Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day Is The Best In The Big Ten Says One Major Outlet

CBS Sports recently released their rankings of all 18 Big Ten coaches and the Ohio State Buckeyes head coach takes the No. 1 spot.

Dec 20, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State football coach Ryan Day smiles while reacting a question about the whims of high-school recruits. He held a news conference Wednesday, December 20, 2023 to discuss the class. / Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day had some big shoes to fill upon taking over the Ohio State football program after Urban Meyer stepped away in 2019. In his first five seasons as the Buckeyes' head man, he has an impressive 56-8 overall record and is 39-3 in conference play. Despite all of the wins, Ohio State fans have been looking for more.

Unfortunately, Day's group has not won the Big Ten since 2020 and have lost to the archrival Michigan Wolverines three times in a row. This is an unfamiliar territory for Buckeye Nation after demolishing the team up north since the turn of the century. From 2000-2019, the Buckeyes went 17-3 against the Wolverines. Then after not facing each other in 2020, the tides have turned for a short period. That several year stretch has felt way too long for Ohio State though.

Ryan Day understands the importance of beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten and ultimately competing for a National Championship. This is evident in how he has approached this offseason. Day made the difficult decision to give up playcalling and hire Chip Kelly, so that he could focus on the other responsibilities that being a head coach in college football entails in 2024. Not only that, but Day and his staff have been focused on the recruiting trail and currently hold the No. 1 class in 2025. They may even break a record for highest-rated class in school history.

Mar 7, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches players stretch during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports has taken notice of what Ryan Day is doing and placed him at No. 1 in his recent Big Ten head coach rankings.

Behind Day at No. 2 and No. 3 are two new coaches to the Big Ten in Oregon's Dan Lanning and USC's Lincoln Riley. Penn State's James Franklin is No. 4 and Wisconsin's Luke Fickell rounds out the top five at No. 5.

Michigan's Sherrone Moore comes in at No. 15 on the list due to a lack of experience as a head coach despite filling in for Jim Harbaugh several times last season.

Ryan Day being at No. 1 on this list makes sense, but the head coach has an opportunity to really earn it this season with a talented and experienced team. Reclaiming glory against Michigan, winning the Big Ten and perhaps even winning a National Title is well within reach this year.