Head Coach Ryan Day gathers the offense to reset during a Buckeyes possession in the 3rd quarter. Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
When Ohio State fell to Michigan 13-10 on Nov. 30, 2024, chants of “fire Ryan Day” broke out among Buckeye fans as they headed for Ohio Stadium’s exits, who had just witnessed the team’s fourth straight loss to Michigan with Day at the helm.
A year later, as snow swirled around him at Michigan Stadium, Day once again had the home team headed for the exits, crushed with disappointment.
This time, however, they were clad in maize and blue.
Day let out an emotional fist pump as the game clock wound down on a 27-9 Ohio State victory that provided the redemption he was seeking and richly deserved.
After Ohio State’s 2024 loss to Michigan, Day led the Buckeyes to the national championship and has won 16 straight games. But there was still unfinished business, baggage he carried and could not shed until the day the Buckeyes broke a four-game losing streak to their biggest rival.
That day is today.
“It’s one of those moments that you want to just grab on for a while and just enjoy it because just to see the joy on everybody’s face, is really what this thing is all about,” Day said.
The Buckeyes’ victory boosted Day’s career record to 82-10, which ranks as the highest winning percentage in college football history. Day reflected on the impact of those previous four losses to Michigan.
“You could see it in my face the last couple of years, you just feel like you’re letting everybody down and that’s just not a good feeling,” Day said. “So you work like hell to get your guys prepared, and that’s all you can do and that’s exactly what happened here.”
Earlier in the week, Day emphasized the importance of not letting what happened in the past impact how they play. Linebacker Sonny Styles, who had a team-high six tackles, thought the team executed in that phase.
“Before this game we talked about not caring about what happened in the past, saying this team’s different and going out there to play for the love of your brother, not for the hate of the other team and I thought we did that today,” Styles said.
Styles expressed his excitement for getting the win for Day, who was previously 1-4 against Michigan.
“[I’m] so happy for him, coach Day is an amazing leader, he’s an amazing coach,” Styles said. “I think a lot of people had stuff to say about this game when it comes to him and I think he proved a point today.”
Day broke one drought in Ann Arbor on Saturday, and he will now have the chance to break another in Indianapolis on Dec. 6.
The Buckeyes will return to the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 2020 and face Indiana at 8 p.m. for the title.
“This is the No. 1 goal in our program, and so to get this checked it now gives us an opportunity to get to No. 2, and that’s in Indianapolis next week, and we’re already fired up about that in the locker room,” Day said.
