Did Ryan Day Make the Right Call to Go for Two Down 9?

The Ohio State Buckeyes scored with 2:12 seconds to go in the game to cut USC's lead to 9 points after completing a nearly 6-minute drive. 

The Buckeyes offense stayed on the field to attempt a two-point conversion. They ultimately did not get the two-point attempt, and it kept the game a two-score contest instead of chipping it down to a one-score game. 

Hindsight is obviously 20-20, and there would have been a lot of other things that needed to happen for the Buckeyes to complete the comeback, but once they didn't get the two-point, it was all but over. 

The conversation began immediately about that being a bad decision by the Buckeyes to go for two in that situation. Many people called it an analytical decision to go for two, but I disagree with that. To me, this was a decision that they made so they knew exactly what they needed to get for the rest of the game. 

Had they gotten the two-point, they would have known that they just needed a touchdown. When they missed it, they knew they needed two scores the rest of the way.

From that perspective, I totally agree with the decision to go for it so that you know exactly what you need to do for the rest of the game. 

However, context is important when looking at the entire situation. Had the Buckeyes scored quickly and still had six or so minutes remaining in the game, this would be a good strategy. The fact that there were just two minutes remaining in the football game and they needed nearly 6 minutes to score that touchdown, I actually would have kicked the extra point.

In the moment, I actually agree that they needed to go for two. I thought the decision was a good one, and the Buckeyes knowing that they needed two possessions was a positive strategy.

Then, you realize that pretty much ended the football game, and you realize the right call would have been to just kick it and stay within one score.

Even after that, they would still have needed to recover an onside kick, go down the field, score, and then get the two-point conversion. It would have been a very tall task but still, the Buckeyes' hearts would have still been beating.

It is a game management thing that could go one of two ways for the Buckeyes. This one went the wrong way and on paper, I don't think that it was a completely incorrect decision, it was just one that needed to consider the entire scenario.