Ohio State, not currently being warmly embraced by the pollsters, could have probably used some style points today. The weather and the opponent combined to make it not that kind of day.
But it was a win, on the road against a top-25 opponent, and that makes it a quality win. With the only two games left on their schedule being against Indiana and Michigan, this will be the second-best regular season win on Ohio State's resume after they shoved Michigan State out of the B1G's driver seat last weekend.
The playoff outlook is still not super rosy for the Buckeyes, but sitting at #8, there is still at least a vague semblance of a road there. #5 Alabama losing to #1 Mississppi State would help, and so would any loss from #4 TCU (currently leading sad-sack Kansas early), #6 Arizona State (likely to destroy sad-sack Oregon State late tonight) or #3 Florida State (playing a possibly difficult—though not so difficult that Louisville, Nebraska and Georgia Tech couldn't handle it—game against Miami in prime time on ABC).
As for Minnesota, you played hard and I'm proud of you. Dilly Bars for everyone.
[Photo credit: AP]