The Ohio State Buckeyes are back in the College Football Playoff-and once again, they're entering the postseason with a chip on their shoulder. For the second straight year, Ryan Day’s squad is coming off a tough loss, this time to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game. But if last season taught us anything, it’s that Day knows how to rally his team when the stakes are highest.
A year ago, the Buckeyes were in a similar spot, licking their wounds after a loss to Michigan. What followed was arguably the most impressive four-game stretch in program history, culminating in a national championship win over Notre Dame. That kind of postseason resilience doesn’t happen by accident-it’s the product of a coach who knows how to push the right buttons, even when the pressure’s cranked all the way up.
Now, Day faces a similar challenge: get his team to reset, refocus, and make another title run. And he’s leaning on a familiar face to help get it done.
Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is expected to take a more aggressive approach in the upcoming matchup, after a game plan in Indianapolis that left plenty of questions on the table. Day is showing confidence in Hartline to bounce back and deliver a sharper, more dynamic performance.
But while Day is focused on the X’s and O’s, there’s a new wrinkle in the College Football Playoff protocol that’s got his attention-and not in a good way.
For the first time, CFP teams are required to submit pregame player availability reports up to three days before kickoff. That’s a major shift, especially for a coach like Day who’s been notoriously tight-lipped about injuries.
Just last month during Michigan week, he kept everyone guessing about whether young stars Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate would suit up-only revealing their status at the last possible moment. That kind of gamesmanship has been part of Day’s strategy, and it’s worked to his advantage.
But now, that discretion goes out the window. The new CFP policy mirrors the NFL’s injury reporting rules, requiring daily updates leading up to the game. It’s a move aimed at transparency, but for coaches who value the element of surprise, it’s a frustrating change.
Still, with nearly three weeks between the Big Ten title game and their Cotton Bowl appearance, the Buckeyes should have plenty of time to get healthy. That rest could be crucial-not just for physical recovery, but for mental reset as well.
If Ohio State comes out sharp and takes care of business in their semifinal, the conversation around these new reporting rules might quiet down. But if things get tight, and player availability becomes a factor, expect Day to have thoughts.
For now, the focus remains on preparation. The Buckeyes have been here before, and they know what it takes to make a deep run. The road to another national title starts in Dallas-and while the injury report may look different this time around, the goal remains the same: win, and keep playing.