Ryan Day has finally done it. After years of falling short, heartbreaks, and relentless criticism, he’s brought a national title back to Columbus. The Ohio State Buckeyes stormed through the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP), shaking off their brutal loss to Michigan, rediscovering their fire, and finishing the job. Confetti is falling, the trophy is secured, and Buckeye Nation is celebrating.
But not Ryan Day.
Even in victory, he’s got something to say. Turns out, winning isn’t enough—he wants to change the game itself. The new CFP format? It’s got flaws. The seeding, the byes, the way teams are positioned—it all needs work. And now, fresh off a championship run, he’s taking aim at the system. Because, according to Day, true champions don’t just win—they push for more.
Ryan Day Sounds Off on the Playoff Format
Appearing on The Triple Option podcast with Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram, Ryan Day didn’t hold back. Meyer, ever the instigator, asked Day what changes he’d like to see in the CFP moving forward. Day wasted no time, calling out the system for what he sees as an unfair structure.
“I think it was clear this year that the automatic byes were a little out of whack,” Day said bluntly. “When you see how it all shook out, I think they need to rethink that. I understand why, in the first year, it was done that way. But I think that if you win your conference, sure, you should get in. But you get a bye? I think that’s a little much.”
Translation? Just because a team wins their conference doesn’t mean they should automatically get a week off. Day believes only the top four teams in the selection committee’s rankings should earn byes—forget conference championships. Under his ideal system, Georgia, Oregon, Texas, and Penn State would have been rewarded with an extra week of rest, while everyone else fought for survival.
Imagine a CFP where the first round looked like this:
- Notre Dame vs. Clemson
- Ohio State vs. Arizona State
- Tennessee vs. SMU
- Indiana vs. Boise State
More balance. Tougher matchups. A “fairer” road to the title—at least, according to Day.
Fans Fire Back: “Bro, You Didn’t Even Win Your Conference”
Of course, the internet did not let this one slide.
As soon as Day’s comments hit social media, college football fans unleashed on him, calling out Ohio State’s championship path and questioning whether he was the right guy to be making these complaints. One fan wasted no time getting straight to the point:
“Bro, you didn’t even play for your conference championship. Relax .”
And let’s be real, they have a point. Ohio State didn’t even make the Big Ten title game. Their loss to Michigan knocked them out of contention, forcing them into a first-round CFP matchup instead. Yet here’s Day, fresh off a championship that only happened because of the expanded playoff, complaining about the format?
Another fan wasn’t buying the outrage against Day and came to his defense:
“People in these comments seem like they’re actively TRYING to misunderstand him .”
But if Day thought he was going to avoid backlash, he was sorely mistaken. Another fan, clearly still fuming over their own team’s playoff experience, hit back hard:
“As an Oregon fan, I wish we didn’t have a bye. We came out flat and rusty. Last thing he should be complaining about.”
It’s a valid criticism. Sometimes, that extra week off isn’t an advantage—it’s a momentum killer. Oregon struggled coming off their bye, and some believe it played a role in their early exit.
And then came the brutal reality check:
“100% would have been fired without this playoff format but okay sis.”
Ouch.
The expanded playoff saved Ryan Day. Had this been the old four-team CFP, Ohio State wouldn’t have even been in the conversation for a title. They would’ve been sitting at home while Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama fought for the crown. Instead, the Buckeyes got a second chance, capitalized on it, and now Day is hoisting the trophy. But not everyone is giving him credit for the coaching—some believe it was simply the format that bailed him out.
Is Ryan Day Just Lucky? Fans Question His Future at OSU
The criticism kept rolling in, with fans openly debating whether Day would even have a job if the CFP had stuck to the old format. One user said:
“Bro would be unemployed if it was still a 4-team system .”
Another doubled down:
“Bro wouldn’t have a job if the new system wasn’t in place.”
Harsh? Maybe. But let’s be honest—this isn’t the first time Ryan Day has faced questions about his long-term future in Columbus. He’s been on the hot seat for years, with Ohio State’s inability to beat Michigan casting a shadow over his tenure. This championship, while impressive, came under circumstances that didn’t exist in the past.
So, what now? Will Day’s push for CFP changes actually shake up the college football world? Or will this just be another case of a coach trying to shift the goalposts in his favor?
One thing’s for sure—whether Ohio State fans love him or hate him, Ryan Day is never going to stop talking. And as long as he keeps winning, he just might get his way.
