Ryan Day

Former Alabama head coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban offered an impassioned defense of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day on Monday.

"Having been a coach—having coached in the state and lived in the state for 12 or 14 years—I'm telling you, when the fans are negative and the media gets negative, it affects so many things," he said on College GameDay. "You've got to give the guy credit, he built the roster. He's built the roster for three years, and it's gotten better. His coaches have made the players better. And they made a lot of improvement and they've overcome adversity, especially in the Michigan game. So we should be giving the guy credit."

Saban, for the record, spent a number of years in Ohio as a coach. He started his coaching career at Kent State as a graduate assistant (1973-74) and linebackers coach (1975-76), spent two seasons at Ohio State as the secondary coach (1980-81), was the head coach at Toledo in 1990 and was the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns between 1991-94.

His most famous stops, of course, came as the head coach at Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins and Alabama.

Given his experience, he has a unique perspective into the profession, so a bit of sympathy for Day isn't surprising, especially after the Ohio State head coach was the subject of enormous critique following the Buckeyes' 13-10 loss against the Wolverines in late November. That gave Ohio State a second loss on the season, kept the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten Championship Game and was Day's fourth loss to Michigan in his five meetings.

Those ready to see him fired pointed out his struggles against the school's most hated rival and an inability to win a national championship despite a consistent abundance of talent. Those who continued to defend him noted that he brought the star players aboard in the first place and suggested that the championship-or-bust mentality at Ohio State was both unrealistic and toxic.

Day is 69-10 overall as Ohio State's head coach and has since led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff Championship Game against Notre Dame, silencing his critics for the time being. Saban, for one, believes Day has earned far more respect than he's often received in Columbus.

One of the subplots of Monday's College Football Playoff national championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame is the apparent rivalry between current Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and former Fighting Irish head coach Lou Holtz.

Well, it appears as if Holtz will be in attendance in Atlanta.

He took to social media and responded to a clip of The Pat McAfee Show discussing whether he will be there and said: "If Notre Dame doesn't win, it's because we want to preserve Ryan Day's job. I was originally going to be at the game in spirit, but now I'll be dragging my body along as well."

Day turned heads last season when he called out Holtz for questioning Ohio State's toughness after the Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame:

It was a rather shocking postgame interview from Day, and his comment saying "I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now" became a template for plenty of online jokes and memes.

In fact, it was such a memorable development that Day was asked about Holtz leading into Monday's game. When asked whether he had reached out to the former Notre Dame coach and spoken since his postgame interview, he simply told reporters, "No."

It is in the Buckeyes' best interest if Day doesn't get distracted by the outside noise of the Holtz situation or try to prove his team's toughness once again with the play-calling just because the 88-year-old is in attendance.

His team is one win away from the national championship and redemption from what would have otherwise been a disappointing season that included a loss to rival Michigan and a failure to reach the Big Ten Championship Game.

Ohio State has looked unstoppable at times in the CFP with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, among others, flying around and making plays in an offense that has appeared far more creative than the one that played in a phone booth for extended stretches against the Wolverines.

If the Buckeyes can avoid being dragged into a sloppy, slow-paced, physical game like that, they'll have a great chance to win their ninth national championship in program history.

And perhaps then Day can focus on Holtz again with more postgame comments.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day addressed the limited involvement of star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in the Buckeyes' 28-14 College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Texas, attributing it to "more about execution" rather than strategy.

"It's a little bit more about execution than it is anything else," Day told reporters via Zoom, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "We weren't able to sustain a few of those drives and connect on a couple other plays. [Smith is] obviously a huge part of our offense, so there's different ways that teams will adjust based on what he's done and what he's capable of. We'll identify what those are in this game and then go from there."

Smith, who had been a dominant force in Ohio State's first two playoff games, was limited to just one catch for three yards against Texas. This performance was a stark contrast to his earlier outings, in which he tallied 103 yards, six receptions and two touchdowns against Tennessee and followed it with 187 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions against Oregon.

Smith's lack of involvement wasn't an isolated issue for the Buckeyes offense. "Self-inflicted wounds" and penalties were primary factors behind the unit's struggles to execute at a high level.

"There's nobody that came back on offense and was pleased with the fact that we had those penalties," Day said, per Adelson. "The issues are there. We certainly have the right and opportunity to persevere through those penalties, but certainly sets us way behind the sticks, and we cannot have that in this game. Efficiency is going to be something that we've got to do a much better job of if we're going to win it."

