2025 didn’t end how the Ohio State Buckeyes wanted it to after winning it all a season prior. Ohio State had high hopes, but ended up going 12-2 with an early loss in the College Football Playoff. 

Flash forward to this season and the Buckeyes are in a terrific spot to be back in the mix to compete for it all. Ohio State finally got over the Michigan hump last year and the feeling in Columbus is good about the 2026 team. 

Ryan Day has one last season with Jeremiah Smith, and the Buckeyes need to take full advantage of it. It sounds like Day himself is a coach people are looking at a bit differently in the Big Ten now. 

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti jumps Ryan Day in head coach rankings 

CBS Sports dropped their head coach rankings heading into the college football season and Day was moved down a spot. Last year Day was at No. 2 behind only Georgia’s Kirby Smart, and now he’s sitting at the No. 3 spot. Indiana’s Cignetti has jumped into the No. 1 spot thanks to what he’s been able to do the last two years at Indiana. Smart remains at the No. 2 spot.

“The Buckeyes finished 12-2 overall and went 9-0 in conference play before falling to eventual national champion Indiana in the conference title game,” Tom Fornelli from CBS wrote. “They were also upset in their lone playoff game by the Miami team that would also lose to Indiana. So while Day finally got over that Michigan hump, nobody at Ohio State will ever be happy about finishing the season on a two-game losing streak. Given what he’s accomplished through his entire career, though, nobody on our panel even thought about ranking him lower than third.”

Indiana won the Big Ten last year by defeating Ohio State and went on to win the national title. It’s been the craziest turnaround we have ever seen in college football. However, it’s questionable to have him in the No. 1 spot if you’re going off the last couple of years for Indiana. 

The good news is that the Buckeyes will travel to Indiana on Oct. 17 with a chance to deliver the Hoosiers what could be their first loss. 

Ryan Day is sitting nicely at Ohio State, and is definitely one of the top coaches in the sport 

There isn’t a more consistent program in college football than Ohio State over the last few decades. Day has continued what Urban Meyer did, and even leveled it up in some ways. Ohio State’s head coach is 82-12 entering his ninth season as the head coach of the Buckeyes. 

Ohio State has never had more than two losses in a season with Day and that includes the postseason. Day has been able to put together seasons of 12, 13, and 14 wins while with the Buckeyes. The 2026 schedule is the toughest Ohio State has seen yet in Day’s time on paper, and it should be seen as a big opportunity for the Buckeyes.