Ryan Day’s future at Ohio State is drawing more attention by the week, but any real change would come with a massive price tag. The Buckeyes would be staring at roughly $75 million in buyout money if they moved on from their coach without cause, a number that makes any decision in Columbus a lot more complicated.
The pressure ramped up after Ohio State’s loss to Oregon, a game that started with a 14-0 Buckeyes lead before the wheels came off. Oregon answered with 38 straight points and rolled to a 41-28 win, turning what looked like a strong start into another painful setback for Day.
That kind of result has only sharpened the questions around a coach who has already delivered plenty. Day has won a national championship, claimed two Big Ten titles and compiled an 87-14 record at Ohio State.
Still, the same old issues keep resurfacing, especially his record against Michigan and the recent trouble against Indiana. He is 2-4 against the Wolverines, and that has become a recurring flashpoint for fans and critics alike.
Ohio State locked Day in with a five-year, $87.5 million contract after the 2025 national title run, then later added a seven-year extension that runs through the 2031 season. That championship came after a College Football Playoff march that included wins over Tennessee, Oregon and Texas before the Buckeyes blasted Notre Dame in the title game.
The buyout is the part that makes a coaching change so difficult. FOX Sports reported that Ohio State would owe about $75 million if it fired Day without cause, covering the guaranteed salary left on the deal over the remaining five-plus years. Athletic director Ross Bjork and the rest of the university leadership would have to weigh that number carefully as they consider the direction of the program.
Day’s contract also includes a healthy bonus structure tied to performance, postseason success and academics. His extension is worth about $12.5 million annually, with as much as $1.55 million available in performance and achievement bonuses. Those payouts are linked to Big Ten success, College Football Playoff appearances and academic benchmarks.
For the 2025-26 academic year, Day picked up a $100,000 academic bonus after Ohio State’s football program posted a cumulative grade-point average near 3.4. The academic bonus ladder is set at $50,000 for a 3.0 GPA, $100,000 for a 3.3 GPA and $150,000 for a 3.5 GPA or higher. It was the third straight year Day earned an academic bonus, and this latest one doubled the $50,000 payouts he had received before.
At 6-3, Ohio State is sitting through the worst season of Day’s tenure. He had never lost more than two games in a year before now, and this is also the program’s worst record since 2011.
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