Inside the pain of losing that Ohio State fans are keeping alive, and proving that college football still has it: Doug Rants

On SAD and LAF and where the Buckeyes fit in the CFB pantheon of hating losing.

The Buckeyes sing Carmen Ohio after losing to Texas in Austin. (Photo courtesy of Ohio State football)

COLUMBUS — 10 thoughts on college football, all of them related to losing.

1. How did you take the loss?

   Among the answers you provided this week was the fact that 40 percent of you hadn’t lost any confidence in Ohio State football, while 51 percent were only slightly less confident in the Buckeyes now.

   Only 9 percent were much less confident in Ohio State football.

   That’s big picture.

   But small picture, when asked how you were handling Ohio State’s 24-23 loss to Texas last Saturday, only 11 percent said you were never too mad and that losses happen. Another 63 percent were mad but starting to get over it, while 26 percent were still mad by the middle of the week.

   Guess what?

   We did it.

   In the third season of an expanded College Football Playoff, Ohio State’s loss to Texas proved that we have arrived at the sweet spot of modern college football, one that I believe some people have a hard time believing can exist.

   In my regular Friday radio hit with Beau Bishop on 97.1 The Fan, I referred to this phenomenon as small-picture urgency and big-picture understanding.

   The pain this week is how you know it’s working. The fact that very few think the season is over is how you know it’ll last.