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PASADENA, Calif. — All it took for Ohio State was complete and utter embarrassment 32 days ago. In the same afternoon at The Shoe on that brisk Nov. 30, Michigan first stuck it to the Buckeyes, then stuck its flag in the ground.

Never has a pepper spray-filled postgame brawl been so … inspirational. At least for the team that finally fought back when it counted, this time with the clock actually ticking and the season on the line this month. 

Ohio State redeemed itself, its coach and its season, in that order with another College Football Playoff win on another sun-splashed Rose Bowl afternoon. This one — to borrow a phrase — just meant more after the teams played a one-point classic 2 ½ months ago. 

What changed Wednesday following one of the most shocking results of the CFP era? That was really the question after No. 8 seed Ohio State knocked off No. 1 seed Oregon 41-21 in a CFP Rose Bowl quarterfinal. 

Something changed for the Buckeyes. Whatever it was, it is coming just at the right time. After clearing the mental hurdle of that Michigan loss on Nov. 30, Ohio State has outscored Tennessee and Oregon 83-38. 

The 20-point margin of victory against Oregon was the largest in the Rose Bowl in nine years. The Ducks were down 34-0 before they knew what hit them.

“It’s quite the shock to say the least. It’s going to stick with me for a while,” Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher said. “They outschemed, outplayed us in every aspect of the game.”

That statement would have been laughable 32 days ago. Now, the Buckeyes might be the team to beat. They have that glint in their eye like nothing is going to get in their way. Texas is next in the CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal, but does it matter who the opponent is at this point? Ohio State has that 2019 LSU vibe about it. Whatever was put in their way was road graded. 

“This team’s going to go all the way,” Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun declared amid the postgame confetti. 

Igbinosun qualified as a great philosopher when asked on the field if all of this would have happened without that fourth consecutive Michigan loss.

“Probably not,” he said. “We kind of needed that.”

Heresy? We’ll see. The Buckeyes’ defense that basically couldn’t touch Heisman finalist Dillon Gabriel (no sacks in the first meeting Oct. 12) got to him eight times. That’s the most in the 38 bowl games played to date. Oregon had given up 13 sacks all season. 

Receiver Jeremiah Smith had a career high in receiving yards 4 ½ minutes into the second quarter and finished with 7 catches for 187 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His season totals — 70 catches for 1,224 yards — broke the Ohio State freshman record set by Cris Carter in 1984. 

Carter is largely considered the best receiver in Ohio State history. With at least two more years at Ohio State, Smith could be better. 

“I just can’t let that statement get in my head,” Smith said before the game. 

When asked how the super freshman got so open, one Ohio State assistant who preferred not to be identified called it “bravado.” Oregon thought it could single cover Smith. It was wrong. 

“I just start laughing, man-on-man I know I’m going to win. Press me, I know I’m going to win,” Smith said. 

Ryan Day, the coach once in hot water if not ready to be boiled in it, suddenly deserves a contract extension. Or at least a day or two off from the constant sturm and drang from Buckeye Fan who can’t win big enough.

“I’ve seen him rally the entire team,” receiver Emeka Egbuka said of Day. “He’s our leader, our fearless leader. We have 100% confidence in him. And we’ve never swayed on him. He’s never swayed on us.”

Post Michigan, the Buckeyes were questioning their own existence even when the mirror confirmed they were indeed … there. A Dec. 1 team meeting — the day after the Michigan loss — changed the trajectory of the team, several sources told CBS Sports.

“I’m not going to say [there was] yelling, crying, screaming,” linebacker Sonny Styles said. “Just a bunch of guys looking each other in the eye saying, ‘That wasn’t our best.’ At the end, we were all putting our arms around each other saying, ‘Let’s go do this.'” 

Egbuka spoke at that meeting. So did defensive end Jack Sawyer, as did linebacker Cody Simon, quarterback Will Howard, tailback TreVeyon Henderson and safety Lathan Ransom. 

“When things are going good, you’ve got to hug the guys you love the most,” Day said. “And when things aren’t, you’ve got to hug them even harder.

“I keep saying it, ‘We’re fighting to keep this team together,'” he added, “because we have a great group of guys together.”

In one sense, this last month at Ohio State has marked the greatest reversal of groupthink since folks thought Elaine Benes could dance. Physically, the Buckeyes are still the nation’s No. 1 defense. Howard is still one of the nation’s most efficient passers. 

How Smith didn’t become a Biletnikoff finalist (nation’s best receiver) is a mystery to be pondered another time.

“Will Howard now is different than Will Howard was [in] October,” offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “Jeremiah Smith is different than he was [in] October. Our players keep getting better. They’re growing. I think there are some teams that are just hanging on right now. We’re getting stronger.” 

And for those whining about Oregon having a tough road in the playoff: the Ducks were going to have to face this level of competition sooner or later in the bracket. They didn’t show up Wednesday afternoon. Whether it was quarterfinals, semifinals or Stanley Cup Finals doesn’t really matter.

Oregon basically did its best imitation of Ohio State against Michigan 4 ½ weeks ago.

Time management? Howard had an entire second half to savor victory instead of carrying the weight of six seconds on his back since Oct. 12. In fact, if some columnist or another wanted to be a wise-ass, that person might suggest Howard and Smith could have sat out the second half and caused less of a stir than Cam Ward.

That’s because this Rose Bowl was over after 30 minutes. The team that couldn’t find its way, found a way to hand Dan Lanning his worst beating since his first game as Oregon’s coach in the 2022 season opener. Georgia won that one 49-3. 

Two things remain true: The Michigan loss is, was and shall always be a debacle for Ohio State. The result should be carved into the walls of the team’s meeting room with a dull butter knife for easy reference. Ohio State fans can also absolutely be over the top. State representative Josh Williams wanted to make flag-planting a felony in Ohio. Talk about pandering. 

Hey, but something positive came out of that day, that fight, that … loss. 

Former Buckeyes receiving great Mike Thomas was roaming Ohio State’s bench Wednesday in the final seconds. 

“I think the guys just turned the page and wanted a new chapter,” said the NFL veteran who holds the school record for receptions in a season (149).

Does it matter now, he was asked, if that Michigan loss was mixed in with a national championship? 

“At this point,” Thomas said. “I don’t think it does.”