When a program hires a coach, what job is given to him? To win the national championship for the team, which is the ultimate prize, right? But if you’re Ryan Day, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, the equation is different for you and, honestly, a bit more brutal. Day could win the national title, just like he did last year. But will still face uncomfortable questions if one thing hasn’t been achieved: breaking the four-year losing streak against Michigan.

That’s how intense the game of college football is. Rivalry is always important in any sport, but it’s different when it comes to college football. And why is it so important for Ryan Day? Let’s break it down for you. He has lost four straight to Michigan. No matter how elite the Buckeyes look on paper, in the B1G standings, or even in the playoff picture, none of that matters if they come up short in late November in Ann Arbor. If you ask any Ohio State fan what they’d trade for one win over Sherrone Moore’s program, you might hear ‘everything.’

It’s not only fans who are discussing this topic. College football analyst Josh Pate recently made it clear what Day’s main job should be in the upcoming season, without downplaying respect for the HC. “My personal college football worldview is that if you’re the head coach at Ohio State, your job’s to beat Michigan, and then the Big 10 can be won, and then the national title can be won in that order. But beating Michigan’s number one, and he hadn’t done it in several years now.” Pate said.

Ryan Day joined Ohio State as the head coach in 2018, and since then, he’s always given a lot of reasons for fans to be proud of. But as we know, rivalry games aren’t just another game, so it’s important to be victorious in them as well. Michigan defeated Ohio State in 2021 (42-27), and the following season was the one that started it all. Then came the years 2022, 2023, and 2024, losing every single game against the Wolverines.

Pate also drew a comparison between the NFL and CFB, saying. “If you were the head coach of the New England Patriots, it doesn’t matter how many times you lose to the [New York] Jets in a row. If you’re winning the AFC, like if you’re playing for or winning a Super Bowl, no one’s talking about your record versus the Jets. That’s because the NFL is not college football,” he said. Pate is absolutely on point here. The kind of fanbase and rivalry CFB has, the NFL is nowhere near it. As Pate mentioned, the rivalries aren’t their priority; they play for the title.

“In college football, there are just different compartments. They don’t even have to touch each other. Like, they don’t have to overlap. You can go win a national title and still have failed in your most important role as the head coach somewhere,” Pate added. No matter how big the achievement is, the criticism will always be there, and so Day has faced it over these years.

Ryan Day’s accolades don’t need defending. He’s compiled a 70-10 record since taking over the Buckeyes. It’s not easy to lead one of the most potent offenses in the country, and that too consistently. He’s also managed to keep Ohio State inside the national title conversation every single year. But all of these accomplishments feel like background noise every time Michigan comes and hands the Buckeyes another loss.

“I literally think beating Michigan is the most important thing that you can do as a head coach,” Pate said. “I literally prioritize it above winning the conference and the national title. That’s how imperative it is to me that you win rivalry games. So, to a casual college football fan, to an agnostic sports fan who just looks at college football from afar, that will sound crazy. But that’s okay.” Pate is absolutely correct here. Only die-hard fans will understand how important it is to beat your rivals. Especially when they’ve been dominating you for years.

Day may have achieved a lot of things as a head coach, but the job is yet to be done. He has the national championship title now, and there’s only one thing left to be accomplished and missing from Day’s resume. He would like to tick that box as well in the upcoming season. So, what do you think? Is this the year for the Buckeyes to break the streak?