Why Ohio State football must not overreact by firing Ryan Day after stunning CFP flop vs. Miami
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Ohio State was in the midst of what appeared to be a brilliant season. They were 12-0 after beating Michigan in the final regular-season game and that was truly a significant development.
Michigan has turned into a nightmare assignment for head coach Ryan Day after the Wolverines had won 4 games in a row from Ohio State. While previous Buckeyes coaches had dominated against Michigan, Day’s teams all fell short and had been knocked down several pegs by the Wolverines.
Ohio State appeared to be in a position to defend the national championship it won last year. They had a remarkable quarterback in Julian Sayin who was completing 80 percent of his passes, an NFL worthy 1-2 punch at wide receiver with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate and the top-ranked defense in the country.
Despite those advantages, they fell short in the Big Ten title game to upstart Indiana and lost in the College Football Playoff to Miami. The Hurricanes were one of the last two teams to earn an invitation to the CFP and many believed Notre Dame should have made it into the tournament instead of Miami (or Alabama). Nevertheless, Miami played like demons and used their dominant defensive line to frustrate and sack Sayin on multiple occasions.
The season of glory ended suddenly and the Buckeyes fluttered to the ground like a punctured balloon.
Buckeyes need to make a few changes, but not at head coach
Day has already taken responsibility for the team’s two season-ending defeats. There may be a number of fans in Buckeye Nation that would like to see Day replaced. That certainly was the case a year ago when their losing streak to Michigan reached 4 games in a row. Luckily, cooler heads prevailed and the Buckeyes won 4 postseason games in a row and brought home their 9th national title.
The last thing Ohio State should do is fire Ryan and bring in a new coach to run the program. He is the right man to head the program and he remains the correct leader.
The 2025 season ended with a thud, but there were many things the Buckeyes and their fans to feel good about. Start with their season-opening game against top-ranked Texas. While the offense was not overly impressive, the defense demonstrated what kind of season it would be in the 14-7 triumph.
The Buckeyes would go on to allow just 9.3 points per game, ranking 1st of the 136 teams in the FBS. The offense was quite solid, averaging 33.6 points, ranking 21st out of 136. Ohio State had brilliant talent on the offensive side this season, led by Sayin, Smith, Tate and RB Bo Jackson, but the production was clearly not as elite at the end of the season as it was earlier in the year.
But a big change is coming. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline announced he would be leaving the program to become the head coach at USF. Hartline had called plays for the Buckeyes through the Michigan game, but Day took over those responsibilities prior to the Big Ten championship game.
Ohio State needs a new play caller
Day had been the play caller for years, but it is not his specialty any longer. He needs to find a new assistant to fill that role going forward.
The proof is the way the Ohio State offense functioned in the last two games. The Buckeyes were slow out of the gate against Indiana and stuck in the mud against Miami. Ohio State scored 10 points in the first half against the Hoosiers and were blanked in the first 30 minutes against the Hurricanes.
Day agreed that the Buckeyes were not ready on the offensive side despite the preparations that were made. “We put ourselves behind the eight ball,” Day said, per The Athletic. “We worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go.
“I thought we had an excellent plan. I think the guys bought into it, but at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done, and that starts with me and goes down from there.”
Once Day hires a new play caller — either a coach on his staff or someone from the outside — the Buckeyes will be ready for the 2026 season and beyond.
Ohio State contends for the top spot every season
Day and his staff recruit as well as any team in the nation and they regularly reload with better players each year.
Day has an 82-12 career record in 8 seasons as the head coach at Ohio State. He has never lost more than 2 games in any season. Day has taken Ohio State to the National Championship game twice, winning last year and losing to Alabama at the conclusion of the 2020 season.
He has a brilliant record of achievement, recruits the best players in the country and the Buckeyes are a threat to win the national championship every year. Day needs to remain the head coach of Ohio State in 2026 and for the foreseeable future.
Firing him would be a major mistake.
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