Ohio State Coach Ryan Day’s Job At Stake Vs. Oregon Ducks In Rose Bowl?

The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will face off in the Rose Bowl. After four years of losing to Michigan and zero championships, is Ohio State's Ryan Day coaching for his job vs. Dan Lanning in the College Football Playoff?

Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes will play in the Rose Bowl on January 1st for a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Buckeyes coach Ryan Day has been under heat since their regular season finale, where Michigan went into Columbus and beat Ohio State for the fourth year in a row. 

If Ohio State gets knocked out by Oregon, would Day be on the hot seat?

Ryan Day in Hot Water?

Dec 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during the first half of a College Football Playoff first round game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-Imagn Images / Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

Ohio State coach Ryan Day is 1-4 vs. rival Michigan since taking over at the helm for the Buckeyes. His lone win was back in 2019 and has lost the last four matchups to the Wolverines. Even with Day’s impressive 67-10 record as head coach, there are many questioning his job security heading into the College Football Playoff. 

Not being able to beat Michigan is the detriment of being a coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Prior to Day, Urban Meyer coached at Ohio State and had a record of 7-0 vs. Michigan. 

What makes 2024’s loss to Michigan the worst one of all is that it was not to a good Michigan team. The Wolverines came into their rivalry game on the road with a record of 6-5, a first year head coach, and zero consistency at the quarterback position. Ohio State was a 20-point favorite and wound up losing outright, 13-10. 

If this was 2023, Ohio State’s season would be over and would not make the four team playoff. With the new 12-team playoff this season, coach Day and the Buckeyes have another life. Day can quiet the chatter if he can run off three more wins en route to a national championship. 

In their first round game, Ohio State dominated Tennessee 42-17. Next up is a quarterfinal showdown with Oregon.

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Oregon and Ohio State in Rose Bowl

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson gets tripped up by Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon and Ohio State will play in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. These two played each other back in October, with Oregon squeaking out at 32-31 victory at Autzen Stadium. 

It was looking like there would be a rematch in the Big Ten Championship game, but when Ohio State fell to Michigan, it gave Penn State the nod. The Ducks beat the Nittany Lions to win the Big Ten in their first year as a member of the conference. 

Now, the rematch between the Ducks and Buckeyes will happen in the Rose Bowl, with the loser’s hopes of winning a national championship being dashed and winner advancing to the semifinals, which is the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.  

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