When it mattered the most in the games that mattered the most, Ohio State’s defense couldn’t get off the field.
Statistically speaking, Ohio State’s 2025 defense was one of the best and will still finish among the best in college football. They were and are in the top ten in scoring defense, total defense, passing defense, rushing defense, red zone defense, and third-down defense. There were failures in the latter two areas in the biggest games of the year that cost them, and cost them dearly.