Ohio State committed nine penalties compared to Texas' five, an issue the Buckeyes will need to address before the National Championship game against Notre Dame.

"But to me, the story of this past game was the self-inflicted wounds that set us back and allowed us to be in the game in the fourth quarter, when we could have done a better job executing and made it a little bit of a bigger spread down the stretch. That's going to be the focus this week. We've got to play our best game against Notre Dame."

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day praised defensive end Jack Sawyer after his turnover and subsequent touchdown helped the Buckeyes secure a 28-14 win over Texas in Friday night's College Football Playoff semifinal.

"I can't say enough about Jack Sawyer," Day said following the victory. "He's a guy who loves being a Buckeye, he loves his teammates. He's done everything we've asked him to do. He's a captain. He's everything that we could possibly ask for in a captain. To make a play like that in that moment. We talked about before the game, you wanna leave a legacy behind? You become a legend. He just became a legend at Ohio State."

With Ohio State holding a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter and Texas threatening to score a game-tying touchdown, Sawyer sacked Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers and knocked the ball loose. He scooped up the fumble and returned it 83 yards for a score.

Ewers was intercepted by defensive back Caleb Downs on Texas' ensuing possession, cementing the victory.

Sawyer finished with three tackles and a pass defensed to go along with his forced fumble and eventual touchdown.

The senior pass-rusher has been a key piece of the Buckeyes' defensive front throughout the year. In 14 appearances entering Saturday's clash, he racked up 53 tackles, eight tackles for loss, eight sacks, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

Sawyer will look to continue his impressive playoff run in the national championship game against a Notre Dame team that owns the sixth-best scoring offense in the country.

Through two rounds of the College Football Playoff, no team put together a flashier run than the Ohio State Buckeyes.

After a dismal offensive day in a loss to Michigan during the regular-season finale, the sky seemed like it may begin falling in Columbus. It was the fourth straight loss to the program's archrival, and the whispers around Ryan Day's job security became a malcontented roar.

Fast-forward to Friday, and that bitterness had faded. Ohio State walloped Tennessee in the opening round of the CFP and ripped apart top-ranked Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

The offense, highlighted by quarterback Will Howard and star freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith, had become a near-unstoppable force at the perfect time. The unit racked up a combined 973 yards and 83 points in those blowout wins against high competition.

During their 28-14 triumph over Texas in the Cotton Bowl, however, the Buckeyes provided a simple reminder.

It doesn't have to be pretty.

Because that certainly was not.

Ohio State stormed out of the gate in Arlington, forcing a turnover on downs before the offense yet again cruised down the field. Quinshon Judkins capped a 10-play drive with a nine-yard touchdown run.

However, the Buckeyes' next possessions literally only got worse. They gained 55 yards but stalled just outside of field-goal range following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on TreVeyon Henderson. The ensuing drives covered 14, seven and negative-seven yards.

That resilient, stingy Texas defense showed its mettle—until a stunning, game-altering moment.

Quinn Ewers had lofted an 18-yard touchdown to Jaydon Blue to even the matchup at 7-7 with 29 seconds left in the second quarter. Ohio State called a basic screen to Henderson, who followed a caravan of blockers and burst through a seam for a 75-yard score. The play didn't decide the game but absolutely played a major role in the outcome.

Still, the second half brought more of a similar story.

Will Howard threw an interception on OSU's opening drive, and the unit gained four yards on the next two possessions. In the meantime, Texas pulled into a 14-14 deadlock as the fourth quarter began. That sizzling Buckeyes' offense barely had a heat source.

Nevertheless, they found enough of a spark. Judkins powered in his second touchdown to close a methodical 13-play, 88-yard drive that nudged Ohio State to a 21-14 advantage late in the fourth quarter.

On the other end, standout edge-rusher Jack Sawyer came up clutch. With the Longhorns facing a 4th-and-goal at the 8-yard line, Sawyer hit Ewers and forced a fumble that bounced into his arms, and OSU's star veteran raced 83 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.

Throw in Caleb Downs' interception a few snaps later, and the Buckeyes locked in a trip to the CFP National Championship Game. They'll take on Notre Dame for a chance to win the FBS crown.

Again, it wasn't pretty.

Yet at this stage of the season, only the result matters.

What we see—and, more precisely, Notre Dame sees—on tape is meaningful, sure. Howard rushed for a key fourth-down conversion but otherwise had a nondescript evening; the short screen pass turning into a 75-yard touchdown helps his box score considerably. Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith a single time for three yards.

Additionally, the OSU running game managed 98 yards on 22 non-sack carries. Not awful, but definitely not great.

