Ohio State Loses Twice To Michigan, Wins Title In College Football 25

In a College Football 25 simulation, the Ohio State Buckeyes lost to the Michigan Wolverines twice but still managed to win a national championship.

Sep 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) gets a block from offensive lineman Josh Fryar (70) during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 63-10. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Ohio State Buckeyes fans: if I told you that you would win the national championship this season but that you would have to absorb two losses to the Michigan Wolverines in the process, would you sign for it?

That's the path College Football 25 envisions for Ohio State, per Colin Gay of The Columbus Dispatch.

In a simulation of the 2024 NCAA Football season conducted by EA Sports' video game, the Buckeyes reeled off 11 wins to start their season, but then lost to Michigan in the season finale. They then fell to the Wolverines again in the Big Ten Championship.

But don't foam at the mouth just yet.

Ohio State then entered the 12-team College Football Playoff—the first in history—as a No. 6 seed and rattled off victories over Virginia Tech, Utah and then Mississippi, setting up a battle with Notre Dame in the national championship.

The Buckeyes topped the Fighting Irish, 38-24, to secure their first national title since 2014.

While winning a championship is obviously the ultimate goal, I'm not so sure hoisting that hardware at the end of the year would be enough to erase the sour taste of losing to Michigan twice. At least for some of the Ohio State faithful, anyway.

And for a couple of little extra nuggets, defensive end Jack Sawyer and safety Caleb Downs notched First-Team All-American selections in the simulation. Meanwhile, running back TreVeyon Henderson, offensive guard Donovan Jackson and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams finished as Second-Team All-Americans.

The Buckeyes will begin their actual season on Aug. 31 when they host Akron.