Ryan Day’s History of Blowing Leads At Ohio State

Ryan Day’s History of Blowing Leads At Ohio State

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Ryan Day’s History of Blowing Leads At Ohio State
Ryan Day’s History of Blowing Leads At Ohio State
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Since taking over as Ohio State’s head coach, Ryan Day has built one of the most successful college football programs in America.

The Buckeyes have regularly contended for Big Ten titles, College Football Playoff spots, and national championships, and Day ultimately led Ohio State to its long-desired national title in 2024. But Ohio State’s standard is different. A program with championship expectations is judged not only by how many games it wins but also by what happens when the stakes are highest.

During Day’s tenure, Ohio State has suffered several notable losses. Some were in the intense rivalry with Michigan. Others happened in the College Football Playoff or against top national teams. A few were especially hard to accept because the Buckeyes seemed in control before losing.

Here is a chronological look at the worst blown leads of the Ryan Day Era, beginning with his first season as Ohio State’s head coach and continuing through the devastating loss to Texas last Saturday.

Clemson 29, Ohio State 23 (December 28, 2019): 16-Point Lead

Ryan Day’s first full season as Ohio State’s head coach ended with a heartbreaking loss. The Buckeyes, undefeated at 13-0 and ranked No. 2, faced Clemson, also undefeated at 13-0 and ranked No. 3, in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Ohio State led 16-0 early, but Clemson fought back, taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Ohio State responded with a touchdown, but Trevor Lawrence drove Clemson to a late game-winning score before Justin Fields threw the game-sealing interception. Clemson won 29-23, ending Ohio State’s 19-game streak and sending Clemson to the championship.

For Day, it was a painful first postseason loss, showing how narrow the margin for error would be.

Michigan 45, Ohio State 23 (November 26, 2022): 2-Point Lead

One year later, Michigan delivered an even more stunning defeat. Ohio State entered The Game undefeated at 11-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country. Michigan was No. 3 and also undefeated.

The Buckeyes had home-field advantage and appeared to have control after taking a 23-21 lead into halftime.

Michigan exploded in the second half, scoring 28 unanswered points to turn a close game into a rout. The Wolverines repeatedly hit explosive plays and finished with 530 total yards. Ohio State’s defense had no answer for Wolverines RB Donovan Edwards.

Michigan eventually won 45-23, handing Day his second consecutive loss to the Wolverines.
The result was particularly painful because Ohio State was playing at home and entered the game with national championship aspirations. Instead, Michigan won the Big Ten East and secured another victory over its biggest rival.

The loss also represented the first time Michigan had beaten Ohio State in Columbus since 2000. For Day, the pressure surrounding The Game became enormous.

Georgia 42, Ohio State 41 (December 31, 2022): 14-Point Lead

Just over a month after the Michigan loss, Ohio State nearly pulled off one of the greatest postseason upsets in program history. The Buckeyes entered the Peach Bowl as the No. 4 seed and faced defending national champion Georgia.

Ohio State was initially playing like the better team. C.J. Stroud put together one of the best performances of his Ohio State career, and the Buckeyes built a 38-24 lead. The team that had been beaten badly by Michigan appeared to have completely reset for the College Football Playoff. But Georgia would not go away.

The Bulldogs slowly chipped away at the deficit before taking a 42-41 lead late in the fourth quarter. Ohio State still had one final opportunity.

The Buckeyes drove into Georgia territory and set up kicker Noah Ruggles for a 50-yard field-goal attempt with the national championship game within reach. The kick went wide left and wasn’t even close.

Georgia escaped with a 42-41 victory and went on to win the national championship.

The loss was devastating because Ohio State was minutes away from the national championship game. After being dismissed after the Michigan loss, Day and the Buckeyes nearly pulled off a remarkable postseason turnaround. However, the season concluded just one kick away from a title shot.

Oregon 32, Ohio State 31 (October 12, 2024): 2-Point Lead

Ohio State’s 2024 loss to Oregon was one of the best games of Day’s tenure, and one of the most painful. The Buckeyes entered the matchup ranked No. 2 in the country, while Oregon was No. 3. Both teams were viewed as legitimate national championship contenders.

The game lived up to the hype. The lead changed seven times, and neither team could put the other away. Ohio State eventually took a 31-29 lead on a 40-yard field goal with just over six minutes remaining.

The Ducks drove down the field and eventually set up a 19-yard field goal by Atticus Sappington with 1:47 remaining.

