Ryan Day, Ohio State Football 'Look Forward' to Nebraska After 'Long Week'

The Buckeyes' head coach addressed the Columbus media Tuesday, speaking about his team's performance in its lone loss of the season at Oregon on Oct. 12. Day added that his team is excited to get back to compete against the Huskers and former OSU commit Dylan Raiola.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day arrives at Autzen Stadium prior to the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are champing at the bit to get back on to the field after sitting on their first loss of the season.

"It was a long week for all of us, and a lot of hours in here talking about it," Day said during his Tuesday press conference in Columbus. "You sit on it and you chew on it. Then eventually you move on and you look forward and that's kind of where we are."

Day said the Buckeyes are excited to "move forward" after their 32-31 loss in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 12. The matchup of then-rated No. 2 Ohio State and the now-rated No. 1 Ducks came down to the wire, with Buckeye quarterback Will Howard sliding as time expired, too late to allow OSU to try a game-winning field goal. The loss dropped Ohio State to No. 4 in the latest rankings and left plenty of question marks around the OSU fanbase.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) slides on the field as the clock runs out against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Day said his team has been focused on canceling out the "outside noise."

"Your players are reading it, your players' parents are reading it, recruits are reading it, so you've got to be aware of what's going on out there. At the end of the day, you have to focus on what's right, what you know your team's about, and that's really what it comes down to," Day said.

The coach said that when a player comes to Ohio State, "it comes with the territory." Nebraska fans, players, and coaches recognize that sentiment all too well, having had to face the music this past week following the Huskers' 56-7 debacle in Bloomington, dropping the Big Red to 5-2 leading into their road tilt.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day motions during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Day said the issues in the Oregon game were from a variety of problems, not just one source. However, the Buckeyes aimed over their bye week to create more opportunities defensively.

"The first thing you recognize - we lost the turnover battle. Anytime you play in a game like that, that hurts you. We didn't create any turnovers. The second thing was the explosive plays, too many explosive plays," Day said.

The coach continued in talking about his defense - which had been stellar leading into the top-five battle. The Buckeyes' pass rush did not register a sack against the Ducks despite garnering multiple sacks in the first five games of the year. Day put that on himself, saying it is the "coach's job to make sure we put our players in a situation to be successful."

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) makes a tackle on Oregon Ducks wide receiver Justius Lowe (14) after a catch in the second half during the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Day confirmed that the Buckeyes would be without two key starters moving forward as left tackle Josh Simmons is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, and tight end Will Kacmarek is set to miss time after leaving the Oregon game. However, the coach said the team could "have as many as ten games from here on out" and that the team is focused on Nebraska.

Day only commented on Nebraska a handful of times during his presser, saying Ohio State was "looking ahead to the second half of the season, then right to Nebraska" during the bye week. However, the coach shares a unique relationship with the Huskers because of their freshman signal caller, Dylan Raiola.

Raiola had first been committed to Ohio State prior to laying his loyalties to Georgia, then flipping to Nebraska last December during the recruiting cycle. Day was asked what this matchup means for him going against a former recruit, and the coach said nothing was personal.

Oct 5, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) throws a pass against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

"I think I heard a stat the other day that of the starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten, maybe it was like 14 or something that have been transfers. Whether it's decommitments or transferring, it's part of the world that we live in right now. You just have to adapt to it," Day said.

"We try to make sure that we're retaining as many of our guys as possible. That's kind of the stability of our program and the culture of our program. That's that. When it comes to Dylan, I think he's got an opportunity to be a great player," Day said. "I think he's already playing at a high level. He's got a lot of talent, and he's got a great family."

Nebraska and Ohio State will battle at 11 a.m. CDT on Saturday in Columbus. Big Noon Kickoff's pregame coverage will begin the action on FOX.

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