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At some point, the debate should probably be over. Ryan Day has won more than 87 percent of his games at Ohio State. He's reached the College Football Playoff five times. He's consistently produced NFL talent and kept the Buckeyes among the sport's elite programs. Yet somehow, every ranking involving Day still sparks the same conversation.
Is he underrated?
The numbers are impossible to ignore
Sporting News placed Day third among all coaches entering 2026. That sounds like high praise. For some Ohio State fans, however, it feels low.
Day owns an 82-12 record since taking over in Columbus. Few coaches in modern college football history have sustained that level of success. Ohio State remains one of the sport's most reliable contenders. Year after year, the Buckeyes are expected to compete for championships.
Year after year, they do exactly that.
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The Michigan narrative finally changed
One of the biggest criticisms surrounding Day was his record against Michigan. That talking point followed him for years. The Buckeyes finally snapped their losing streak against the Wolverines in 2025, removing one of the biggest criticisms attached to his tenure. Yet even after checking that box, Day still finds himself behind Kirby Smart and Curt Cignetti in the latest rankings.
Why the expectations never stop
The challenge at Ohio State is simple. Winning isn't enough. Winning big is expected. Making the playoff is expected. Competing for national championships is expected. Anything less feels like failure.
That's the reality Day faces every season.
It also explains why a coach with one of the best records in college football can still generate debates about whether he's getting enough respect. Most programs would celebrate a coach like Day. At Ohio State, the conversation is whether he should be ranked even higher. And that may be the strongest evidence yet of how successful he's been.
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