The Miami Hurricanes dropped a Cotton Bowl bombshell, stunning Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes 24-14 as 9.5-point underdogs. But while the orange, green, and white confetti settled, the Buckeyes’ athletic director Ross Bjork was already flipping the page. He has mapped out what’s next in store for Columbus.

“As we move ahead, the Circle of Care is well established and our program is built on the People, the Tradition, and the Excellence and those core values will never change,” read the statement that Bjork tweeted on January 2.

Our best-in-class strategy has been launched and is already engaged in many new initiatives. We have much more on the horizon from football and athletic district facility development, proactive strategic communications, fan engagement, fundraising, sponsorship strategy, utilizing data analytics, new NIL opportunities for our athletes, and student-athlete development.”

Ohio State entered the postseason aiming to repeat as national champion after finishing the regular season undefeated, including its first rivalry win over Michigan since 2019. That resume earned the Buckeyes a spot in the Big Ten Championship, where a loss to Indiana dropped them to the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff before their quarterfinal exit against Miami.

The loss hurt, but their response still remained non-emotional. Ohio State still acknowledges it has a national title infrastructure, even before Bjork confirmed Day’s future. 

“Coach Day is the best leader in college football and sets the foundation of embracing high expectations,” read the statement. 

Therefore, the following steps involve generating more revenue from donors and corporate partners. Ohio State’s 2025 finances involve significant spending, particularly in NIL, with projections indicating over $35 million will be spent on the football roster.

It’s funded partly by NCAA settlement revenue sharing (up to approximately $20.5 million in 2025-26), compensating for large FY2024 deficits (nearly $38 million) and increasing competitiveness. Even as the university covers gaps with reserves, new Big Ten media deals boost overall athletic revenue.

Enhanced messaging, PR, social media presence, and maintaining fans’ emotional investment even after thrashings. This has been a thoughtful gesture from Day’s squad towards the fans who are recuperating from the latest heartbreak. 

Day had the luxury of five-star talent like Tavien St. Clair, whom he put in as the practice-squad double for Miami vet Carson Beck. However, it did not give them any edge against the Hurricanes, who controlled the trenches. 

Miami built a 14-0 halftime lead, forcing Ohio State to abandon balance early and play from behind for the first time in weeks.

Miami dominated thanks to defensive ends Akheem Mesidor and Reuben Bain Jr. Bain and Mesidor combined for three sacks, consistently pressuring Ohio State’s quarterback and stifling the run game to just 1.9 yards per carry. 

Meanwhile, Ohio State struggled to get to Beck, letting him escape the pocket repeatedly.

With Brian Hartline moving on to a head-coaching gig, Day had to call the plays for the Cotton Bowl, and it showed early. The offense stumbled out of the gate, gaining just nine yards and a single first down in the opening quarter. 

Ohio State mounted a brief third-quarter push. A Bo Jackson rushing touchdown and a fourth-down completion from Julian Sayin to Jeremiah Smith cut the deficit to 17-14 before Miami regained control.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes were all over Ohio State, sniffing out runs in the backfield and locking down Carnell Tate with perfect coverage. Miami sealed the game with a CharMar Brown touchdown in the final minute, ending Ohio State’s playoff run and closing the door on a repeat title.

With Bjork giving him the nod on his Columbus future, Day has shifted into full damage-control mode.

Ohio State’s Ryan Day takes responsibility Cotton Bowl mishap

The Cotton Bowl loss against Miami was a déjà vu moment for Day and Co., courtesy of Buckeyes placekicker Jayden Fielding. He had a chance to swing momentum against the Hurricanes with a 49-yard field goal at the end of the first half. But it sailed wide left. 

Just two weeks earlier, he missed a 27-yarder that could’ve tied the Big Ten Championship against the Indiana Hoosiers. Day did not waste any further time. Within two days of the Cotton Bowl loss, Day and his staff moved fast, extending an offer to Jacobo Echeverria. 

Within 48 hours of the Cotton Bowl loss, Ohio State extended an offer to Jacobo Echeverria, the top available kicker in the 2026 class from Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania.

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He is the nation’s top available 2026 kicker from Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania. While Day focuses on the 2026 class, his current roster is falling apart. Within 24 hours of the Cotton Bowl, eight players decided to hit the transfer portal. 

The list includes quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, tight end Jelani Thurman, and wide receiver Bryson Rodgers, among others. This mass exodus might have stirred Day from within, and he took the responsibility for the loss. 

“I thought we had an excellent plan,” the Buckeyes head coach said in the post-game presser. “But at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done. That starts with me.” 

Now that Ross Bjork has mapped out the Buckeyes’ next moves, Ryan Day can concentrate on turning 2026 into a season to remember.