As Ohio State football lost to Michigan in the final week of the regular season, it left many stunned, including former head coach Jim Tressel. After winning the 2003 BCS National Championship, he understands what it takes to be a winner. The same goes for current head coach Ryan Day.

Although he's had an impressive 70-10 regular season record, he's typically never been able to get past Michigan. In 2023, they lost to the Wolverines in the Big 10 championship game. They went on to win the CFP national championship. One year later, a loss to Michigan prevented the Buckeyes from getting into the Big 10 title game.

Luckily, the expanded format let them get into the opening round. From there, it was all business. After Day explained how the Michigan loss impacted Ohio State football, they turned a corner. The Buckeyes won the 2024 CFP national title convincingly against Notre Dame.

It didn't surprise Tressel though. He told The Athletic about how he felt his former team would perform following an embarrassing final loss to Michigan in the regular season.

“Life brings you tough things sometimes, but it’s how you react to them that’s your legacy,” Tressel said. “And the legacy of this team is that they looked a dark moment in the eye and came out champions.”

Ohio State football's loss to Michigan was the lowest of lows

Following former head coach Jim Harbaugh's departure to the NFL, it was the Buckeyes conference to lose. However, a midseason loss to Oregon football halted any progress. Still, they only had one loss until the Wolverines traveled to Columbus for the final week of the season.

The outcome wasn't one that the scarlet and red were expecting. They lost 13-10 and eliminated their chances at the Big 10 title game. There was even a fight after the game between the two schools. As a result, reactions from across the sports sphere flew in. For instance, Colin Cowherd went on an epic rant after Ohio State football's loss to Michigan.

He even called it the worst defeat in the rivalry's history. Since that moment, dominance arrived. They scored 28+ points in every game, and even back-to-back 40+ performances in the first two rounds. Teams had no answer for the Buckeyes explosive offense, and suffocating defense.

No matter what, Tressel knew that his former team could get the job done. Now, the university will celebrate its first national championship since 2015. It is Day's first since joining the university. The future looks bright with Day leading the charge.