Jack Sawyer sends 'crazy' warning regarding importance of CFP championships, beating Michigan

At Ohio State, anything other than excellence is a failure.

Former Ohio State-turned-NFL teammates Will Howard and Jack Sawyer know the feeling well. This past season was a prime example. Losing to Michigan as a three-touchdown favorite in the regular-season finale had Buckeyes fans calling for Day's dismissal. Some even took it to the extreme.

The Buckeyes then railed back, as they cruised to the College Football Playoff national title game before sealing their season with a 34-23 win against Notre Dame. After much scrutiny and uncertainty, Day was finally a champion.

A contract extension soon followed. The Buckeyes remain a popular pick to repeat as national champions this fall, giving the Big Ten three in a row.

According to Howard and Sawyer, the adversity that motivated the Buckeyes is an understatement. They were laser-focused on turning the season around and rewriting the history books. Although Day has a 0-4 mark against the Wolverines in recent years, with three of those coming against then-coach Jim Harbaugh, Sawyer and Howard were blunt regarding the importance of the rivalry as opposed to winning titles.

To them, one trumps the other. Sawyer said it's not even up for debate.

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Appearing on the “Footbahlin” podcast with former Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Sawyer finally cut to the chase.

“When you win a national championship, if anyone tells you they’d rather go 1-12 and just beat the ‘Team Up North,’ you’re crazy. You know what I mean? You’re playing this game to win championships,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer said Buckeyes fans understand the rivalry, but to the players, nothing else matters than being the best at the craft.

Make no mistake about it, no one wants to beat those guys more than we do, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing we could have done after [we lost to the Team Up North]," Sawyer added. "We have our shot to chase the ultimate goal, which is to win the national championship."

Sawyer said college football is finally catching up to the NFL in some respects, especially when it comes to the postseason. After the loss to Michigan, all Sawyer and his teammates could do was move forward.

"Like, in the NFL, you lose four games in the regular season and you’re probably the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs," Sawyer said. "That’s kind of the approach we took, especially with the expanded playoffs, and I think it’s gonna continue to be like that."

Sawyer said if he could have the loss back, he would. However, nothing takes away from winning a ring.

Howard concurred. 

"And that’s coming from a longtime Buckeye fan,” Howard said. "Me just being new to the rivalry – and obviously I was a Penn State fan, so Penn State thinks that their rivals are Ohio State, and Ohio State just doesn’t really see it that way.”

Howard said there is no shortage of hatred for the Wolverines year-round despite the loss. 

"We literally talk about (the rivalry) every single day,” Howard said. “There’s a huge emphasis on it, like, no M’s in the building, can’t wear blue. I don’t think I’ve worn blue this whole year. It’s very, very – it runs really deep. It means a lot to a lot of people.”

With both ex-Ohio State stars transitioning to the NFL, their first-person outlook should send a message to recruits and possible transfers that, if anything, the ultimate goal remains a title by season's end. 

Period.