Ohio State football: Is it fair to say Ryan Day’s seat is warm?

Ryan Day on the hot seat? Those are six words no one thought they’d be seeing after yet another 10-plus win season with Ohio State football.

But I think it’s fair to say that his seat is definitely warming up.

Day was once rumored as a legitimate NFL coaching candidate after he saw nothing but success through his first two seasons in Columbus, but the honeymoon phase is over.

After losing to Michigan for the second straight year and missing out on the Big Ten title game, it’s fair to believe that fans are getting restless and the athletic department is monitoring this situation closely.

Despite having a 45-5 record at Ohio State and being the hand-picked choice by Urban Meyer to take over the program when he retired, he’s just not living up to expectations lately.

Do Ohio State football fans have a legit gripe?

Ohio State fans take The Game very seriously. The rivalry with “that team up north” takes center stage every season and even if the Buckeyes are 11-0 heading into the game, nothing matters but beating Michigan. That hasn’t happened since 2019.

In 2020, The Game was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Michigan and in 2021, Jim Harbaugh saw a serious resurgence. He fought off hot seat rumors to with the Big Ten after beating Ohio State 42-27 in the season finale and he finally made the College Football Playoff. It was his first win over the Buckeyes as Michigan’s head coach and it felt like an outlier.

That was until 2022’s matchup on Nov. 26.

Harbaugh’s team had been trash-talking the Buckeyes for a year and Ohio State was hungry for revenge, but Michigan was still the better-coached and tougher team. That falls on the head coach. That’s a Day issue. That would never have happened under Urban Meyer — never.

So is losing to Michigan two straight times, missing the Big Ten title two straight years, and potentially missing the playoff in back-to-back seasons enough to warrant a coaching change?

I don’t think he should be let go this offseason, but Ohio State’s expectations every year are national title and if you’re not even in a position to play for one by missing out on the Big Ten title game, the pitchforks and torches are going to come out.

If Day loses to Michigan again next season after landing yet another elite recruiting class, he has to go, regardless of his overall record or accolades right after taking Meyer’s spot.

You could argue that Day was only beating Michigan, making the playoff, and winning the Big Ten when he had Meyer’s players. He’s still recruiting at a high level, but Meyer’s players were developed by Urban and his staff.

The 2023 season will be a huge one for Day as it could end up being his last in Columbus, and I don’t even think that’s a hot take.

If you can’t beat Michigan consistently, you’ll be shown the door in Columbus.