Fansided

Ryan Day is under more pressure than most Ohio State fans know

By Zain Bando

COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 12: Head Coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes enters Ohio Stadium prior to a game against the Indiana Hoosiers on November 12, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 12: Head Coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes enters Ohio Stadium prior to a game against the Indiana Hoosiers on November 12, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Peach Bowl is the biggest game in the Ryan Day era at Ohio State, and it’s not even close.

Despite making the College Football Playoff with only one loss, No. 4 Ohio State (11-1) is at a crossroads in the Ryan Day era. Back-to-back losses to two-time defending Big Ten champion Michigan (13-0) have left Buckeye Nation wondering if Day, who is 45-5 in five seasons as head coach, can get back to excellence and cap off undefeated seasons in front of them.

The semifinal matchup will see the Buckeyes face defending national champion, Georgia (13-0), who is coming off an SEC title game win against LSU in early December.

Day recognizes that the pressure is on in order to restore the greatness that the Buckeyes had dating back to the Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer days of yesteryear.

Ryan Day understands the pressure he faces with Ohio State in College Football Playoff

In an article from Yahoo Sports, Day recognizes that it’s time to move forward and seize the opportunity, especially considering that his quarterback, C.J. Stroud, was a Heisman runner-up who threw for over 3,000 yards, 37 touchdowns and six interceptions.

“Sitting around for a week and knowing that the season may be over is a hard feeling,” Day said. “It’s not good. Then, to have life put back into you, knowing that you have another opportunity. Now, you have to play with no regrets. When you have a second shot at this thing that maybe you didn’t have a week or two or three weeks ago, it gives you that perspective that maybe you didn’t have a month ago.”

A stunning loss to the Wolverines left the Buckeyes’ Big Ten title hopes dead at the seams, as it also broke a two-decade-plus streak of wins against the Maize ‘N Blue in Columbus.

Now, the Buckeyes will look to rewrite a wrong New Year’s Eve. An upset against the Bulldogs could set up a colossal winner-take-all national championship between the conference’s two most-hated rivals.

Buckle up for a wild ride of college football madness, one that could go down in history.

Next. 3 missteps that could get Ryan Day fired. dark

For more College Football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.

Home/Ohio State