In July at Big Ten media days, Ohio State embarked on a high-stakes journey with a championship or bust mentality. However, their season ended with yet another loss to Michigan. Now, athletic director Ross Bjork aims to shake things up with the college football powerhouse. It's not about firing coach Ryan Day but rethinking the entire season approach, not just for the Michigan game.

Changing the Mindset

During an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Bjork emphasized that the "championship or bust" mentality can't be sustained. "You want to win every game, but having that mindset hinders performance," he said. After Ohio State's fourth consecutive loss to Michigan, Bjork showed confidence in the coach and began to explore ways to change the team's mindset and how the season revolves around one game.The Michigan game has become a mental block for the team and coach. After the shocking 13-10 home loss as a heavy favorite, a fight broke out between Ohio State and Michigan players, and Day stood by, seemingly unable to control the situation. Day had compared the game to "war" before, emphasizing the consequences of losing. But Bjork believes this all-or-nothing mindset needs to change and be part of a bigger picture."We hadn't even played yet, hadn't practiced yet," Bjork recalled of the July declaration. "It's good to be confident, but we don't want to discourage that. Nick Saban started the process idea. It's all about the process. Don't focus on the result, focus on the process."This season, Ohio State focused solely on beating Michigan and winning the national title. They added key players through the transfer portal and made significant changes to the offense. But their game plan against Michigan backfired. Michigan was weak against the pass, yet Ohio State ran the ball repeatedly into their strong defense, resulting in only 77 yards on 26 carries. Meanwhile, their star receiver had limited opportunities."That's bad coaching based on a flawed philosophy of one game superseding all," Bjork admitted. It temporarily overshadowed the team's offseason efforts and left fans disappointed.However, all is not lost. Minutes after the College Football Playoff games were announced, Ohio State sold out its home game against Tennessee. And on secondary market platforms, there is still hope. More than 42 percent of the tickets sold on SeatGeek have been bought by Tennessee residents, and 37 percent on StubHub. A win over Tennessee could move Ohio State into the quarterfinals and a rematch with No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl."The disappointment in that perceived pressure is (Day) wants to win at the highest level," Bjork said. "The good thing is we're alive in the playoff. We've got a really good team, and we've got a shot."Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.