Ohio State’s embarrassing collapse has become a talking point in Washington. Even Vice President JD Vance, a die-hard Buckeye, weighed in on the program’s back-to-back defeats, using a clever political comparison to express confidence in Ohio State’s turnaround while appearing to defend embattled head coach Ryan Day.
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Speaking at a Small Business Administration event in Washington on Monday, Nov. 9, Vance opened his remarks with a joke about a devastating loss.
“And before I get into the meat of my remarks, I wanted to talk, of course, about the devastating loss last week and just a little bit about that,” he began.
He then listed familiar complaints: unfair criticism of the team’s leader despite a major victory two years ago, staff infighting, questions about reshuffling, and doubts about whether the team’s No. 2 could take charge. Then came the punchline.
“I’m talking, of course, about the Ohio State Buckeyes,” he said. “And let me just assure you that I really believe in Luke Fahey, our backup quarterback. And I think our team is going to make an amazing, amazing turnaround here.”
Vance had turned the Republican Party’s election struggles and Ohio State’s football crisis into the same joke.
Democrats seized control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections, dealing a major blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The defeats triggered internal finger-pointing, speculation about White House staff changes, and questions about the party’s direction ahead of the 2028 presidential election.
Vance, considered a potential Republican presidential contender, made the comparison particularly pointed by referencing whether the team’s No. 2 could eventually lead. As Trump’s vice president, he was effectively joking about his own political future.
The parallel between Trump and Day was equally deliberate. Both had delivered major victories two years earlier, yet both were now facing criticism after damaging setbacks. Vance’s remarks about staff infighting and leadership changes reflected the political turmoil in Washington while also drawing attention to Ohio State’s coaching problems.
Ryan Day has become a familiar target after the Buckeyes dropped consecutive games against USC and Oregon. In their latest defeat, the Ducks walked into Ohio Stadium on Nov. 7 and left with a 41-28 victory. Ohio State jumped to a 14-0 lead before Oregon pulled off a stunning 30-yard fake punt on fourth-and-9 in the second quarter, while trailing 14-3. The Ducks seized momentum and eventually scored 38 unanswered points.
Ohio State had been 50-3 at home under Day before Saturday. Now, the Buckeyes have slipped to 6-3, suffering three regular-season defeats for the first time since 2011.
The downward spiral accelerated after Julian Sayin suffered an elbow injury during the Week 7 victory over Indiana. The starting quarterback has been unavailable since, leaving true freshman Luke Fahey to take over. Ohio State has lost both games with Fahey starting.
Fahey has thrown for 823 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. A highly rated recruit entering his first college season, he was never going to replicate Sayin’s production immediately. But Ohio State’s problems extend beyond its inexperienced quarterback.
Ryan Day’s Ohio State CFP chance is very slim
Ohio State’s College Football Playoff hopes are fading rapidly. Its Big Ten title chances have also taken a major hit, with UCLA and Indiana ahead and consecutive losses to USC and Oregon leaving little room for recovery.
Even if the Buckeyes win their remaining three games, they can finish no better than 9-3. That would leave them needing considerable help elsewhere to make the playoff field.
Day has already started making changes. On Monday, Ohio State fired special teams coordinator Robby Discher following the back-to-back defeats. The decision came after Oregon’s successful fake punt exposed another costly special teams failure.
The coaching shake-up might not end with Discher. Ohio State’s consecutive defeats have exposed problems on offense and special teams, leaving Day facing difficult decisions as the Buckeyes attempt to salvage their season.
Northwestern visits Ohio Stadium on Nov. 14 for a noon ET kickoff. The Buckeyes then face Nebraska and Michigan, giving Day three opportunities to prevent the season from deteriorating further.
Vance has publicly backed Fahey and expressed confidence in Ohio State’s turnaround. But with the playoff picture slipping away and coaching changes already underway, Day faces mounting pressure to deliver results.
Two years after Ohio State’s national championship triumph, the mood in Columbus has changed dramatically. A politician might be able to laugh off a bad week with a clever comparison. But Ryan Day doesn’t have that luxury. His team needs to start winning again.