Ohio State’s lofty natty dreams need to wait! The scars they incurred along the way broke fans’ confidence in the team, especially when they lost again to their arch rival Michigan. Poor Ryan Day! That’s the fourth straight time he lost to the Wolverines in The Game. So pressure has already built up way ahead of the highly anticipated College Football Playoffs. 

Ryan Day’s fate in Columbus is pretty much going to be decided in the first round of the new 12-team college football playoffs. And that’s something only Josh Heupel and Tennessee can control. Ross Dellenger and Co. explored the pressure of Ohio State’s HC in their new YouTube episode on Yahoo! Sports on December 16. He stated, “Every game this year has felt just brutal pressure-wise for Ryan Day in Ohio State. And this one more than the next one, more than the next one.”

How would it feel to lose 13-10 in a game where you were favored by three touchdowns? Ryan Day and Ohio State should know better than anyone else. The ugly part for the Buckeyes is that Michigan is adjusting under a new HC, Sherrone Moore, facing issues at the quarterback position. They even entered that game with a 6-5 record compared to their 10-1, and OSU still lost. From personal blunders to lackluster offensive plays, the Buckeyes didn’t perform like the National Championship lineup team they are. 

Ohio State boasts a $20 million 2024 roster, but they couldn’t salvage themselves against Michigan. Ryan Day is one of the highest-paid HCs in CFB with a salary of $10.02 million, boasting an overall record of 66-10. The problem is that he may be a winning coach, but he loses in the big, prominent games. That’s why he doesn’t hold a national championship title.

That’s why the outcome of the next game is going to weigh heavy on him. As Dellenger added, “I just see this one as a low score, ugly ugly game where it comes down to the final play and God bless Ryan Day if he loses.” Can the Buckeyes keep up with Josh Heupel’s Volunteers in the first playoff game at The Shoe in Columbus?

Can Ryan Day and OSU live up to the hype?

Ohio State may have messed up their path after falling to Oregon and Michigan in the regular season. But there’s still a chance for Ryan Day to redeem his status after they secured the No. 8 seed in the playoff. They’ll face No. 9 Tennessee at Ohio Stadium on December 21st as a 7.5-point favorite. But we can’t be too sure after what happened in the last game.

The upcoming game is expected to draw in around 105,000 fans, and it’s going to be one of the coldest games inside The Shoe. As per a 10-day forecast by Weather Channel, Columbus is projected to have a temperature ranging from a high of 30 degrees to a 19 degree low on Saturday. Can Ryan Day save himself with their home field advantage? 

As of now, Day has the favor of OSU’s Athletic Director, Ross Bjork. But it’s going to be the outcome of this game that’s going to decide if OSU will stick or part with Ryan Day.