What We Learned: Big Ten Championship Game

INDIANAPOLIS - It never seemed easy, but through displays of impressive toughness and some strong half time adjustments, Ohio State was able to come out on top 34-21 over Wisconsin and take home the Big Ten Championship trophy.

Wisconsin punched Ohio State in the mouth early, taking a 14-0 lead and eventually making it 21-7 going into half time, but the Buckeyes came out with some fire in the second half, scoring 27 unanswered points to cap off their 13-0 run through the Big Ten Championship.

The Buckeyes will find out tomorrow where their fate lies in the College Football Playoffs, but for now, this was clearly the most challenged Ohio State has been in any game this season, so there were plenty of takeaways as the Buckeyes plan to look forward to the playoffs. Find out what we learned in Ohio State's 34-21 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Of all the issues Ohio State was facing early on in the game, keeping Justin Fields upright and with a clean pocket was the biggest challenge.

Fields was sacked on each of the Buckeyes' first drives and after being forced from the pocket due to pressure, Fields fumbled near the goal line while Ohio State was still looking to put points on the board.

Beyond hitting the turf, constant pressure left to inaccurate throws from Fields and a general inability to move the ball outside of J.K. Dobbins.

To make matters worse, right guard Wyatt Davis went out with an injury and caused further shifting on the line, though Davis was able to come back in later.

Things improved as the game went on as Fields was only sacked two more times in the game and Dobbins was able to finish with 172 yards on 33 carries.

With Fields the least mobile he's ever been, this is an important juncture for Ohio State as they figure out how to protect their star quarterback. Fields will have ample time to heal before the Buckeyes' opening round playoff matchup and his health may not be a concern at that point, but the drive-ending sacks have still been a major concern for Ohio State in their previous couple of games.

Against better competition in the playoffs that are going to be able to take advantage of those empty-possession drives by Ohio State, cleaning up the pass protection and ensuring drives don't stall will be a point of emphasis.

Ryan Day has preached all season that the way Ohio State performs with their backs against the wall is how the team should be defined. Down 14-0, this is more adversity than this team has faced all season, and through gutsy play calls and superb halftime adjustments, the Buckeyes were able to come out on top against Wisconsin.

It all started with the call for the fake punt. Drue Chrisman executed a perfect pass to Luke Farrell to convert the first down, and while the drive ended in an eventual fumble by Fields, it showed that Day wasn't afraid to play hardball. If that fake punt doesn't go, it's likely that Wisconsin would have gone up 17-0 and this piece would have a very different tone.

The second big play on special teams was the botched punt by Wisconsin. While Ohio State didn't get a hand on the ball other than the actual fumble recovery, the presence of the Buckeyes sending almost everybody to block surely caused some stress for Wisconsin's punter.

When Ohio State's back was against the wall, not only did the players respond with a much more convincing performance in the second half, but Day was able to call a good game to get Ohio State back into the contest down 14-0 (and later 21-7). This is the first time the Buckeyes have faced any real challenge or push back from their opponent this season, and Day showed that he could maintain composure and continue to find the best way to win.

It certainly didn't look easy at any point, but at this time of the season, playing in these games like the Big Ten Championship, it often won't be, so it showed some real toughness from Ohio State to find a way back into it even when it looked like everything was falling apart.

It's often been Fields' running ability or makeshift nature in the pocket that has bailed Ohio State out in tough moments this season, but on Saturday against Wisconsin, it was the Buckeyes' receivers that stepped up and pulled Ohio State out of a tough spot.

It started with Austin Mack's incredible 34-yard, one-handed catch. That drive would eventually end in a punt, but it spelled positive things for Ohio State's receivers.

Later, Farrell was able to haul in the 21-yard fake punt reception from Chrisman to help extend Ohio State's drive, though it again ended with no points, this time because of Fields' fumble.

The next drive, however, is when the returns started to come in. Chris Olave dragged his feet to complete a 16-yard reception, and K.J. Hill (who broke Ohio State's career receptions record) took another pass 27 yards to the Wisconsin three-yard line where Dobbins barreled through for a touchdown.

In the second half, Olave again was able to pull in a huge reception, this time a 50-yard catch which he had to track to the middle of the field, and later in the drive, Jeremy Ruckert extended for a one-handed touchdown reception to help get Ohio State back into the game.

The receivers continued to make plays en route to Ohio State's 34-21 victory, but it emphasized a bigger point for how the Buckeyes will be able to capitalize in the playoffs. This is a deep, deep receiving core for Ohio State. Olave and Hill have already been mentioned at length, Mack and Binjimen Victor hauled in important catches, and don't forget the young players like Garrett Wilson who didn't have as big of a day.

When depth and veteran leaderships matters the most come playoff time, there may not be a better group in the field than Ohio State's group, and this is a unit that can help Ohio State extend their season.

When No. 2 LSU demolished No. 4 Georgia earlier today 37-10, it became clear quickly that the Big Ten Championship Game would be about style points for Ohio State. LSU's win was convincing, so the Buckeyes would need to do more than just eek out a small win over the Badgers.

Ohio State was eventually able to take the game back over and win 34-21, even making the final margin pretty respectable for the No. 1 team in the nation, but it may not have been enough to ensure the Buckeyes will be No. 1 when the final College Football Playoff rankings come out tomorrow at noon.

Things were ugly early on with pass protection breaking down and the defense missing easy tackles and giving up big chunks of yards. The committee has mentioned the biggest difference between Ohio State and LSU being how balanced Ohio State has been on both sides of the ball, but it certainly didn't appear that way on Saturday.

Again, things improved for the Buckeyes as the game went on, but it may have been too little, too late. Ohio State can rest easy tonight knowing they'll be in the playoffs tomorrow, but it may not be as the seed they've been aiming for after a surprising performance in the Big Ten Championship Game.