There are few head coaches in college football who boast as strong of a record as Ryan Day does at Ohio State. The Buckeyes have consistently been a top-five program year in and year out under his watch, as he has never finished a season with more than two losses.
So how is it that Buckeyes fans are vehemently calling for Day to be fired? Look no further than Saturday's result.
Ohio State fell victim to rival Michigan in one of the worst results in the history of the rivalry. The Buckeyes came into rivalry week ranked as the No. 2 team in the country with just one loss on their record, while the Wolverines sat unranked at 6-5. Despite that, it was Michigan that left The Shoe victorious, coming out with a 17-14 win.
If there is one thing ingrained into the culture at Ohio State, it's that you simply do not lose to Michigan, no matter the circumstances. However, Saturday's loss marked the fourth year in a row that the Buckeyes came out on the wrong side of "The Game," and it has Ohio State fans calling for Day to be fired.
MORE: What Ohio State’s loss to Michigan means for Big Ten, College Football Playoff
Will Ohio State pull the trigger on the head coach? Here's what to know about Day's status following the loss to Michigan.
Will Ohio State fire Ryan Day?
It's unclear in the immediate aftermath of the Ohio State loss to Michigan if Day will lose his job. However, if it were up to the Ohio State boosters, no change is coming.
Day would have to be bought out of his current contract with the university, and it won't be cheap. His buyout is reportedly at $37 million, and while the Buckeyes boast a massive booster program, that number may be too large for a change, according to reporter John Bacon.
Apparently Day's buy-out is going viral on Ohio media.
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) December 1, 2024
It's $37M, and insiders tell me OSU boosters have no appetite for it, with NIL demands, and the like. FYI.
The Buckeyes' season is not yet over, with a Big Ten Championship set for next weekend, as well a berth to the College Football Playoff. While it won't be completely wiped away, a conference championship followed by a national championship would go a long way to erasing the sour memories of the Michigan loss.
With that said, if the Buckeyes end the season once again without a trophy to show for it, questions will emerge about Day's security going forward.
Since Day took over the program in the middle of the 2018 season, he owns an ugly 1-4 record against rival Michigan. He won his first game against the Wolverines in 2019. The two teams did not play in the shortened 2020 season.
Since then, it's only been losses for the Buckeyes, with four consecutive defeats at the hands of "That Team Up North." In comparison, Day owns a record of 45-1 against the rest of the Big Ten.
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It's not just the rivalry games that Day has fallen short in. The Buckeyes haven't played in the Big Ten Championship since 2020
He also has not experienced an immense amount of success in bowl games either. Ohio State lost in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl to Clemson, missing out on a chance to play for the national championship. In 2020, the Buckeyes got their revenge against the Tigers in the Sugar Bowl, but then fell to Alabama in the national championship.
Ohio State has not been to the title game since. The program did not make the College Football Playoff in 2021, settling for a Rose Bowl win over Utah instead. That was followed by a loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl in 2022, missing out on the national championship, and then the program failed again to make the College Football Playoff in 2023.
Ryan Day wins the 90% of games Ohio State is always going to win with its inherent talent advantage. He’s shown no evidence that he’s capable of winning big games or rivalry games. But anybody who’s mentioned that the last four years has been labeled a psycho.
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) November 30, 2024
The rest of this season could dictate Day's fate. If he brings a national championship to Columbus for the first time since 2014, all likely would be forgotten from rivalry week.
MORE: College football bowl projections for championship week
However, if it's another season with a similar ending to those in the past for Day and the Buckeyes, the boosters may change their mind.
Ryan Day coaching record
Since Day took over the Buckeyes program in the middle of the 2018 season, Ohio State has been a dominant force in college football. Ohio State has never ended a season with more than two losses, as Day has compiled a record of 66-10 as of Dec. 1, 2024.
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Here's a look at his season-by-season results at Ohio State.
| Season | Games | Record |
| 2018 | 3 | 3-0 |
| 2019 | 14 | 13-1 |
| 2020 | 8 | 7-1 |
| 2021 | 13 | 11-2 |
| 2022 | 13 | 11-2 |
| 2023 | 13 | 11-2 |
| 2024 | 12 | 10-2* |
| Total | 76 | 66-10 |
* = record as of Dec. 1, 2024.
Ryan Day contract
Day is currently signed with Ohio State through the 2026 season. He is the fifth highest-paid head coach in college football, earning $9.95 million in 2024 , according to USA Today's coaches salaries database.
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Ryan Day buyout
If Ohio State chose to fire Day, the university would owe him $37.28 million as of December 1, 2024, according to the database.
His buyout is not one of the largest among active head coaches, but it is not an insignificant amount. There are 16 head coaches in college who would be paid more in a buyout than the Buckeyes' boss.
