The Buckeyes Won the Box Score But Lost the Football Game Against USC

It was a thorough beatdown of the Ohio State Buckeyes at the hands of the USC Trojans on Saturday night in Los Angeles. That's what our eyes told us, but the box score tells a completely different story. 

If you were to just look at the box score from Saturday's game against USC, you would think that the Buckeyes won this football game by two or three scores. It would be hard to believe that the opposite is true.

The Buckeyes outgained the Trojans by nearly 130 yards; the Buckeyes were much better on third down; they averaged almost a half yard more on the ground; they out-rushed the Trojans by almost 100 yards; they had nearly 40 minutes of possession to USC's nearly 20. No matter what stat you look at, the Buckeyes won the category.

However, they lost the football game and lost it handily. 

There are a couple of reasons why that is the case, but there is also a conversation to be had that a result like this should never exist.

When everything gets boiled down, the Trojans executed when the chips were down, and the Buckeyes did not. 

The number one sequence in the entire game is when quarterback Luke Fahey was tagged down at quite literally the one-foot line. The Buckeyes had first and goal from inside the one, and you guessed it, they kicked a field goal. 

That sequence was part of USC bowing up, but also the Buckeyes tripping over themselves in a significant way. It was a false start that pushed the Buckeyes back, and then three straight neutral plays led to a field goal kick right before the half.

Then, the Buckeyes came out of halftime, and the ensuing drive went run, run, run, punt to begin the half. 

At that point, it felt like the Buckeyes resigned themselves to needing a miracle to win a game that was more than winnable.

Even the final drive of the football game, the Buckeyes needed to score quickly and instead of pushing the tempo and going with urgency, they went on a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took 5:45 seconds off the clock. 

Midway through that drive, it was more than obvious that the Trojans were so happy with them just casually taking the ball up the field. They were happy with trading 80 yards and 7 points for nearly a 3rd of the quarter. 

At the end of the day, Ryan Day was outcoached by Lincoln Riley to the point that now the Buckeyes' future with one of the best players to ever play the sport of college football is totally in question.

It was a disastrous evening for the Buckeyes, and now their backs are against the wall. It is put-up-or-shut-up time in Columbus, and they have zero wiggle room. Ryan Day, we will see what you are made of.