Ohio State has bigger things to worry about than a bowl game if it ends up missing the College Football Playoff.
That’s the crux of the decision facing the Buckeyes, and it’s why the program should follow the path Notre Dame took after last season and sit out whatever postseason game it gets assigned. The Fighting Irish passed on the Pop-Tarts Bowl after missing the playoff a year ago, and while BYU got the better of them in Provo this season, Notre Dame is now 8-1 in 2026, ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Ryan Day isn’t there yet, at least not publicly.
“I’m not there right now at all,” Day said on Tuesday. “I know we have certain rules within our conference anyways, but to me, right now, just win this game, win the next three games and then come up for air and figure out where we’re at next. But I mean, I’m not even there mentally right now.”
Day also mentioned conference rules tied to bowl opt-outs, though Eleven Warriors said it reached out to the Big Ten for clarification on the consequences for a bowl-eligible team opting out and did not get a response.
There’s no way around the optics. A bowl opt-out means seniors don’t get one last game, younger players lose extra practice time and the fan base gets one fewer chance to watch the team.
It could also bring a fine. And yes, it can look like the Buckeyes are simply walking away from a season that went sideways.
But this year changes the calculation.
With the College Football Playoff expanding to 24 teams next season, Ohio State should be operating under a new standard: missing the playoff should be unthinkable. That was already true in the 12-team format, but in the 24-team era, a postseason miss would feel like rock bottom for this program.
That’s why skipping the bowl game makes sense if the Buckeyes get left out.
What Ohio State has done this season is already well below its standard. Three losses by mid-November is not where this program expects to be, and it’s the first time that’s happened in the Ryan Day era. The last time the Buckeyes had three regular-season losses before that was 2011, when Luke Fickell’s team went 6-7.
A bowl game wouldn’t change much anyway. Jeremiah Smith will almost certainly opt out for the NFL draft. Some other draft-eligible players could do the same, and the transfer portal could strip away more pieces before the offseason even begins.
The real work is what comes next: evaluating the staff, making whatever changes are necessary, rethinking the transfer-portal approach after this year’s talent didn’t come together the way it needed to, and making sure Ohio State holds onto its No. 5-ranked 2027 recruiting class.
That’s the part that matters if the Buckeyes miss the playoff. Not a bowl trophy.
Not one more game in December. The focus should shift immediately to building for next season, even if that means an unfamiliar kind of ending in Columbus.
Beyond beating Michigan, there isn’t much left on the table if Ohio State misses the CFP. The Buckeyes can still use the final stretch to develop young players and get a clearer read on the roster, and Day will still play the guys who give them the best chance to win. But the bigger picture is obvious.
Beat Northwestern.
Beat Nebraska.
Beat Michigan.
Opt out of the bowl game.
Lock up the 2027 recruiting class.
Revamp the staff and portal approach.
Then move on.
In Other News...
Ohio State Finally Made A Change Fans Saw Coming
Ohio State made the kind of midseason move fans had been expecting after a string of special teams breakdowns kept showing up at the worst possible moments. Robby Discher was fired after nine games, with the Buckeyes issues on that phase of the game becoming harder to ignore as penalties and momentum-swinging mistakes piled up in recent losses.
Ryan Day said there had simply been too many detrimental plays to keep things as they were, and the staff is now reshuffling responsibilities to finish the season. Senior analyst Rob Keys will oversee special teams the rest of the way, with other coaches taking on specific units, a sign that Ohio State is trying to steady one of the most frustrating parts of its operation before it costs them again. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Backup Quarterback Problem Just Got More Complicated
Justyn Martins role at Ohio State has become one of those quiet depth-chart stories that can suddenly matter a lot more than anyone expected. The fifth-year senior has not played this season, but with Julian Sayin sidelined, Martin is now listed as the third-string quarterback, and Ryan Day has already made it clear he likes what he has seen from him in practice. For a team that always has to be ready at quarterback, that kind of behind-the-scenes trust can carry real weight.
Martin has kept working alongside Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, staying in the mix while the Buckeyes sort through their options. He has spoken confidently about the group and noted that Sayin remains supportive during his recovery, which only adds another layer to a situation that is still unfolding. For now, Martin is waiting for a chance that has not come yet, but the fact that Day is even floating game usage suggests Ohio States backup picture is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Chip Kelly Is Suddenly Back In Ohio State's Offensive Picture
Chip Kellys name is back in the mix around Ohio State, and not just as a nostalgic footnote. The former Buckeyes assistant, now at Northwestern, has surfaced in conversations about offensive play-caller openings, with his past tie to the program giving the idea immediate credibility. For a staff that is always under the microscope, any movement on the offensive side tends to draw attention quickly, especially when it involves a coach with Kellys rsum and familiarity with the Ohio State environment.
The broader picture is still fluid, though, because Nebraska is also being linked to Kelly and may try to sell him on the stature of the job rather than a simple financial pitch. For Ohio State, the possibility seems tied to whether current staff changes open a path, which is why the chatter feels more like a developing subplot than a settled pursuit. Even so, the fact that Kelly is being discussed in that context says plenty about how quickly the Buckeyes offensive landscape can shift. [Read more 🡒]