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Ohio State Buckeyes v Nebraska Cornhuskers 10-6-2012

Source: Diamond Images / Getty

The undisputed National Champions, OSU Football team are in Los Angeles for the 2015 Espys!

via Buckeye Extra

If there is such a thing as a defining moment when the future becomes separated from the past, it probably is going to come tonight for the Ohio State football team.

Four players and coach Urban Meyer are in Los Angeles for ESPN’s annual awards show, the ESPYs. The Buckeyes are up for various honors after their run to the College Football Playoff championship.

They are the last known awards — team of the year, breakout player of the year for quarterback Cardale Jones, coach of the year — the Buckeyes have a chance at winning before tucking away 2014 and turning their full attention to defending that title.

“I think it’s good for the program to be recognized,” senior linebacker Joshua Perry said before he, Jones, running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Braxton Miller — he didn’t play last year because of a shoulder injury but the players said he still was an inspiration — left Columbus on Tuesday. “We take pride in the fact we’re building something really good around here.

“It’s a little bit weird taking a break in the middle of the week from the grind and everything, but it will be cool. Once we get back, we’re already focused on the grind (for the coming season), so this isn’t going to be any one of those things that will take us off of that.”

The Buckeyes went 14-1 in 2014, including the first 3-0 postseason in major college football. Jones took a rocket ride to fame in the postseason after Miller and J.T. Barrett were injured, but he took a critical look at his chances for the award. That’s even if he once posted on social media two years ago his dreams of winning a national title, the Heisman Trophy and an ESPY.

“I’m pretty sure nobody remembers it,” Jones said of the post.

Besides, “I don’t feel like the three games I played were that great of games; I don’t think I played them to my full potential. I mean, I voted for (New York Giants receiver) Odell Beckham.”

On the team front, Ohio State is facing stiff competition, too, Perry said.

“Honestly, I think it will be tough,” he said. “There are other good teams up there, the (NBA champion Golden State) Warriors, obviously. And the women’s national soccer team and what they did — I wouldn’t be surprised if they walked away with it.”

Jones disagreed. He stated the case for the Buckeyes, pointing out the challenges they overcame with their “next man up” approach, the most glaring example coming at the most crucial position: quarterback.

“We’ve battled through so much adversity,” Jones said. “It started from the beginning with losing Braxton, and it carried on when we lost to Virginia Tech, it carried on when we lost J.T. It’s the way we fought through all of that and came out on top — I don’t see why wouldn’t we win it.”