Ohio State has a bye week and no opponent Saturday, affording the country’s No. 1-ranked team some additional rest.
A mental break might be just as needed as a physical reprieve. The Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0) have spent the entire season as college football’s No. 1 team and likewise have given every opponent thus far the chance to knock off the top-ranked program. With that comes a great deal of public praise, especially coming off of a national championship year. It also comes with some stomach-turning pressure to live up to ceiling-high expectations.
It’s a mixture ripe for inconsistency, which can be a death sentence in college football.