Analyst Issues Stern Warning to Ohio State Buckeyes’ Ryan Day
Is Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day under pressure as he heads into the 2024 season?
Overall, Ryan Day has performed well as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, holding the highest winning percentage among all active college football coaches with an impressive 56-8 record.
However, there are some blemishes on Day’s resume.
Most notably, Ohio State has lost three consecutive games to the Michigan Wolverines under his leadership, which is considered unacceptable in Columbus. Additionally, the Buckeyes have struggled in bowl games during Day’s tenure, with a 2-4 record.
So, how much pressure is Day under as he heads into the 2024 season?
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum believes that his job could be at risk.
“But if he loses to Michigan and then suffers an early exit in the playoffs, I wouldn’t be surprised if he got fired, despite his record,” Finebaum said on *McElroy and Cubelic In the Morning.*
Day has an impressive 39-3 record against Big Ten opponents, meaning he hasn’t lost to any non-Michigan team in the conference. That 39-0 mark in all other games (including a 2019 win over Michigan) is certainly impressive. However, the three consecutive losses to Michigan almost overshadow those other victories.
One could argue that beating Michigan is just as important—if not more so—than winning a national championship in Buckeye territory.
Before 2021, Ohio State had won eight straight games against the Wolverines.
The tide has clearly turned since then, with Day at the center of it.
This season, Ohio State arguably has the most talented roster in the country, while Michigan is in a quasi-rebuild after losing head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the NFL.
Perhaps Ohio State will finally end its losing streak to the Wolverines and win its first national championship since the 2014-15 season in the process.
If Day can achieve at least one of those goals, his job in Columbus is almost certainly secure.
