Michigan beating Ohio State was one of the most shocking results of college football Week 14 but the main story of the game was what happened after the final seconds ticked off the clock. After beating the Buckeyes for the fourth straight year, a handful of Michigan players attempted to plant their flag on the Ohio State logo, sparking a massive brawl.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who was the subject of criticism for losing another game to Michigan as a 20-point favorite, defended his players' actions after the game. His coaching and subsequent comments were questioned by many, including ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum.

“This is the biggest game of the year in college football and they still can’t figure out how to win it,” Finebaum said on ‘The Matt Barrie Show.' “Then this is a whole another special show about planting the flag, but you know Ryan Day just comes up with just this idiotic statement about, you know, we’re not going to let them do that to our field. Try to beat them first, okay Ryan. You won’t have to worry about that.”

With the loss, Day dropped to 1-4 against Michigan during his six-year tenure. His poor record against the team's biggest rival caused fans to call for his firing despite an overall 63-10 record at Ohio State since taking over as head coach in 2019.

Ryan Day and Ohio State still on track to make 2024 College Football Playoffs

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day yells for a review of a catch by wide receiver Emeka Egbuka during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Despite the horrible Week 14 loss, Ohio State is still on track to qualify for the 204-2025 12-team College Football Playoffs. The Buckeyes fell to No. 7 in the rankings after the loss, still well within reach of the postseason tournament.

However, Ohio State did lose their shot at a Big 10 Championship. Their loss allowed Penn State to enter the title game and face No. 1-ranked Oregon in Indianapolis. Despite Ohio State beating Penn State earlier in the year, the Nittany Lions have just one conference loss as opposed to the Buckeyes' two.

Where the Buckeyes land in the playoffs will depend on the conference championship game results. Entering Week 14 at No. 2, Ohio State was previously viewed as a top seed in the playoffs but will now potentially lose home-field advantage and have no shot at securing a first-round bye.

If Ohio State suffers a first-round loss in the playoffs, it would be Day's third straight bowl defeat. Day has not led Ohio State to a postseason victory since 2022 when his team edged Utah in the Rose Bowl. It has been even longer since Ohio State has won the Big 10, a feat they have not achieved since 2020.