When Ryan Day first became the Buckeyes’ head coach in December 2018, he adamantly acknowledged that he and his family understood the expectations that come with the job. He’s arguably more than delivered on those expectations.
The Buckeyes have won the National Championship, been to the College Football Playoff five times, played for a national championship twice, beaten Michigan in Ann Arbor twice, and won two Big Ten championships while playing for a third.
However, after the way last season ended,
I’m wondering what Ryan Day’s approval rating is among Buckeyes fans.
Last season ended with a thud; A completely unexpected thud. After winning 16 straight games, Ohio State lost to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship and to Miami in the CFP Quarterfinals. While those two teams played for a national championship, the Buckeyes haven’t even played a game in the 2026 calendar year.
Also covering Kentucky Wildcats Basketball, I’ve quickly come to know the expectations among fans and members of Big Blue Nation. Every year, the expectation is for Kentucky to go to the Final Four and win the national championship.
With the way this season has gone for Kentucky, one that began with those expectations and a No. 9 preseason ranking, fans are not happy. Every loss for the Wildcats, the pitchforks come out towards head coach Mark Pope.
Fair or not, the expectations are high every season. They’re built on history, tradition, and winning. Winning cures all. Lose or come up short, and the blame goes to you regardless of what you’ve done in the past.
Ryan Day deserved a lot of credit and vindication when Ohio State won the national championship in 2024. The Buckeyes followed that up by going undefeated in the regular season this past season. Then, we all know what happened from there.
Losing to Miami in the CFP Quarterfinals reignited a lot of narratives about Day and his inconsistencies coaching in big games. Ohio State got pushed around by Indiana and Miami, and that’s another narrative that came out of losing games against Clemson, Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, and Michigan.
Speaking of Michigan, the way last season ended now has this at stake and in greater focus going into The Game in 2026. Day has never beaten Michigan at home (0-2). Imagine what will happen if the Buckeyes lose to Michigan again this season… at home. The pitchforks will be out in full force — that’s putting it lightly.
Another loss to Michigan and not playing for a Big Ten Championship, let alone winning it, could put the 2024 National Championship in complete oblivion.
This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business. The Buckeyes are coming off a subpar 2025. There’s no sugarcoating it. The expectations are always to win a national championship at Ohio State.
There is more parity in college football now than there has ever been. That’s fine, but college football is still run by a select few elite programs. Ohio State is one of those programs.
Talent is never at a shortage. Fan engagement is never a question. If it’s Ohio State, winning is the only thing that matters. Ryan Day has won, but last season ended with two straight losses.
The Buckeyes haven’t won the Big Ten since 2020. They haven’t beaten Michigan at home since 2018. Those two things matter, and Day is accountable for both of them. How will they both impact his approval rating at Ohio State?
This season, particularly what happens in late November, December, and January, will tell us a lot about that.
