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I wasn't sure where to put this so I'll drop it here, reflections on the 2022 Ohio State season and the NC:

I hope this doesn't come off as sour grapes because it isn't.  The reality is that there has always been a certain amount of luck involved in winning an NC.  Back in the Polls-and-Bowls era a lot of that luck was things like needing to lose early rather than late if you were going to lose and needing some random underdog to take out a team ranked ahead of you.  I read once that Darrell Royal referred to Michigan's win over Ohio State in 1969 as one of the greatest wins in Texas football history.  The backstory is that Texas won the NC in 1969 but wouldn't have if the Buckeyes had remained undefeated.  From Texas' perspective that is pure luck.  They had no control over it whatsoever.  They just had to hope that somebody would knock off the #1 ranked defending champions.  

Those "luck" factors have largely gone away with the advent of the BCS and now the CFP but there is still some luck involved.  Some has to do with getting good bounces at opportune times in close games but another factor is injury luck.  

I expected Ohio State to be a strong contender for the NC so this 11-2 season that will likely end with a #4 ranking is somewhat of a disappointment.  I know that fans of most schools have trouble imagining seeing an 11-2 season that ends in the CFP and with a top-4 ranking as a disappointment but such is life at Ohio State.  #Helmetproblems.  

The thing is that I expected a NC (or REALLY close) but I also failed to anticipate:

• Multiple injuries in the tOSU secondary.  
• The preseason favorite for the Biletnikoff, JSN, missing nearly the whole season.  He ended the year with 5 receptions for 43 yards.  
• Treveyon Henderson missing large chunks of the season.  He was expected to be tOSU's feature back and I was optimistically hoping for a Zeke/Sermon type year but he ended up missing a lot and tOSU's rushing attempts for the year were split roughly evenly between Henderson, his preseason #2 Miyan Williams and true freshman Dallen Hayden.  
• Marvin Harrison being knocked out of the CG.  This was severely compounded by #2 above.  In the decisive final minutes of the Peach Bowl Ohio State's WR's were:  1-Egbuka, 2-Fleming, 3-Johnson.  Egbuka frankly isn't a bad #1 WR but he isn't JSN or Marvin Harrison either.  Egbuka/Fleming as #3/4 WR's is just flat out unfair to opposing defenses.  When they had to move up to #1/2, Ohio State's offense became a lot more manageable for Georgia's defense.  

The above isn't to make excuses.  Injuries are part of the game.  You have to have a "next man up" approach.  You have to be prepared to deal with them and move on.  That said, the luck factor is in minimizing them and/or having them spread around different position groups such that you aren't hammered too badly at any one spot.  

Luck still plays a large role I think, especially in the playoffs.

When an SEC team wins, it's because they were better.

When another team wins, they got lucky.  

I thought Bama might "not want to be there" in their bowl.

K-State didn't wanna be there

they wanted to be in the playoff cause they beat the Toads

Ed Zachary. 

I thought Bama might "not want to be there" in their bowl.

nah. when Bryce Young and Will Anderson both play, that means they wanted to be there. 

Losing to TTUN might be more injurious.

a lot more injurious.