What Going 12-0 Means

Yesterday Ohio State did it, they went undefeated/untied for a final 12-0 record. It's bittersweet however, because the Buckeyes are not eligible to play for the Big Ten Championship or to play in a bowl game this year.

But that doesn't mean that going undefeated means nothing. It means a whole lot, in my opinion. This is the sixth undefeated/untied season in Ohio State football history. Even if they can't compete in postseason play, they still made history. Only two teams finished the season without a loss or tie, Ohio State and Notre Dame. If the Fighting Irish were to lose the BCS National Championship Game, then the Buckeyes would be the only team with that distinction this season. They could possibly win the Associated Press National Championship if the AP Poll would vote them number one at the end of the bowl season. That would give them a split National Championship with whoever won the BCS National Championship Game.

This is also big for the future of the football program. The Urban Meyer era started with a perfect season. This team showed a lot of resiliency under the watch of Meyer, something we didn't see a lot of last year with a 6-7 season after losing to Florida in the Gator Bowl.

This sets the Buckeyes up to make a run at the final BCS National Championship next season. The Buckeyes should be ranked in the top five in the nation, if not the top two. If Notre Dame can go from unranked to start the season to #1 overall going into the bowl season then the Buckeyes can move from a top five position to number one or two.

I expect this team to go into next year with supreme confidence in what they can do. I expect them to feed off of this season. I expect them to come out with a chip on their shoulders after accomplishing perfection but having to hear all the haters asking them "what bowl are you guys playing in?," or that their perfect season "doesn't count."

Going 12-0 this year means that the Buckeyes are set up to dominate not only the Big Ten for years to come with Urban Meyer captaining the ship, but be part of the National Championship picture every year too. I like the sound of that, don't you?