Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka reflects on how Buckeyes rallied from Michigan loss to win national championship

Two days aft Thanksgiving, Ohio State's nationalist title hopes seemed each but over.

The Buckeyes, ranked 2nd successful the federation astatine the time, were three-touchdown favorites astatine location against bitter rival Michigan.

Despite the Wolverines being the reigning nationalist champions, this year's squad was not adjacent to past season's team. So, it should person been an casual triumph for OSU.

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Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka, left, with the nationalist title trophy aft a crippled against Notre Dame astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta Jan. 20, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

But they lost, calls for Ryan Day to beryllium fired grew louder and determination were superior doubts astir what the Buckeyes would beryllium capable to bash successful the College Football Playoff.

They got implicit it rapidly and dominated each squad successful their way en way to a nationalist title earlier this week.

Emeka Egbuka went 0-4 against the Wolverines successful his career. He admitted successful a caller interrogation with Fox News Digital he'd "have to deliberation about" trading his caller nationalist rubric for a expanse of the Wolverines, considering those games are "almost arsenic large as" the championship.

If the playoff remained astatine 4 teams, the nonaccomplishment would person ended the Buckeyes' hopes of a title, and they would person been playing, successful Egbuka's words, "another meaningless bowl." But, with the enlargement to 12 teams, the Buckeyes had a accidental astatine revenge and took it.

"It was decidedly pugnacious to beryllium capable to locomotion into the gathering the adjacent time and look astatine my brothers successful the look and look my coaches successful the look knowing that we hadn't achieved what we acceptable retired to achieve," Egbuka said. 

"But, you know, successful that moment, we had a prime to make, due to the fact that we knew we were going to beryllium successful the playoffs. We could person conscionable rolled implicit and died, oregon we could person said, ‘We person the accidental to beryllium capable to decorativeness this the close way.’ So we each gathered unneurotic arsenic brothers, and we were like, 'We're gonna bash this thing.'"

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish successful the CFP nationalist title astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

The choler of the nonaccomplishment lingered aft the game, erstwhile members of both teams brawled aft Michigan players planted a UM emblem astatine midfield. The unit was connected Day, but Egbuka admitted that the abbreviated representation came from players-only meetings, not needfully from thing Day did.

"It wasn't excessively overmuch what manager Day said. To beryllium honest, we did a batch of subordinate meetings. Just the enactment connected our squad and our seniority truly shined through," said Egbuka.

"When you look astatine immoderate of the top teams successful assemblage shot history, they each person large leadership.
They each person large seniors, and that's truly who you retrieve being connected the team. We truly took that to heart. 

"We knew that the squad was gonna tally done us. Coach Day is simply a phenomenal coach, but helium tin lone bash truthful much. We're the ones connected the field. We person to spell retired and play. And we conscionable needed to permeate our mindset passim the remainder of the squad due to the fact that that's what large leaders do, and that's what we tried to bash successful that moment."

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Egbuka was portion of Celsius' Essential Six. The vigor portion partnered with Egbuka, Travis Hunter and 4 different assemblage stars arsenic portion of a stacked roster earlier the play began. Egbuka said his record-setting season, during which helium became OSU's all-time reception leader, wouldn't person been imaginable without his regular 200 milligrams of caffeine successful the morning.

"Ever since our partnership, the merchandise is great. It's energizing and fueling maine each the time. The substance that I got from it and everything and conscionable helping it commencement my days. I mean, this has astir apt been the astir aggravated play of my life. 

"When it comes to meetings and practice, I'm waking up each time aboriginal successful the morning, and I don't get location till, you know, 9, 10 p.m. That's hard to bash with debased energy, truthful I deliberation Celsius has truly helped maine with that."

There isn't overmuch clip for celebration, though. After a parade Sunday, Egbuka volition beryllium successful NFL Draft mode and volition person to commencement grooming for adjacent month's combine.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates aft defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish successful the CFP nationalist title astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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It's practically a nonexistent offseason for him, but Egbuka is acceptable for it.

"I am. I'm acceptable for this adjacent section successful my life. It is important to instrumentality breaks and instrumentality rests. So, I person a mates days wherever I'll walk with loved ones starring up to grooming for the NFL. But it's the beingness I signed up for. 

"So, can't kick astir it excessively much. I'm conscionable grateful to beryllium successful this position. 
A batch of radical aren't capable to get here."

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