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It might feel like it after upset to Michigan, but all is not lost for Ohio State football
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- It might feel like it after upset to Michigan, but all is not lost for Ohio State football
Ohio State 's season didn't end with its stunning 13-10 loss to Michigan on Saturday.
It just feels like it to the Buckeyes .
Beating their archrival was the biggest reason so many Buckeyes returned for a final season instead of pursuing the NFL. Ohio State's fourth straight loss to the Wolverines means they will end their careers without that accomplishment. Considering OSU's domination of the rivalry in the two decades before their arrival, it's a devastating reality.
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"I can't really speak (for) everybody else, but I feel like I let you guys down, let all Buckeye Nation down," said fifth-year linebacker Cody Simon , his eyes red. "We let you guys down. I'm sorry."
More: Ohio State football instant opinions: Ryan Day's seat gets even hotter
The Buckeyes are a virtual lock to make the 12-team College Football Playoff. Saturday, that ranked low on the players' list of considerations. How low?
"Very low," said quarterback Will Howard , the Kansas State grad transfer who threw two costly interceptions.
Soon enough, it will have to. It's all the Buckeyes have to cling to. The bracket will be announced Sunday, and much remains up in the air.
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More: Ohio State, Michigan players fight at midfield after Wolverines try to plant flag after win
If Ohio State is seeded between No. 5 and No. 8, which seems likely but not certain, it will host a first-round playoff game at Ohio Stadium on Dec. 20 or 21.
First, the Buckeyes need to regroup. That was something they could barely contemplate right after Saturday's loss.
"I'm just fresh off the game right now, and obviously extremely disappointed and angry that we didn't execute well enough," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. "So I'm not there right now."
Simon, who wears the Block O and is one of four captains, said it will be up to him and other leaders to help the team get past the loss.
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Even Howard, who is usually expansive with answers, struggled to find the right words.
"It's hard, man," he said. "I don't really have much right now. But I do know that we're a two-loss team. We're going to get in the playoff, and we're going to make a run. But this one hurts. It hurts."
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard reacts as Michigan players celebrate a down stop to seal the game on Nov. 30.
Howard said he'd spend the rest of the day with his family and begin thinking about regrouping on Sunday.
"I feel for those guys that came back," Howard said. "I feel for coach Day – everything they poured into this.
"We've still got stuff in front of us so we'll regroup and go from there tomorrow."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football: No Big Ten title game, but CFP still awaits OSU
