 Although again hurt by players leaving to play pro football, Ohio State improved greatly in 1948, winning six games and losing three in a year when the Big Ten was an exceptionally strong conference.In 1949 the Buckeyes overcame an early lopsided loss to Minnesota to go on to a successful season, due in great part to the play of sophomore Vic Janowicz.Tying Michigan in Ann Arbor to become Big Ten co-champions, Ohio State also received the Rose Bowl invitation, where they came from behind to defeat California.