The Michigan defeat liberated Ohio State.

 A longer college football season and a $20 million roster played key roles in helping the Buckeyes bounce back from a crushing defeat to ultimately secure a national championship.

ATLANTA — The long college football season saw Ohio State rise above its previous humiliation. Now, the Buckeyes stand accomplished and redeemed, their painful Michigan defeat overshadowed by a championship victory. No longer just the team exposed by their rival, they are now recognized as greater than their worst moment.