It should be no surprise that the Ohio State football season is a train wreck. No program at any level could take so many hits and be without so many key players for so long and not tumble.

And here we are, Michigan week. What’s the main difference between first-year head coaches Brady Hoke and Luke Fickell? Everything.

It didn’t take Hoke long to get the Wolverines (9-2) back into BCS bowl contention. That’s also the time it took for Fickell to lose any chance he had of season No. 2 as the Buckeyes’ head coach.

If OSU (6-5) can just keep Saturday’s outcome close — forget a win at Ann Arbor — that will be something to build on. That’s all this season ever was good for: rebuilding for the future.

We all know why Fickell was thrust into the OSU limelight. He’ll admit that he wasn’t ready in an ESPN reflective special years from now. And that’s too bad.

Fickell is the epitome of the die-hard assistant who can rally players. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a matching on-field presence when it’s his turn to make every important call.

Apparently, Urban Meyer will be the next head coach. If OSU loses on Saturday, he’ll be in place before the holidays.

That seems as good a match as OSU could hope for. However, that extended leave thing he pulled at Florida still seems a bit odd. If that 24/7 job was too taxing, how could he possibly handle a Columbus gig?

Here’s how: one winning game at a time.

Contact this writer at (937) 225-2381 or mpendleton@DaytonDailyNews.com.