Ohio State has won seven national championships, give or take the two mythical ones the school adds. No matter the number, the Buckeyes have never successfully defended a title.

Oh, they’ve been close — only to have a Rose Bowl loss here, an upset to Michigan State there and an always bitter defeat to Michigan thrown in for good measure to spoil their chances.

But there has never been a more opportune time nor possibly a more treacherous route than what the third-ranked Buckeyes face beginning with the showdown against No. 1 Texas in Columbus on Saturday.

The loser in Ohio Stadium will be disappointed but not deflated thanks to the latest iteration of the College Football Playoff, which allows for mulligans among the 12-team field.

Just ask last year’s Buckeyes, who lost to Oregon in t

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