Gold pants would put shine on OSU’s season


SATURDAY’S GAME

Ohio State at Michigan, noon, ABC, 1410

As Vandalia-Butler High School graduate and Ohio State offensive lineman Taylor Decker celebrates Thanksgiving with his family today he’ll count his blessings.

Three of them, to be precise, and a chance at a fourth.

The Ohio State senior has never lost to Michigan and in doing so owns three pair of gold pants, the traditional charm awarded to Ohio State players for beating their rivals up north.

It’s no small consolation for a Buckeyes team that was chasing a larger prize, a second straight national championship.

“That would be really, really cool to leave here like that,” Decker said. “My four years here, to say our class did its part to win four games, that would be huge. That would be everything. Regardless what (Michigan’s) record has been, it has truly been a battle every single game. Them having a good year? I think it’ll make it even better to cap off our senior season, our regular season, by winning our fourth pair.”

Ohio State (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) has won three straight and 10 of the last 11.

Michigan (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) is seeking its first 10-win season since 2011 (11-2 under Brady Hoke) and its third since 2006 (11-2 under Lloyd Carr). Ohio State has eight double-digit win seasons in that nine-year span.

But this isn’t a Wolverines team of recent past, not under Jim Harbaugh. Likewise, the Buckeyes are also experiencing something new: a loss. Last week’s 17-14 defeat to Michigan State was the seniors’ fourth loss in 52 games.

“I think it’ll kind of light a fire under us,” Decker said. “We didn’t play well. This is a huge game. Nothing would make me feel better than winning my fourth pair of gold pants, going up there and beating them in their place. If we can’t handle a loss and get better from it, what are we doing?”

Losing is a feeling senior defensive end Joey Bosa doesn’t want to experience again at Ohio State.

“Right after the game, watching that kick go in, I was telling everyone how it just didn’t even feel real, like I was in a dream and I was waiting for myself to wake up,” Bosa said. “It took me about 20, 30 minutes for it to set in in the locker room, and then I kind of broke down.

“But we’ve got to move on, and it’s important for me as a leader to bring guys with me and let them know that there’s more to accomplish this season. I really believe that everything happens for a reason. I’ve been through a lot this year, and I don’t know what good is going to come from it, but I’m convinced that eventually we’re going to see something good come from this.”

Ohio State has an outside shot to win the Big Ten East Division. A win over Michigan and a Penn State win over Michigan State would do it.

And a win the following week in the Big Ten Championship game, who knows?

“Any time you lose a game, you think maybe they’re not playing for what they were playing for,” Meyer said. “That’s still not true. There’s a lot of football left to be played.”

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