If a team was unable to escape with a win despite those issues on the field, though, the season is over. Ugly victories are more important than beautiful losses in January, and the Buckeyes clawed out a win.

Notre Dame's defense, in theory, will be just as unforgiving as Texas. So far, the Fighting Irish have yielded no more than 339 yards or 24 points in CFP triumphs over Indiana, Georgia and Penn State—and hold top-10 national rankings in both categories this season overall, too.

Given that strength for ND, there's a strong possibility the championship will feature a similar style. Both the Buckeyes and Irish are defensive-driven teams with QBs who, generally, just do enough.

But style points do not matter anymore.

Navigate one final showdown, and Ohio State can produce the most beautiful celebration of the season—no matter how pretty or ugly its performance in the national championship might look.

It's safe to say that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is a fan of the new College Football Playoff format.

Following his Buckeyes 41-21 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Day acknowledged that the 12-team format has allowed his team to "peak" at the right time and said they need to capitalize on this momentum.

"I think we've learned a lot about our team," Day said, per Jake Trotter of ESPN. "I think we've grown a lot as a team and we're banking on this to be our best football this season."

Day continued by saying that he sees the "passion" that his players are performing with and that the format rewards teams who get better throughout the season.

"You can see the passion," Day said, per Trotter. "And I think the way that this format is and the way the playoffs are set now, it allows us an opportunity to grow as a team and to learn and to get better late in the season."

Ohio State finished the regular season 10-2 with losses to Oregon and arch-rival Michigan. This left the team out of the Big Ten Championship and would have left them outside of the playoff field in previous seasons. However, the expansion allowed Ohio State to earn the No. 8 seed and still have a path to the National Championship.

Ohio State would defeat Tennessee in the first round before pulling off the upset victory over the Ducks. The Buckeyes will now face Texas in the Cotton Bowl semi-final game for a chance to play for a National Championship.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day earned a hefty bonus after the Buckeyes took down Tennessee by the final score of 42-17 on Saturday.

With the victory resulting in Day's team advancing to the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff, he received a $150,000 bonus (via USA Today's Steve Berkowitz).

He previously earned a bonus of $100,000 for leading the Buckeyes to a spot in the expanded 12-team CFP, per Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio State started its 2024 campaign strong, winning each of its first five games. While the Buckeyes suffered a narrow one-point loss at the hands of an undefeated Oregon team on Oct. 12, they immediately went on another five-game win streak and sat at No. 2 in the Week 13 CFP rankings.

The momentum surrounding Day's team came to a halt on Nov. 30, losing to Michigan by the final score of 13-10. The inability to win The Game has been a recurring theme for the Buckeyes under Day, as they haven't defeated their conference rival since the head coach's first full season in 2019.

The loss cost Ohio State a spot in the Big Ten title game, but it was still able to make the CFP with a 10-2 record.

Questions surrounding the Buckeyes' poor finish and Day's job security were present leading up to the clash with the Volunteers, but a dominant performance put most of the concerns to rest.

Day is also eligible for additional bonuses of $100,000 for a semifinal appearance, $150,000 for a CFP title game appearance and $500,000 for a national championship (h/t CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno).

After advancing to the Rose Bowl, Ohio State will face off against a familiar opponent. Oregon awaits the Buckeyes, owning the No. 1 seed in the playoff after finishing the regular season with a perfect 13-0 record.

The CFP quarterfinal clash will occur on Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET.

Ohio State punched its ticket to the Rose Bowl on Saturday night.

The Buckeyes cruised to a blowout victory over Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff, winning by the final score of 42-17.

Head coach Ryan Day's team scored 21 straight points to open the first quarter and didn't look back.

The Buckeyes' defense shut down a Volunteers squad that owned the No. 2 scoring offense in the SEC this year, allowing just 256 total yards on Saturday. Tennessee averaged 3.9 yards per rush as a team, converting a mere six of its 16 opportunities on third down.

For Ohio State, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith continued his stellar freshman season. Smith racked up 103 yards on just six catches, finding the end zone twice.

Will Howard threw an interception in the second quarter, but he was still able to complete 82.8 percent of his passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns.

Questions surrounding Day's job security surfaced following a loss to Michigan on Nov. 30, but fans praised him for the Buckeyes' dominant performance against the Vols.

The Buckeyes are now set to face off against Oregon after advancing in the CFP, representing a rematch after they suffered a hard-fought 32-31 loss to the Ducks on Oct. 12.

The two teams will clash on Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET.