TruMedia, compared to its season average of 2.46. If you think that’s bad, Ohio State ran for only 0.21 yards before contact against Indiana. The only difference is that Indiana couldn’t tackle as well and Ohio State averaged more than 4 yards after contact as opposed to just 2.3 yards after contact against Michigan.

Sometimes you have to just acknowledge a team is better than you in an aspect and move on.

This was the most mind-numbing call of the season. Ohio State spent all season being an aggressive offense that wanted to impose its will on defenses. Until Michigan, when it tucked its tail between its legs and tried to leave the game on the foot of Jayden Fielding.

Tegra Tshabola hasn’t been consistent this year. And I’m not trying to pick on him, because nobody on the offensive line played well on Saturday, but I’m using this to prove a larger point. You have Michigan’s star defensive lineman Mason Graham lined up against Tshabola. And the call is a draw — against a team with no quality corners on the field? Graham won this rep with ease.

Now, would Ohio State have gotten the first down even if Graham got stonewalled and Tshabola won? No. The entire second level was waiting on the run.

This is coaching malpractice. You are Ohio State, arguably the most talented team in the country, with three NFL receivers on the field. Throw the ball.

It felt like Ohio State was trying to prove it was tough instead of utilizing its strengths: Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and the rest of the pass catchers. Nobody cares about proving you’re tough; they just care if you win.

The run game was bad, but the pass protection wasn’t much better. Ohio State gave up 17 pressures in the game and was pressured on 50 percent of its dropbacks — both season highs — despite Michigan blitzing on just 5.9 percent of dropbacks, the second-lowest blitz rate faced by the Buckeyes.

Will Howard didn’t get sacked, but plays like this took him off his mark too often, especially after he left the game to be evaluated for a concussion.

There’s nothing on this play that should be difficult for the offensive line to pick up. But Carson Hinzman loses his battle and then Howard doesn’t have time to get the ball to Egbuka in space or the room to step into a tight-window throw.

Ohio State’s offensive line played poorly, which everyone knew was possible, especially given the injuries to the unit. But Kelly and Ryan Day did nothing to help them out. This was a poorly managed and called game, resulting in Ohio State averaging just 4.3 yards per play — the second-worst mark of Day’s five-year tenure behind last year’s Cotton Bowl loss.

What happened on special teams?

No, Day wasn’t the one on the field, but Ohio State’s kicking situation is a problem in part because of the poor coaching of former special teams coordinator Parker Fleming and Day.

Fielding made 16-of-20 kicks last season. He was fourth in the Big Ten in kicking percentage, but he was inconsistent in big games, missing kicks against Michigan, Penn State and Missouri. He’s never shown game-changing leg strength in games. His career long is 47, and he made 5 of 9 field goals from 40-plus yards last season.

It’s to the point where Ohio State felt like it needed 15 yards from the 38-yard-line against Oregon to get into his range. If that’s the case, you are handicapping yourself on offense.

Last year, Fielding did make every kick under 40 yards. On Saturday, he missed a 34-yarder and a 38-yarder.

Sure, this is college football, not the NFL, so you can’t sign a kicker off the street, but there were good players in the portal last season. Alabama signed Graham Nicholson of Miami (OH), last year’s Lou Groza Award winner. Michigan signed Arkansas State’s Dominic Zvada, who is 17-of-18 this year and made a 54-yard field goal on Saturday.

Much like the offensive line depth, Ohio State’s kicker situation already cost it one game. It could be more.

At this point, Day has no other option. Fielding is going to have to get it together, while Day and Kelly decide if they can trust him going forward.

Yes, Ohio State can still win the national title

Ohio State’s biggest win of the weekend came on Sunday when the Big Ten announced it wouldn’t suspend any players involved in the brawl after the game. That’s a massive win for the Buckeyes, who can’t afford to lose any starters, especially with how poorly the offensive line has played the past two weeks.

Aside from any injuries from the fight, Ohio State should be healthy in three weeks for the first-round game on either Dec. 20 or 21.

As for where the Buckeyes will be seeded, I tend to disagree with the AP poll having Tennessee ranked higher than Ohio State. It seems like it’s better to lose early in the year, and beat nobody, than it is to lose at the end of the season.

Yes, Ohio State lost as a 20-point favorite, at home, but Tennessee lost to Arkansas. Aside from that, Tennessee has a double-digit loss to Georgia and its only Top 25 win is Alabama. Ohio State has a one-point loss to No. 1 Oregon and two top-10 wins against Penn State and Indiana, who are undefeated otherwise. It seems like a no-brainer that Ohio State should still host a first-round game. But I don’t get paid to be on the selection committee, and what happens in the SEC title game could play a role in that. Regardless, for the third year in a row, Ohio State has left its fate up to the committee.

Lastly, I know this isn’t what people want to hear right now, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Ohio State wins four games and wins the national championship. The Buckeyes still have the second-best title odds, according to The Athletic’s projections by Austin Mock, and they still have a roster as talented as any in the country.

There are some real concerns, like an inconsistent kicker, a struggling offensive line and a coaching staff that folded under pressure. Those things can hold Ohio State back. But I left Saturday’s loss thinking Ohio State can beat anybody but Michigan. I still believe that. There’s a mental hold Michigan has over Ohio State that makes Day overthink things instead of just trusting his talent.

I’m not saying the Buckeyes will win it all — a lot of that will depend on matchups — but there’s no dominant team in college football this year and Ohio State is going to enter the bracket as one of the favorites.