Sports Al Dente

Ryan Day earned his sense of vindication when he guided Ohio State to a national championship, just a couple of months after it seemed his job might be at risk.

However, that relief didn’t last long. When asked on Tuesday if his 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the national championship game would reduce the pressure on him for the 2025 season, Day made it clear he still felt the weight of expectations.

“Try losing the first game and see how that goes at Ohio State,” Day replied.

The Buckeyes’ national title was redemption for Day, who faced significant criticism after Ohio State’s fourth straight loss to Michigan in November. That defeat had led to doubts about his ability to win big games. Day acknowledged the achievement and credited his players for making history. He called them one of the greatest teams in Ohio State history.

Quarterback Will Howard, who wore a “National Champs” cap, and linebacker Cody Simon joined Day for Tuesday’s College Football Playoff champions news conference.

“I’m proud of these guys,” Day said. “And again, we’ll go down in history and cement themselves as champions.”

Though Day didn’t claim he deserved to be listed among the great Ohio State coaches who won national championships, such as Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Woody Hayes, and Paul Brown, he did say it was an honor to be the head coach at the university.

“It’s an honor,” Day remarked when asked about joining that group of legendary coaches. “It’s an honor to be the head coach at Ohio State. I’d probably say that this job is not for everybody.”

Day’s victory earned him his place in Ohio State history, despite some unexpected moments, like when the golf cart transporting him to Monday night’s postgame news conference collided with a wall. The driver misjudged the cart’s turning radius, causing Day to jolt forward in his seat, much to the amusement of Howard, who was in the back row.

“Obviously, the golf cart incident was pretty funny,” Howard said. “Coach Day, I hope you’re all right. He got jolted a little bit.”

Day jokingly replied, “Send the medical bills to the CFP.”

But Day’s financial reward was much more than a medical bill. His $500,000 bonus for winning the national championship was added to the $500,000 bonuses he had already earned, bringing his total compensation, including his $10 million base salary, to a generous sum.

Day’s success came after a season full of challenges, including the College Football Playoff’s first-ever 12-team format. Ohio State was ranked No. 1 in the final AP Top 25, ahead of Notre Dame.

Day’s record of 68-10 in six seasons at Ohio State is impressive, but his impressive win rate seemed to be overshadowed by his team’s loss to Michigan and their failure to reach the Big Ten championship game.

“None of us ever doubted for a second that he was the right guy to lead this team,” Howard said. “We stuck together and we said we want to do it for each other, we want to do it for our coach, and let’s do this thing, man. I’m really glad that we were able to finish it the right way.”

Simon echoed that sentiment, adding, “No one ever on our team lost any type of faith.”

He explained that after the loss to Michigan, he realized there was “noise all over the world” doubting the team. But Simon said he trusted Day because he saw how hard the coach worked every day.

“You think you’re getting work done and you go and walk past the head coach’s office and he’s already there,” Simon said. “He’s been watching film. His eyes are bloodshot. He puts that extra time in that no one in the world is really putting in.”

When the final seconds ticked off the clock Monday night, Day threw his headset into the air. When asked if he felt happiness or relief, Day admitted he felt both.

“I don’t know if it’s a spectrum. All of the above. Yeah, all of the above,” he said. “There’s a mix of emotions there. It’s hard to really put into words.”

Ohio State is the early favorite to win next year’s national championship, but no one really knows what to expect when the season begins in seven months. The game is rapidly changing, and new rules are set to be introduced that will affect how teams prepare and build their rosters.

One of the biggest changes involves a legal settlement that will allow schools to pay players directly while also reducing roster sizes but increasing the number of available scholarships. This will be in place for next season, but schools first need to figure out how it will work, especially in relation to Title IX rules.

There are also questions surrounding the transfer portal, which many believe is out of control, and whether the 12-team playoff system that debuted this season will stay the same or undergo changes.

“There are so many unknowns,” said Gloria Nevarez, commissioner of the Mountain West Conference. “We’re trying to track it all to the best we can and offer solutions. But we’ve got to see what the ‘it’ is so that we can determine how it affects us.”

For Ohio State, their most fortunate turn of events this season was not related to roster planning but to the expansion of the college playoff from four to 12 teams. A crushing loss to Michigan in November had knocked them out of the Big Ten title race, and in previous years, it would have been the end of their season.

But this time, they got another shot, finishing as the sixth-ranked team and receiving an eighth seed thanks to the playoff system.

It’s possible that the College Football Playoff seeding system could change. “I think there will be a good, honest conversation, are there any changes that we ought to make from this year to next year to make something that’s worked really well work even better,” said Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame’s athletic director.

Another area where changes are expected is how schools will pay players. The recent settlement allows schools to share up to $20.5 million in revenue with players, though it’s unclear how the funds will be divided, particularly between men’s and women’s sports.

A government memo raised concerns that paying a larger share to men’s sports could violate Title IX, which ensures gender equality. This issue will likely be addressed by the new administration, with the settlement set to take effect in April.

“It’s been five years of every day being different than the day before it, and adapting and adjusting and being malleable,” said Grant House, an Arizona State swimmer who is a lead plaintiff in the lawsuit causing these changes. “No one has all the answers right now, but we’re looking for solutions.”

As college football faces these many challenges, the idea of appointing a commissioner to oversee the sport has been suggested. This individual would handle issues like scheduling, player pay, the transfer portal, and enforcing new rules. ESPN’s Chris Fowler believes a commissioner could improve the game for fans. “You need some centralized scheduling, you need a more level playing field. You need better enforcement,” he said.

Despite these issues, many of college football’s top programs are expected to remain strong next season. LSU is considered to have had the best transfer portal haul, while Texas will begin the season with quarterback Arch Manning, the grandson of Archie Manning.

At Georgia, Gunner Stockton is expected to replace Carson Beck, who committed to Miami. The Miami Hurricanes also added a defensive back from Wisconsin, Xavier Lucas, who never officially entered the portal, leading to concerns about tampering.

For Ohio State, coach Ryan Day is looking forward to next season after securing a national title, but the pressure will remain high. He faces the challenge of replacing QB Will Howard, who transferred to the NFL. Julian Sayin, a five-star recruit who transferred from Alabama to Ohio State, is expected to step in. The Buckeyes will face Texas in their season opener on August 30.

“Try losing the first game and see how that goes at Ohio State,” Day said. “We’ll see about that.”