Then the Buckeyes put together an impressive drive that ended in misery. Will Howard slid in bounds with no time remaining and Oregon won 32-31.

Unlike several of the other losses on this list, Ohio State was not blown out or completely outplayed. The Buckeyes simply failed to make enough plays in an elite matchup.

That made the defeat particularly frustrating. Ohio State had one of the most talented rosters in the country, but a one-point road loss to another national title contender left the Buckeyes with little room for error moving forward.

Michigan 13, Ohio State 10 (November 30, 2024): 3-Point Lead

The 2024 loss to Michigan was far less dramatic than the previous year’s 30-24 defeat, but that’s when the noise became undeniable. Ryan Day was the closest he’s been to getting fired.

In terms of embarrassment, it was arguably the worst loss in rivalry history. The Buckeyes were favored by three scores over the 2024 Wolverines. Ohio State entered the game ranked No. 2 in the country and had legitimate national championship aspirations.

Michigan entered at 6-5. The Wolverines struggled throughout the season, particularly on offense. Yet they walked into Ohio Stadium and stunned the Buckeyes 13-10.

Ohio State was held scoreless in the second half and finished with just 252 total yards.
Michigan’s Kalel Mullings helped the Wolverines move the ball late, and Dominic Zvada kicked the game-winning 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds remaining.

Ohio State had one final possession but couldn’t mount a comeback. The loss gave Michigan four consecutive victories in the rivalry. That made it particularly difficult for Day and the Buckeyes to accept. Ohio State spent the entire season trying to build a team capable of ending Michigan’s dominance, only to lose at home to a five-loss Wolverines team that couldn’t move the ball on offense.

The Buckeyes eventually recovered in spectacular fashion during the postseason and won the national title, thus saving Day’s job. However, the Michigan loss remained one of the ugliest regular-season defeats in program history.

Indiana 13, Ohio State 10 (December 6, 2025): 7-Point Lead

Ohio State entered the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game in a strong position, being undefeated and ranked No. 1 nationally. Indiana was also undefeated and ranked No. 2, making the matchup one of the most anticipated in Big Ten history.

However, it turned into a defensive battle. Ohio State was ahead 10-6 until Indiana mounted a rally in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers scored the go-ahead touchdown and relied on their defense to secure a 13-10 win.

For Ohio State, the loss was especially tough, as they had been perfect all season. An undefeated regular season raised hopes that Ohio State would win the Big Ten and be the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Instead, Indiana claimed the conference title. While the defeat didn’t eliminate Ohio State from playoff consideration, it marked a disappointing end to an otherwise impressive season.

Texas 24, Ohio State 23 (September 12, 2026): 20-Point Lead

The most recent loss on this list may ultimately become one of the most infamous of Day’s career. Ohio State entered the matchup against Texas ranked No. 1 in the country. Texas was No. 4.

The Buckeyes appeared to have the game under control for most of the night. Ohio State led 23-3 entering the fourth quarter.

Then the collapse began. Texas scored 21 unanswered points in the final quarter, with Arch Manning leading the comeback. The Longhorns eventually took the lead when Hollywood Smothers scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining. Texas completed the largest fourth-quarter comeback ever against an AP No. 1 team. Ohio State had several opportunities to prevent the comeback.

The offense stopped scoring touchdowns, the defense struggled, and a missed 45-yard field goal late in the game gave Texas another chance, leading to a 24-23 loss for Ohio State.

The loss was immediately called one of the worst non-Michigan defeats of Day’s tenure because of the circumstances. This loss is hard to ignore. Ohio State was not just beaten by Texas; they led by 20 points with a quarter left and seemed set for a big win.

The Bigger Picture for Ryan Day

Ryan Day’s tenure at Ohio State cannot be defined solely by its losses. Day has consistently produced elite teams, reached the College Football Playoff multiple times, and ultimately won a national championship.

For all of the success Ohio State has enjoyed under Day, the biggest question has often been whether the Buckeyes can consistently finish the biggest games.

The latest example came against Texas in 2026, when Ohio State surrendered a 23-3 fourth-quarter lead and watched a potential statement victory turn into a historic defeat.

Ultimately, as the head coach at Ohio State, you’re viewed through a different lens. Winning one national title with one of the most talented rosters of all time does not give you a life pass; you’re expected to be more and win more, and Day has struggled to do that.

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