COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If you want to understand the moment Ohio State’s 2023 defensive line transformed from talented underachievers into the stuff of legend, look no further than Nico Iamaleava’s cracked helmet.

The Tennessee quarterback’s headgear—split by a vicious hit from Cody Simon—became a perfect metaphor for what happened in Columbus that December night. Ohio State’s defensive front didn’t just win a playoff game; they forged their legacy by putting a team, a quarterback, and an entire conference “in hell.”

“So Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, and Ty Hamilton combined for 20 tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, three pass breakups, a force fumble, and 23 pressures,” Stephen Means recounted during the Buckeye Talk podcast. “And we’d been waiting four years for them

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