Ryan Day already delivered a national championship to Ohio State, and now he’s staring at a tougher climb.
The Buckeyes have only eight national title teams in program history, which tells you everything you need to know about how hard this is to finish. Day got the 2024 group across the line. This time, he may have to do it without his starter.
Julian Sayin is almost surely done for the year, leaving Day to push Ohio State forward with either Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair at quarterback. Urban Meyer pulled it off in 2014, and if Day can do it again, he would strengthen his case as one of the giants in Buckeyes history.
Ohio State still sits third in the country, and the next two weeks will say a lot about where this team really stands. The Buckeyes have five regular-season games left to lock down a spot in the College Football Playoff, and games against USC and Oregon in back-to-back weeks could go a long way toward settling the noise around the program.
A second title would put Day ahead of every Ohio State coach except Woody Hayes in total championships. Winning it with a backup quarterback would make the achievement land even harder.
There’s also the playoff path to consider. Ohio State has a shot at a first-round bye, and that would matter even more with a young quarterback in charge. The bye week can be dangerous for teams, but Indiana made it work last year on the way to a title.
Day’s win over Michigan last year and the championship that followed didn’t silence everyone. Some fans still aren’t sold on him as the long-term answer.
Another title would change the conversation completely. It would make his standing at Ohio State feel untouchable.
If he pulls this off with Fahey or St. Clair, the only likely exit would be an NFL team coming after him for a head coaching job. But that’s getting far ahead of the story.
Right now, Day still has to win games, keep Ohio State on track, and survive the playoff gauntlet. If he does, he won’t just add another trophy. He could leave the argument behind and move into a class of his own.
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Ohio States work on the 2027 class is already starting to take shape at running back, where the Buckeyes have zeroed in on Jordan Hall and Tranard Roberts as priority targets with commitment decisions approaching. Both sit near the center of a recruiting push that has kept the staff active on the trail, and the position remains one of the key areas Ohio State is trying to firm up early in the cycle.
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Ohio State Faces A Risky Quarterback Choice In Its Title Push
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The decision is about more than just who takes the next snap. With the season moving forward and the pressure only rising, Ohio State is trying to determine which quarterback is best equipped to steady the offense and keep the Buckeyes on track. The competition is short, the stakes are obvious, and the answer will shape how far this team can go with its championship hopes still intact. [Read more 🡒]