As the clock struck midnight and Noah Ruggles’ game-deciding field goal attempt sailed wide left with only three seconds remaining in the Peach Bowl, a new year began in multiple ways for Ohio State football.
In the calendar sense, 2022 ended and 2023 began at almost the exact same time as Ruggles’ miss, as the missed kick that sealed the Buckeyes’ fate in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia happened just as New Year’s Eve was becoming New Year’s Day. From a football standpoint, Georgia’s 42-41 win brought Ohio State’s season to an end nine days earlier than the Buckeyes had hoped, officially sending the scarlet and gray into the 2023 offseason.