Losing isn’t something Ohio State is used to, and that’s the standard Ryan Day wants to maintain around Columbus and instill that mindset in every player who wears scarlet and gray. So when the Buckeyes blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead at Texas back in Week 2, it was more than a loss on the schedule. It was a wake-up call for the team, as the head coach admitted, because it forced the Buckeyes to take a hard look at the issues that allowed the game to slip away.

With nearly half the roster made up of new players, transfers, and freshmen, the Buckeyes spent the offseason trying to build the mindset Day expects from everyone in the program. Speaking on the Triple Option podcast, Day acknowledged the challenge of having around 60 new faces on the roster and the fourth-quarter collapse against the Longhorns in Week 2.

“So much of it was during the offseason,” Ryan Day told host Urban Meyer. “We really spent a lot of time bringing this team together. When you have that many new guys, half your team is new, you think guys know; you make assumptions, but they’ve never been through it before. They don’t know what it’s like at Ohio State.”

“Guys come from different programs, and it’s all good, but you’re not allowed to lose a game here. And so that mindset has to change. It’s not being arrogant. It’s just what it is. And then when you get into a game like that, and the way it went, it brings you to your knees. And so when that happens, I mean, it’s all about accountability.”

The Texas game exposed Ohio State’s fourth-quarter execution issues and self-inflicted mistakes, particularly with the offense failing to capitalize during crucial moments. The Buckeyes went three-and-out on four straight fourth-quarter drives, while Julian Sayin struggled to keep the offense moving. Though Jeremiah Smith dominated the first half, he was held without a catch in the final quarter, and a missed 45-yard field goal with 4:16 left gave Texas another chance to score.

The Buckeyes’ defense had to deal with three long touchdown drives, each lasting at least 12 plays and covering 72 or more yards. Ohio State couldn’t take control despite having chances to end the game and turn Texas’ mistakes into points. With just 25 seconds left, Hollywood Smothers scored from one yard out to complete Texas’ 21-point fourth-quarter comeback and hand the Buckeyes a 24-23 loss.

“In today’s day and age, everybody wants to, as we used to say, coach blame, complain, and defend,” Day said. “And that’s what we all had to avoid, players and coaches included, and figure out: this is not last year’s team. It’s not any; this is this year’s team. And so, we just had to get back to work and fix those things. And I think this weekend allowed us an opportunity to go on a road and establish some things. And so I think we’re building that identity as we continue to work through the season with this group.”

Rather than pointing fingers, the Buckeyes took collective responsibility and worked on the issues that held them back, which finally paid off this week during the Iowa matchup. Ohio State went into Kinnick Stadium against a top-15 Iowa team and walked out with a 31-14 win, winning a road game after a Texas loss. The Buckeyes controlled the game from the start, with the defense forcing multiple turnovers for the first time in the Big Ten and Smith breaking multiple records in program history.

If Ohio State wants to get back to No. 1 on polls and make a real run at the playoff, that identity has to hold up against tougher competition than Iowa, starting with Indiana, USC and Oregon followed by the brutal back half of the schedule.

Ryan Day is looking forward to the Maryland game

Day’s focus has already shifted to not letting his team get comfortable after the Iowa win, with Maryland up next at home.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t say a grade because I just think we needed to have a good win at Iowa in that type of environment coming off what happened the week before,” Day said. “I thought there were really good things. The issues are always there. Like we have a lot of areas we got to get better at. And so the challenge is for everybody to improve and upgrade. It just has to be the mindset.”

Day was clear in expecting every player to keep improving in small ways, whether through preparation, practice, or recovery, so that the team could move forward towards its full potential.

Maryland matchup could give Day a breather to clean up issues in special teams and on both sides of the ball before the Buckeyes move ahead with the Hoosiers, Ducks, and Wolverines.