Pat McAfee trolls Ohio State head coach Ryan Day about preseason ranks

ESPN's Pat McAfee made sure to let Ohio State football coach Ryan Day know he was leading best team in the country before the season even started. On an episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" Aug. 17, McAfee cold-called Day to jokingly congratulate him on the Buckeyes being the No. 1-ranked team in the As

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ESPN's Pat McAfee made sure to let Ohio State football coach Ryan Day know he was leading best team in the country before the season even started.

On an episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" Aug. 17, McAfee cold-called Day to jokingly congratulate him on the Buckeyes being the No. 1-ranked team in the Associated Press poll.

"Hey, congratulations, No. 1 in the poll!" McAfee said to Day over the phone. "Two-time preseason national champion! Congratulations, man!"

"If I could flip you off, I would," Day said in a joking response.

CONGRATULATIONS @ryandaytime

YOU'RE NUMBER ONE 😂😂 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/l8AHrugWrX
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 17, 2026

McAfee, of course, is well aware that Day has no interest in Ohio State receiving a No. 1 ranking in any poll. In a previous episode with Day,

McAfee congratulated Day when Ohio State received the top ranking for the US LBM Coaches Poll.

"Hey, don't even do training camp. You guys are the No. 1 team in the country. Congratulations!" McAfee told Day on Aug. 5.

"Every team in the country wants to be ranked No. 1 going into the preseason. Big deal," Day told McAfee sarcastically.

Pat McAfee cheers during the first half of the Big Ten Conference championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025.

The Buckeyes are the No. 1 team in the preseason AP poll and the Coaches Poll for the first time since 2015. Ohio State received 38 of a possible 72 first-place votes in the Coaches Poll, which released on Aug. 4. In the AP Poll Ohio State snagged 40 of 69 possible nods for the top spot.