When Michigan and Ohio State meet each year, it’s about more than just football; it’s their legacy on the line. And while fans blame Ryan Day for the four consecutive losses in this rivalry, they miss out on the bigger picture. Historically, only four of 21 Ohio State coaches have secured winning records against Michigan, while seven of 15 Michigan coaches have consistently outperformed the Buckeyes. But Day isn’t shying away from the pressure. Following last year’s tough loss to Michigan, he guided the Buckeyes to a national title—and now, he’s addressing the setback head-on.

Both Michigan and Ohio State never leave a single chance to throw shade at each other. Just a few months ago, freshman QB Bryce Underwood took a shot at Ryan Day’s team. While at Cedar Point in Ohio with friends, someone joked, “We can’t take over the whole Ohio.” Underwood didn’t think twice before saying, “I can. I can run this —-.” Even Ohio State did the same to them while announcing their kick-off timings back in May; they referred to Michigan as “TUN” and didn’t even add their logo, whereas other teams like the Longhorns, Grambling, and Ohio were properly addressed.

Despite all those verbal jabs, Michigan has an all-time win series against Ohio, and that’s 62-51-6, and last year was no different. Yet Ryan Day isn’t beating himself up for the loss, and he’s more prepared than ever for this season. “Well, the thing is, like coming here to Saratoga, it’s been great to learn a little bit about the industry, too, you know, to talk to some of the trainers and owners who are here, and it’s been great to come back and just have these conversations because so many people ask me that same thing. And, you know, in this industry, you have to deal with setbacks,” Day said on the New York Racing Association, Inc. podcast. But their loss against Michigan wasn’t just limited to Ryan Day.

His family paid the price, too. The defeat triggered a nightmare at home. After the game, wife Nina Day’s personal phone number was leaked online, leading to a wave of harassment. The family endured threatening calls, disturbing messages, and even death threats directed at their 16-year-old son, R.J. The situation became so severe that Nina contemplated moving the family out of Ohio to ensure their safety. “It was very difficult,” she told The Columbus Dispatch. “There were a lot of tears. We shielded [our kids] from a lot of it because I didn’t want to scare them. I didn’t want them to stay up at night thinking anything bad was going to happen.” The abuse only escalated further.

It turned cruel to deeply traumatic when some fans targeted Ryan Day’s deceased father, who died by suicide when Ryan was only eight years old. This shocking, personal attack highlighted the toxic extremes that fandom can reach. “It’s very disappointing to me what some people are capable of,” Nina said. “People are very mean. They’re very negative. They’re nasty… but there’s definitely a percentage of people that are just ruthless in their hate.”

Now, you know how the worst things went around for Ryan Day and his family. Yet this man is out there with tons of fan pressure on his back, ready to prove himself. “You have to figure out what went wrong. You’ve got to get it fixed, and I think when you go through a loss, when you go through difficult times, especially when you’re in the public eye, so many people are watching, and it’s an opportunity,” Day said. But it wasn’t just the pressure of the fan base; that loss may also put Ryan Day’s job at stake.

Ryan Day’s looking back at the pressure being at Ohio State

Last season was a do-or-die game for Ryan Day, as after losing against Michigan, things were already rough for him, and then with no Big 10 titles since 2020, the lack of a championship berth just added another layer to it. But despite the mounting scrutiny, he stood firm and led the Buckeyes to a championship win. As Day knew, anything less than a championship victory would have ended his time with the team.

And he admits the pressure openly on the New York Racing Association, Inc. podcast and also highlights his future plan for the team. “And I think the thing for me is once we won the national championship and the confetti hit the ground, it was on to the next thing because the number one goal is to help young people reach their dreams and goals. Now, at Ohio State, you have to win every game. If you don’t, you know, they’re going to find a new coach, they’re going to find new players,” he said.

That’s a straight fact. If you don’t win, you go straight out of the program; ask John Cooper. He coached Ohio State football from 1988 to 2000, assembling some of their most talented teams and recruiting nationwide, yet he faltered in the rivalry against Michigan, going just 2-10-1. Despite three Big Ten titles and coaching stars like Eddie George and David Boston, the fanbase grew impatient after two mediocre seasons in 1999 and 2000. Then, after an Outback Bowl loss, Ohio State dismissed him, ending an era that never quite lived up to its promise. But it’s not like he didn’t do anything for the Bucks.

He’s made a huge impact—winning 42 of his first 46 games, securing three Big Ten titles (1993, 1996 and 1998). He didn’t win the Natty, but a 111-43-4 record over 13 seasons speaks volumes. So expect no respite for Ryan Day, who’s at 70-10 overall with two Big 10 titles and four CFP appearances, as Buckeyes invested $87.5 million on him. Beating Michigan or winning a national title is the least they expect. Anything less, and he’ll face the fans’ full fury.

But for Ryan Day, winning is not the ultimate goal; developing his players remains a top priority. “That’s not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to help these people reach their dreams and goals, which is why you get into coaching in the first place. And so, you know, making sure that you understand that, that the staff understands that,” Day said. Now, with tons of pressure on his shoulders and a future goal in his mind, let’s wait and see how this season turns out for the Bucks.