COLUMBUS, Ohio — Perhaps it was an attempt to respect Indiana. Maybe it was in fairness to his players, recognizing the work they put in to beat the Hoosiers.
Regardless, Ohio State football coach Ryan Day did his best on Saturday to try convincing the public that his team was thrilled with its win against a top-five foe.
“We know we need to at least celebrate and enjoy the win,” Day said.
However, he juxtaposed his own comments.
Sure, beating Indiana was notable, but Week 13 celebrations are sparse in Columbus. Ohio State didn’t spend its offseason focused on beating Indiana.
The 2024 season is about ending a three-game skid against Michigan.
“The minute it hit triple zeroes on that clock, it was onto the team up north,” Day said.
That’s how Michigan week started for Day – trying to acknowledge a win vs. Indiana but immediately shifting focus toward the Wolverines.
In the ensuing days, he provided a glimpse into how he’s handling the biggest week of his life.
Monday: Losing to Michigan is among the worst things to happen to Ryan Day
Donning a scarlet blazer with an Ohio State lapel pin stuck through its left side, Day sat down with 10TV for the weekly airing of “Game Time with Ryan Day.”
He fielded a variety of questions, providing answers with a stern voice – one reflecting a coach fully focused on a single task: Beating Michigan.
In a damning fashion, he showed the country why winning Saturday is the only option for the Buckeyes.
“We’ve felt what it’s like to not win this game, and it’s bad,” Day said. “It’s one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life, you know, quite honestly. Other than losing my father and a few other things, it’s quite honestly, for my family, the worst thing that’s happened.”
Tuesday: Is that a pre-war smile from Ryan Day?
Day walked into the team room inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for his weekly press conference Tuesday.
As he stepped through the double doors, he… wait, that can’t be right?
A collective, somewhat shocking, realization ran through the mind of each reporter in the room: Did Day just walk in with a smile?!
Ohio State has to win this game. Ryan Day has to win this game. And amid this pressure cooker, he walked in with a smile – showing that within the building, not everything circles around, “What if we lose?”
“I’m excited,” Day said. “I’m excited about this game. I’m excited about this team. I love the look in their eye. I love coming to work every day.”
Ohio State football coach Ryan Day has lost his last three games against Michigan.Getty Images
That excitement doesn’t erase the magnitude of what Saturday means, and Day couldn’t run from that. In his defense, he didn’t try to.
Seventeen minutes into his question-and-answer session, he was asked what this game means in Ohio.
The obvious degree of the answer almost made him dismiss the question.
“I think you know what it means,” Day said. “It means the world. It’s everything here.”
The smile showed that not everything about this week is uptight, but the more Day discussed the contest, the more the weight of The Game became evident.
“This game is a war,” Day said. “Anytime there’s a war, there’s consequences and casualties. Then, there’s the plunder and the rewards that come with it.”
Wednesday: There will be no crying before Ohio State vs. Michigan
The grind of preparing for Saturday, even against a six-win Michigan team, has to be exhausting. Overlooking a detail in a game where records don’t matter can be the difference between exuberance and unemployment.
Perhaps stepping away for an interview can be a relief.
It appeared that way Wednesday when Day sat comfortably, one leg crossed over the other, for his weekly radio show inside Ohio State’s trophy room.
“You feel this team is close,” Day said. “The coaching staff is close. The team is close. We’re counting on that to make a difference here on Saturday.”
Ohio State football’s lone win against Michigan under coach Ryan Day was in 2019.AP
There’s an element to Saturday that can be forgotten in the midst of the build-up. When Ohio State hosts, The Game also serves as Senior Day.
Day doesn’t want that to get in the way of the main objective, so he implored his seniors throughout the season to treat home games a certain way.
“You have an opportunity to be thankful and grateful every time you walk out on this field during your entire year,” Day said. “Use every moment during the season to leave your legacy behind. Don’t wait until the last game to let all that emotion show.
“I think our guys are going to do that because I think an important part of this game is keeping your emotions in check – playing as hard as you can but relying on the training that’s led you to this point and not let the moment get so big that you can get your emotions out of whack.”
Ohio State has spent the last year preparing for Nov. 30.
Day’s wherewithal to prepare his veteran players to have their emotions in check well before the contest shows why the pressure of The Game is accompanied by excitement.
This week has been on Day’s mind since he left Michigan Stadium last year. Its arrival isn’t dreadful.
There’s relief. A win can provide the final sigh.