It was the most hyped game of the entire college football season. That is, “The Game” between Ohio State and Michigan, that once again did not disappoint. Well, that is unless you're Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day, who suffered his third straight loss in the storied series.
Ohio State football's loss to Michigan brings Ryan Day's job into question
After Saturday, Day is now 1-3 all-time against Michigan football since taking on the reins at Ohio State. Coming into the game that had enough storylines to cover a fall television drama, one particular narrative was that of coaching legacies, particularly Day's. After losing the last two years to Michigan football, Day had been flooded with criticism, even though the Buckeyes made it into last year's College Football Playoff top-4. However, Ohio State lost the semi-final Peach Bowl game to Georgia on a last-second missed field-goal.
Day has also taken Ohio State to the national championship once, back in 2020, although the Buckeyes were thumped by Alabama, 52-24. Then again, that season in and of itself is met with much criticism given that the Buckeyes only played in five regular-season games and did not play Michigan at all.
Taking over in 2018, Day is now 56-7 in six years (fifth full season) and is a former 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year. For any other program, a coach with only seven losses in six seasons, never finishing outside the top-10, would earn them a lifetime contract. But this is Ohio State football, where beating Michigan comes first, then winning everything else second. Suffering now a third straight loss to their bitter rival, many are calling for Day's job now
Ryan Day was outcoached by Sherrone Moore
The Ohio State-Michigan game invariably magnifies every aspect, especially in-game decision-making. In this instance, despite having five full years of head coaching experience, Day found himself outcoached by Michigan's Sherrone Moore, who had only two previous games under his belt in the last couple of weeks filling in for the suspended Jim Harbaugh.
Day was found to be conservative in comparison to Moore's aggressive approach in Ohio State's 30-24 loss. For instance, on the Buckeyes' second drive of the game, Day decided not to go for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 46-yard line, punting in what was then a scoreless game. The Buckeyes never attempted fourth down the entire evening. Meanwhile, the Wolverines went a perfect 3-for-3 on fourth down, eventually leading to two scores.
“We didn’t want to give them any momentum,” Day said of his decision not to go for it on fourth down in the post-game press conference, per Larry Lage of the Associated Press .
There was also the decision not to go for it again on 4th-and-2 from the Michigan 34 that would have potentially put the Buckeyes ahead before the half. Instead, down 14-10, Day allowed more than 30 seconds to tick off the game clock, choosing to go for a 52-yard field goal that was then missed. “I felt like that was the right thing to do,” Day said.
Decisions like those and others in comparison to Moore's more aggressive approach that entailed bringing in backup quarterback Alex Orji to break off a 20-yard run in the third quarter or busting out a trick play early in the fourth quarter that resulted in a 34-yard gain, were the difference. That's why on Sunday — and more than likely as soon as the clock hit zero — most were calling for Day's removal as Ohio State's head coach.
Moving forward, Ohio State football is more than about just beating Michigan
Beating Michigan football is the epitome of Ohio State football's existence and vice versa. But in the current landscape of college football, there's much more at stake now than beating your arch-rival. Now with conference and playoff expansion, the stakes are much greater, along with the competition, yet so is the room for error. Starting in 2024 when the playoff expands to 12 teams, an Ohio State loss to Michigan wouldn't end the Buckeyes' playoff chances at just one loss. They would likely still get in with an at-large bid. And that's what should matter from here on out. Not just Michigan.
That may seem blasphemous to an Ohio State football fan, but that's the truth. That's also what's simultaneously the good and bad of the new college football model starting next season. It's going to either minimize the effect of rivalry games or has outright eliminated them thanks to conference realignment.
Therefore, removing Ryan Day lacks logical thought if you're Ohio State. With the Big Ten's expansion bringing USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon next season, there's much more to worry about than just Michigan now. The Buckeyes, like every other Big Ten program, need consistency and a proven winner, which Day is with his .889 winning percentage and three conference titles. And don't forget that this is all in Day's first head coaching experience.
It took Kirby Smart five attempts before he got the best of Nick Saban and Alabama to win Georgia's first national championship since 1980. Those seeking instant gratification would have had him fired after just the third matchup. Yet with time and patience, the Bulldogs now have the longest winning streak in the nation, and are winners of the last two national titles.
While it's easy to criticize and post blame towards Day, the real question that should be asked is who is better than him to lead Ohio State at the moment? Look at what Texas A&M is currently dealing with in finding their next head coach. There's no reason Ryan Day should be fired from Ohio State.
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