeats to them rank among the most challenging experiences of his life.

“Aside from losing my father and a few other personal matters, this has been one of the worst incidents for my family,” Day revealed to WBNS, a Columbus station.

Soon after, he suffered a fourth consecutive loss to Michigan.

Veteran players like defensive stars Jack Sawyer, Cody Simon, Lathan Ransom, and others are all too familiar with the sting of those defeats.

Losses to Michigan have barred Ohio State from reaching the Big Ten title game every year since their last conference victory in 2020.

Because the Buckeyes missed the Big Ten title game, Day acknowledges they can’t complain about their playoff seed, despite having defeated No. 6 seed Penn State on the road last month.

A higher seed would have provided an easier path into the semifinals. Ohio State, along with Oregon and No. 2 Georgia, is one of the few teams in this bracket to have defeated multiple playoff contenders, but the committee favored teams that reached their conference championship games.

“It’s our duty to win the conference,” Day remarked. “… When we fail to do that, we expose ourselves to risk.”

The obstacle facing Ohio State is clear. Day is on the brink of a disappointing end to a challenging sixth season, or he could achieve a remarkable turnaround, marking his greatest accomplishment.