Ryan Day proved all doubters wrong by guiding Ohio State to its first national title since 2014. His impressive 87.5% winning percentage now stands highest among active FBS coaches, despite facing harsh criticism along the way. The Buckeyes wrote their names in the history books as the No. 8 seed during the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Their path to glory included crushing wins over four ranked teams with a combined score of 145-75. This piece shows how Day reshaped the scene from a questioned leader to national champion
From criticized coach to champion
Losing to Michigan in November brought an unprecedented period of hatred for Ryan Day. His children faced harassment at school, while his family needed police protection at his house. Day managed to weather the storm, and in contrast to those trying times, he built an extraordinary football environment. His profound resilience showed, with his players responding accordingly and found support within the program’s walls. You could even speculate that without that loss to Michigan, this historic run may have never even happened.
The foundation inherited from the Urban Meyer years now remains intact, as Day has crafted his own coaching identity. Some great OSU rosters have come and gone, leaving many fans inpatient thinking this win should have came sooner. Although Ohio State fans had to wait 10 years, the inherited regime finally got the championship monkey off their back.Â
The locker room unity shined when many wrote them off. Most college football fans and bettors were not so confident in their title hopes after a brutal end to the regular season. Nobody knows what was really said in that players only meeting, but the results spoke volumes. The stars finally played like stars, overpowering their opponents with an average margin of 18 points in their four postseason wins. This masterful run placed Day among Ohio State’s finest coaches standing beside names like Woody Hayes and Jim Tressel in addition to Urban Meyer.
Modern Championship Formula
The blend of roster management and financial backing stands at the heart of Ohio State’s success. The Foundation poured $20 million in NIL deals into building their championship roster. The portal yielded immediate dividends through calculated additions:
- Will Howard arrived from Kansas State and commanded the offense
- Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss scored 3 TD’s in the title game
- Caleb Downs and Seth McLaughlin infused Alabama’s winning culture
- Julian Sayin, a prized quarterback prospect, followed from Alabama
Strategic transfer portal management paired with elite talent acquisition sets the foundation moving forward. Athletic Director Ross Bjork’s backing ensures Day remains at the helm through 2025. The program’s commitment reflects in Day’s USD 9.0 million annual compensation through 2028. The profound impact of this championship validates the vision. Ohio State’s position among college football’s elite grows stronger with each passing season. Now emerging as the first champion in the 4-team and 12-team playoff 10-years apart, they have shown their adapting ability to the exponentially changing college football landscape.Â
Ohio State is the most deserving champion in the history of college football.
— Steve 🤙 (@SteveKBark) January 21, 2025
They’ve beaten every single team in the top 8 of the final rankings except Georgia. And they did it with an average margin of victory of 15.5 points.
Ryan Day rewrote the narrative. He’s a legend. pic.twitter.com/0CYPznzAwY
A decade after Ohio State won the first four-team CFB Playoff, the Buckeyes win the first 12-team CFB Playoff 🏆 🏆 pic.twitter.com/m9AJeKFuBO
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 21, 2025
Big Ten on The Rise
The 12-team structure opened new possibilities, but in the end the best prevailed. OSU’s execution was flawless – controlling 193 of 240 playoff minutes. Stifling defense delivered double-digit wins while their offensive playmakers took turns running up the score. This run highlighted the mastery of college football’s new reality with Ohio State beating two SEC teams on their way to the CFB title.Â
The Big Ten’s back-to-back national championships is big for their reputation as the best conference in College football. The conference emerges from the SEC’s shadow with Ohio State’s title following Michigan’s 2024 triumph wrapping up the conferences third title in the CFB Playoff Era. As Alabama leads all teams with 3 championships, Ohio State and Clemson are now tied at 2nd with two titles apiece.Â
Conference | Championships | Years Won | Teams |
SEC | 6 | 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 | Alabama (3), Georgia (2), LSU (1) |
Big Ten | 3 | 2014, 2023, 2024 | Ohio State (2), Michigan (1) |
ACC | 2 | 2016, 2018Â | Clemson (2) |
Quest to RepeatÂ
This Ohio State title under Ryan Day was a long time coming. After years of heartbreaks and close calls he finally led the program over the mountain. In the revolutionary college football landscape, the Buckeyes’ championship run demonstrates the power of adaptability in college athletics. Day’s approach to NIL opportunities, the transfer portal and roster construction established a framework for sustained achievement.
Ohio State’s influence in college sports is branded by an extraordinary development of talent, paired with groundbreaking financial backing, which positions them for continued excellence. In the CFB playoff era, the Buckeyes have crafted a distinctive elite identity sitting only one title away from Alabama. Now it is all in reach in the post-Nick Saban era. For OSU and the Big Ten, the time for to create a sustainable model of championships is now. Under Ryan Day’s guidance the stage for Ohio State to pick up right where they left off as the effort repeat started as soon as the clock hit zero and the confetti came down in Atlanta.
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