Returning Ohio State core two wins from completing unfinished business

Ohio State's recruiting class of 2021 was among the best in the country, ranked No. 2 nationally with seven five-star prospects, and by the end of the 2023 season had largely delivered on its promise, compiling a 32-4 record over three regular seasons.

But for many members of that class, there was still unfinished business -- namely beating Michigan and winning a national championship -- that became the focus of discussions about coming back to Columbus.

At least eight players who were projected to be picked in the NFL draft, some of them in the early rounds, elected to stay in school, with the goal of adding some bling to their gaudy win-loss record. While the first part of their goals got away -- the Buckeyes lost their fourth straight rivalry game to the Wolverines -- they are still in position to deliver the ultimate prize, facing Texas on Friday night in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl (7:30 ET, ESPN).

"When you look back, you want to be able to tell your kids, your family, the people that you love that you won something," senior receiver Emeka Egbuka said. "We hadn't really won anything, and that's the reason we came back.

"Then you lose that last game again [against Michigan], and it hurts. It will always hurt, but just like we did before this season, we locked arms and said we still have a chance to win the big prize, the national championship.

"Let's go do it."

Even without a win over Michigan, the 2021 class has a chance to leave an enduring legacy at Ohio State. The group, which included 17 ESPN 300 recruits, is not fully intact. Quarterback Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse following the 2023 season and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who left as a junior last year, was the No. 4 selection in the NFL draft. Then there's the quarterback Ohio State will be facing in the Cotton Bowl, Texas' Quinn Ewers, who spent a semester in Columbus in 2021, played one game against Michigan State, then transferred to Texas.

But those who remain have a strong bond.

"This group, the '21 group, has been through a lot," senior running back TreVeyon Henderson said. "This is a special moment for all of us to be in this position, to be there for each other, to stay committed to each other the way we have.

"This season hasn't been perfect. We aren't perfect, but we've leaned on each other to keep going, to stay focused, and we're still here fighting to play with each other until there are no other games to be played."

Senior defensive end Jack Sawyer grew up in Pickerington, Ohio, about 17 miles from Columbus, and committed to the Buckeyes when he was a sophomore in high school. He was one of the ringleaders this offseason in getting so many of his teammates to come back.

Granted, Ohio State's willingness to broker lucrative NIL deals, putting together a $20 million roster, was a big part of the retention. But there was also a sense of emptiness in that 2021 class stemming from having not done what all players come to Ohio State to do -- beat Michigan, win Big Ten championships and win national championships.

"Jack was passionate about it this offseason and what Ohio State meant to him and what we could do to leave the kind of imprint we wanted to on the program, especially guys who grew up in the state," said defensive tackle Ty Hamilton, a fifth-year senior also from Pickerington.

Sawyer and fellow defensive end JT Tuimoloau came in together in 2021, and it wasn't lost on either of them the magnitude of this second chance to finally get the job done.

"It makes it more special," said Sawyer, part of an Ohio State defense that collected eight sacks in the 41-21 Rose Bowl quarterfinal victory over Oregon, which beat Ohio State 32-31 in Eugene earlier this season. "I mean, we were just talking about it. You look back at where we were in our freshman year, and we're so much different as people and as players. So we're really excited that we get another chance."

The Buckeyes certainly have made the most of it. They've yet to trail in their first two playoff games, building a 21-0 first-quarter lead against Tennessee and a 34-0 second-quarter lead against Oregon. In those two games, they racked up 12 quarterback sacks, allowed none and are giving up an average of 3.8 yards per play on defense.

But the hurt of a fourth straight loss to their hated rival, when Ohio State was a three-touchdown favorite on its home turf, still stings.

"It sucks what happened at the end [of the regular season]," senior offensive tackle Donovan Jackson said. "Nobody hates it more than we do. I hope people know that. But we know what it takes to go out there in the playoff and win, and that's playing to our ability

"That's all we're focusing on right now and not what anybody has said about us and or anything else that has happened in the past. The way we look at it, everybody on this team, is that our best game is still out there."

Senior defensive tackle Tyleik Williams added: "That game didn't go the way we wanted, and as soon as we got into the playoff, we came together and said, 'We've got one shot at this. That's it -- one.'"

Sawyer was furious following the Michigan game when some of the Wolverines' players planted a "Block M" flag at midfield of the Horseshoe, similar to what happened at the end of the 2022 game, and a brawl ensued that had to be broken up by staff members and police.

Sawyer ripped the Michigan flag off its pole and threw it to the ground. As he was being held back by a staffer, a video captured him screaming, "They're not f---ing planting the flag again on our field, bro!"

That passion has permeated throughout the entire team during the postseason, and the Buckeyes have used it as fuel, especially some of the younger players and portal additions who have seen how agonizing it was for the veterans to come up short against Michigan again and then have to listen to the fallout for nearly a month before the first playoff game.

"It's an angry team, and we've played that way," said quarterback Will Howard, who transferred in this season from Kansas State. "You see guys like Jack and JT and Donovan, all those guys who came back, and how much they've put into this program, and you just follow their lead."

One of the keys, according to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, was finding the right mix with veteran portal acquisitions and veteran holdovers. It's rare in this day and age of college football that a program of Ohio State's caliber has so many fourth- and fifth-year seniors.

"Their leadership has been tremendous, especially with the guys we added that had experience and had played at a high level," said Kelly, who has been a head coach in both the NFL and collegiate ranks. "They've been steady, haven't let anything on the outside get to them. Everybody faces ups and downs. You're not going to win every week, and then it becomes, 'How do you react to it?' We have a senior group that has responded the right way.

"They came back for a reason, and they still get a chance to do that. They know what's at stake."

Tuimoloau, Ohio State's leader with 17 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, admits the foundation of the program was rocked a bit after the Michigan loss. But he reminded himself and everybody around him that a single loss, even one as agonizing as the one to Michigan, wasn't going to destroy the season.

"One thing I'll say about this team is that we've built our foundation on something that's bigger than just what you see out on the football field," Tuimoloau said. "Just to go through those trials, man, I can't be more thankful for it. It's brought us closer together. It's allowed us to really look at everything from a different perspective and just continue to make the choice if you want to splinter and scatter or stay close and continue to just work toward the goal."

While the veterans have been the steadying force for Ohio State in this postseason revival, dynamic freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith has provided the voltage with four touchdown catches and 290 receiving yards in the two playoff games.

Smith said he has had many mentors on this team, but he didn't need to be told anything after the Michigan loss.

"Those guys weren't going to let it end like that," Smith said. "They'd been through too much, and their leadership just sort of picked up the rest of the team.

"It wasn't going to happen again."