Ohio State AD Gene Smith Blocking Out Michigan Noise

Ohio State Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith remains confident in their ability to win a national championship despite falling short in recent years.

During an offseason where many college football analysts are beginning to believe that Michigan has overtaken Ohio State as the powerhouse in the Big 10. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith reminded people that his program was a field goal away from being in the national championship during a recent interview with Eleven Warriors.

“It's so funny, everybody's so focused on just one game,” Smith said. “We were basically one point away from being in the national championship game, and I think had we got that two points we needed to convert and ultimately played TCU – I feel confident we would have performed well and won a national championship – I'm not so sure about all this chatter.”  

One play point away indeed, as it was a missed 50-yard field goal that punched the Georgia Bulldogs' ticket to the national championship game. 

Yet, if the Buckeyes did knock off the eventual national champions, it is widely believed that they would've handled TCU. After all, the Hornfrogs were thrashed 65-7 by the same Georgia team that beat the Buckeyes by just a point. 

To Smith's point, the conversation would be different without the missed kick.  Yes, Michigan has gotten the better of Ohio State recently. The Michigan loss didn't stop Ohio State from controlling its own postseason destiny.

Every Buckeye fan wants to beat Michigan every year, including Smith, but as he told Eleven Warriors, he has an even bigger goal in mind.

“I want to win the biggie, I want to win the natty,” Smith said. “Whatever it takes to get there, I'm all in for it.”

While the Buckeyes want to avoid their third-straight loss to the Wolverines this coming fall, they will first focus on beating the 11 teams before them, starting with Indiana on September 2nd.

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