• John Kampf: OSU — still — has all its goals in sight

Have you ever had one of those years? Ohio State has.

In fact, the Buckeyes are still smack-dab in the middle of it. To review: • The program went through a scandal surrounding domestic abuse allegations against its receivers coach before camp opened in August.

• Said coach — Zach Smith — was fired and Coach Urban Meyer was suspended to start the season stemming from the events.

• The Buckeyes got a much-needed dose of affirmation that everything was OK with a big road win at Penn State, then...

• Gave it all back three weeks later by getting mollywhopped on the road against Purdue

• Forgot how to run the ball

• Then remembered how to run the ball

• Forgot how to play defense

• Then remembered how to play def... oh wait.

A year like this justifies a steady dose of Dramamine to battle all the motion sickness from this roller-coaster ride.

Yet, when Ohio State hosts Michigan for a noon kickoff on Nov. 24, all of Buckeyes goals are still right there in front of them to attain — a win in The Game, a Big Ten East Division title, a berth in the Big Ten championship game and an outside shot at the college football playoffs, with the consolation prize being a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Is this a great world or what?

That Ohio State is 10-1 and in the position it is in might qualify for a minor miracle.

And the thing is, Ohio State still hasn’t played its best game. Not even close. But the Buckeyes — ranked 10th in the playoff ratings — are going to need it if they are going beat the Wolverines ranked fourth.

The Buckeyes have done some serious soul-searching on a path to self-(re) discovery in recent weeks.

It started on offense, where Meyer and his staff finally realized they have a running game.

It was disturbing to see Ohio State not only not be able to run the ball early in the season, but not even TRY to run the ball.

When the Buckeyes got inside the 5-yard line and threw the ball on fourth down rather than run it, Woody Hayes didn’t just roll over in his grave, he vomited in it.

It’s like Ohio State got so comfortable having a spread offense that threw the ball all over the field with Dwayne Haskins that it forgot how to run the ball.

OSU had 25 carries for 76 yards in the 49-20 loss to Purdue.

A week earlier, J.K. Dobbins, Mike Weber and Haskins combined for 94 yards on 32 carries.

To the Buckeyes’ credit, they finally figured out that as good as Haskins is throwing the ball (3,685 yards, 36 touchdowns) they need to be a running team.

Or at least try to run the ball.

With a renewed emphasis on running the ball, Weber ran for 104 yards and a score against Michigan State, followed by Dobbins going for 203 yards and Weber going for 104 in the 52-51 overtime win over Maryland.

Speaking of Maryland bring us to the next point of self-discovery, one which Ohio State hasn’t quite figured out yet. The defense. Anyone who tries to bring up the nickname “the Silver Bullets,” a moniker given to the great OSU defenses of past years, needs to tap the brakes a little.

There have been times this season that Nerf guns have packed more of a wallop than the estranged Silver Bullets have dealt out.

Each facet of Ohio State defense — the pass rush minus injured Nick Bosa, the often non-existent linebacking corps and the youthful secondary ravaged by recent NFL drafts — has been exposed at some point this year.

The once-proud Ohio State defense enters this Michigan game giving up 24.6 points per game and 399 yards per game (including 161 yards rushing and 237 yards passing).

Not everything has gone right for Ohio State this season.

While the offense seems to have found itself — at least the running portion of it — the defense likely is what it is - a unit that can give up some big yards and big points but can play well in spurts.

It will all be tested against Michigan.

It’s been a tumultuous season. Even the health of Meyer has come into play, making some - if not many - wondering if his tenure at Ohio State is closer than anticipated a year ago at this time.

Despite it all, nothing is truly lost.

The Buckeyes are still 10-1 and in position to win a division title play in the Big Ten championship game and maybe - not likely, but maybe - sneak into the college football playoff picture.

In what has been the most topsy-turvy OSU season in recent memory, that’s borderline miraculous.

Kampf can be reached via email at JKampf@NewsHerald.com; On Twitter: @JKBuckeyes

NICK WASS — ASSOCIATED PRESS Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has a look of disbelief during one of his team’s games this year. The Buckeyes have had a topsy-turvy season, but are 10-1 with all their goals still ahead of them heading into the Michigan game on Nov. 24.