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Cade Stover, JT Tuimoloau: Ohio State using every bit of Georgia loss as fuel

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph•07/26/23
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Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes place kicker Noah Ruggles (95) reacts after missing a field goal against the Georgia Bulldogs with Ohio State Buckeyes punter Jesse Mirco (29) during the final seconds of the fourth quarter of the 2022 Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Ohio State came up just short of surprising the college football world by upending the eventual national champions, the Georgia Bulldogs, in their College Football Playoff semifinal matchup. The Buckeyes lost to the Bulldogs in a nail-biter 42-41 after kicker Noah Ruggles missed the 50-yard field goal that would have likely sealed the game for Ohio State.

Fast forward to the Big Ten Football Media Days in July, nearly six months later, and that loss is still fresh on the minds of Buckeyes tight end Cade Stover and defensive end JT Tuimoloau. During a sit-down interview on On3’s Andy Staples Podcast, the two revealed whether or not they are using that loss to fuel them through the offseason and the upcoming 2023 campaign.

“I mean, I’m definitely, there’s no doubt about, I’m using every bit of that,” said Stover. “It’s not a day I don’t wake up and think about that. Like I said earlier today, I wear it honestly, what happened. So it’s something that you just basically take as a man, on the chest.”

“I think Cade hit it well,” said Tuimoloau. “Obviously, it’s used as motivation. If it’s not, then something’s wrong. But we have a standard and not being able to do what we’re supposed to do the past two years; it’s obviously fuel. And it’s a different type of mindset going into this offseason. It’s been one different offseason but in a great way. So, it’s obviously used as motivation.”

Ohio State’s struggles in the last two season

The last two seasons have been filled with heartbreak for the Buckeyes. In 2021, a stunning 35-28 upset loss at home to the Oregon Ducks and a 42-27 road defeat at the hands of their rival, the Michigan Wolverines, knocked them out of contention to earn a bid to the 2021 College Football Playoffs. And last season, despite losing to Michigan for the second year in a row, Ohio State still earned a College Football Playoff bid only to lose to Georgia, as mentioned above.

Things may not have ended the last two years as Stover, Tuimoloau, and the rest of the Buckeyes would have liked, but they are definitely coming into the 2023 season with a chip on their shoulder. And they are going to use that chip to fuel the fire on their quest to reclaim their spot at the top of the college football world.