Ohio State's Ryan Day: 'What we need to do is leave no doubt' against Michigan in 2024

After three consecutive losses to the Wolverines, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day finally admitted the outcome of 'The Game' didn't come down to just a couple plays these last three seasons...

Matt Lounsberry | Jul 23, 2024

Jul 23, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

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Michigan Wolverines

After nearly two decades of dominance in "The Game", Ohio State has been put into unfamiliar territory after three consecutive losses to Michigan in the annual rivalry matchup between the two college football superpowers.

After every subsequent loss to the Wolverines, it seemed the Buckeyes and their fanbase always had an excuse as to why "that team up north" got the better of Ohio State on those particular afternoons. In 2021, the excuse was the snowy conditions in Ann Arbor, with then-quarterback C.J. Stroud later claiming several OSU players "had the flu" following the 42-27 victory for Michigan. In 2022, it was "only five plays" that cost the Buckeyes in the 45-23 beatdown the Wolverines handed the Buckeyes in Columbus.

Prior to the 2023 season, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day claimed the Buckeyes had "only played one bad half of football" in the previous two seasons, despite two double-digit losses to Michigan and a previous loss to Oregon. Yet, when "The Game" came around again, it was the Wolverines who prevailed, 30-24. However, the OSU faithful already had their "Connor Stalions, sign-stealing" excuses all ready to go.

At Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday, however, it appears Day is finally ready to admit the last three seasons weren't some unhappy coincidence for the Buckeyes.

“After every year, you have to identify what are the things that have held you back from reaching your goals, knowing that we want perfection and we want to win The Game at the end of the season,” Day said. “In particular, last year, what was it that prevented us from finishing off that last drive or getting off of the field on defense? Why didn’t we do that? Well, it’s easy to say that it comes down to a play or two, but that’s not really the case. What we need to do is leave no doubt. No doubt. Don’t leave it to one play, don’t leave it to one call, don’t leave it to one stop. Leave no doubt when you’re on the field.

“And we’re not going to get into all of the reasons or all of the things that we’ve done to try to address that, to get that fixed. But we have, we’ve worked hard on that, and we feel good about where we’re at going into the season.”

Ohio State is out of excuses in 2024. The Buckeyes have arguably the nation's most talented roster, and there's a good chance that OSU will be the preseason No. 1 when the Associated Press and Coaches Polls are released in August. At worst, Ohio State will open the season at No. 2 behind Georgia. With that understood, if Day can't get the job done against the Wolverines with this year's Buckeye team, back in Columbus, with all the turnover that's gone on in Ann Arbor this offseason, there's going to be some uncomfortable conversations going on down below the Michigan-Ohio border.

“I think when you look year in and year out, the expectations are what they are,” Day said. “Every year, you have an opportunity at Ohio State. You have an opportunity to win every game and that’s what the expectations are. And that’s because of the great players and coaches that have come before. And we understand that.”

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