Ryan Day takes massive leap in latest industry CFB head coach rankings after Ohio State national title win
Much has changed for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day over the last year. Flashback to the end of the 2023 season, when the Buckeyes produced two ugly losses to Michigan and Missouri, and there were legitimate questions as to whether this was the right place for Day to continue cutting his teeth and learning […]
Much has changed for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day over the last year. Flashback to the end of the 2023 season, when the Buckeyes produced two ugly losses to Michigan and Missouri, and there were legitimate questions as to whether this was the right place for Day to continue cutting his teeth and learning on the job. There were bumpy moments in 2024, losing to Michigan again, but a tremendous College Football Playoff National Championship win rewrote Day's legacy.
It's not a surprise Day and the Buckeyes are reaping the rewards now. The latest nod to his success came from On3's Ari Wasserman, who used to cover the Buckeyes and is now a national reporter. Wasserman dropped his top 25 college football coach rankings.
Day finished right behind Kirby Smart, who is one of only two active head coaches with more than one national championship under his belt. Here's what Wasserman said about Smart.
You know how Smart is No. 1 on the list? There isn’t a single human being on earth who would attempt this crazy undertaking without putting Smart at the top. The best part of that decision was there wasn’t even a struggle. Smart made Georgia the king of the sport, has won two national titles and has the Bulldogs in position to compete for the national title on an annual basis.
Wasserman then added context about Day's ranking, reaching back to where Day was last year in comparison.
If this list were done a year ago, Day may not have even made the top 10. But when you win a national title — beating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame along the way — it puts to bed any discussion about whether the coach can “win the big one.” Of course, the Michigan thing will linger over his head until he can lead Ohio State to a win in the rivalry game, but there is no question Day leads the way in roster building and program development. He has a ring to prove it now.
With a 70-10 record and ripping off wins against four of the other top-five teams in the nation, the only blemish on his resume is his losing streak to Michigan. That still has to be fixed, but he's also a missed field goal away against Georgia from having two national titles under his belt.
Winning The Game will always be a priority. But it's not more important than winning the Natty, and every fan should be willing to make that trade every chance given. That said, not winning either for elongated periods of time is unacceptable.
Thankfully, Buckeye fans don't have to worry about Day being another Jon Cooper. This magical Playoff run has redefined his career and image. Now, the Day and the Buckeyes can play without the monkey on their back, and focus on getting the next iteration of playmakers to have more success against Michigan.
