Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day leads his team in warm-ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.
The Ohio State football team came in with no excuses. They had a phenomenal defense, the number one passing attack in the Big Ten, and TTUN had a suspended head coach. Ryan Day himself had no more excuses. And yet, it was the same old story we’ve seen the last two years.
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Michigan cheated the last two years. That much is certain. What’s not certain is whether or not it mattered. Based on the game on Saturday, it may not have. Ryan Day turtled in another game against his rival, and the Buckeyes lost to Michigan 30-24.
Day’s lack of aggressiveness doomed the Buckeyes. In the first half, TTUN was 3/3 on fourth down. Ryan Day opted to punt on multiple fourths and shorts. He also decided to run the clock down and kick a field goal at the end of the first half instead of trying to go for a touchdown.
Jayden Fielding would go on to miss a 52-yard field goal in that situation. Kyle McCord threw an early pick that led to a Michigan touchdown. Those two mistakes ended up being the difference. Day has now lost his last three games against TTUN.
There were reports that Day could be interested in the Texas A&M opening if he lost this game today. Fine. Let him go. Day has proven that he can’t win the biggest games that matter. He’s lost seven games now as the head coach of Ohio State. Three of those are for TTUN.
The Ohio State football season is over. They will play in some New Year’s Six bowl; that doesn’t matter. They don’t get a chance to play for a national championship. Next year, they would still get into the playoffs with a loss because of the expanded field. But it doesn’t matter this year.
