Ranking the five best college football coaches after Nick Saban's retirement

4) Ryan Day, Ohio State

It's difficult to talk about Ryan Day without thinking about Jim Harbaugh's line that some people were born on third base and think they hit a triple, but while the Buckeyes coach has undoubtedly benefited from succeeding Urban Meyer in Columbus, he's also put together a record of his own that is undeniable.

Day has now coached five full seasons at Ohio State, and in that time, the Buckeyes have never lost more than two games, while never concluding the season outside the top ten of the final AP poll. He guided the Buckeyes to the national championship game in 2021, where they fell to Saban and the Crimson Tide, and in his five years, OSU has played in the Fiesta, Rose, Sugar, Peach, and Cotton Bowls, a remarkable string of consistent success.

To climb higher on this list, Day will need to change the narrative against Michigan, against whom he has lost three straight games. The Wolverines have handed Day three of his eight career losses, and his 1-3 record against the maize and blue has caused enough consternation among the Buckeye faithful so that even with an .875 career winning percentage, Day's job never feels fully secure.

As long as Michigan has Ohio State's number, Day will be unable to get higher on this list. To make a credible case for a top-three spot, beating the Wolverines and winning the Big Ten is a must, but Day needs even more. Until he wins a national championship (something our top three coaches all have in common), Day will remain on the outside looking in.