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On the day the Internet fired Ryan Day, in the aftermath of a brawl and another putrid loss to rival Michigan, hope was fleeting.
Ohio State’s season wasn’t done, although it certainly felt that way at the moment. A playoff spot was all but guaranteed even in defeat, but that didn’t stop the conversation from escalating to a point of discomfort.
Some penciled in Mike Vrabel, a former Buckeye, as the next man up. Others explored how much it would cost the school to pay for Day to leave. Many, including this writer, questioned how the school could gracefully move forward without a deep playoff run considering the chaos and negativity surrounding the program.
People were mad. Debates ensued. Questions ruled.
More than a month later, things are far different. Chaos and negativity have given way for something far more palatable—something optimistic and downright dominant.
Although the final chapter of the season has yet to be written, it’s about time we do something few have ever cared to do: Give Ryan Day the credit he deserves and offer up a heartfelt group apology.
The aftertaste that followed the cataclysmic loss to Michigan is officially gone. Consecutive playoff victories can do that. Only these weren’t just playoff victories. What Ohio State did to unbeaten Oregon, the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff bracket, was much more than that.
By the time the most recognized sunset in sports bounced off the San Gabriel Mountains, the game had been decided.
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The Buckeyes clobbered a team that had beat them earlier in the season, using a bevy of explosive plays—along with a healthy serving of freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith—to take a commanding lead.
From there, Ohio State never looked back. Oregon eventually had a few moments, but Ohio State overpowered the last unbeaten 41-21. The Buckeyes didn’t just get their revenge; they methodically dissected a team many assumed would roll to the championship.
Less than two weeks prior, Day’s team did the same to Tennessee. A victory was expected, although Ohio State did much more than that.
A familiar formula took shape. The Buckeyes jumped out to a three-touchdown lead, and the game was over less than 15 minutes after it started.
Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17.
In two playoff games this year, the Buckeyes have outscored their opponents 83 to 38. In truth, they never felt that close.
The team we expected to see all season long has arrived. The offense, led by transfer QB Will Howard, has hit its stride. The running backs and wide receivers have looked the part. The defense, which has been excellent all season, has found another gear.
A roster that was built through recruiting and the transfer portal and boatloads of NIL cash has come together when it absolutely needed to. And the architect of it all has made it all possible.
If we’re going to place the blame of every heartbreaking Ohio State loss squarely on Day’s shoulders, then he should be celebrated when the opposite happens. Over the past three weeks, that is precisely what has transpired.
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The most talented team in the country is playing like the most talented team in the country, and it did not happen by accident. It also didn’t come easy. It came after rock bottom was found.
It came when hope was lost, at least for many. It came at the hands of Day, who was not actually fired by the Internet that day despite its best efforts.
This sport can be both reactive and radioactive. Unwanted outcomes can generate deleterious takes and opinions, especially when the expectations are so high.
Few jobs are as demanding as this one on a yearly basis, which has made Day’s tenure so difficult to digest. For all the winning that has taken place, the losses have been pronounced. It’s created an environment that seems unsustainable.
In this particular moment, those emotions seem long gone. Ohio State is now a definitive favorite to win the national championship, with a semifinal matchup against Texas on deck.
A win is by no means a guarantee. If nothing else, Ohio State’s season has taught us this and much more.
But for once, before the next set of raw emotions can be produced and Day’s tenure can be deemed a smashing success or abject failure after the next 60 minutes, his work to reach this point should be celebrated.
It must be celebrated. Collectively, even with the next month still to play out, Day has proven himself worthy of this job and then some. He’s due a heartfelt congratulations and an apology—emotions the Internet and football fans struggle with at times.
None of it will last, of course. Good vibes, like bad vibes, won’t last forever, And no one knows that better than him.
