Ryan Day finally did it. He beat Michigan for the first time since 2019 with a 27-9 victory today in the Big House. After losing to them 13-10 last season, Ohio State has been undefeated since. They won a National Championship last year, and they are the clear favorite to win it all this year. This win also sends Ohio State to the Big Ten Championship as they try to win their first Big Ten title since the 2020 season. Even though Ohio State could have lost this game and still made the College Football Playoff, this was an important win for Day.
"I'm going to save all those comments. ... The best thing to do is win with humility."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 29, 2025
Ryan Day on if he thought about what he'd say in postgame if he beat Michigan. pic.twitter.com/l5UyGDPJwZ
If Ohio State lost this game, it would have been its fifth straight loss to its arch-rival Michigan. It would have been the most losses in a row by Ohio State since 1922-1928, a fate Day avoided. This is an important victory for Day. Ohio State fans desperately wanted him to beat Michigan. He has now improved to 2-4 against them. Still not as good as his predecessor, Urban Meyer, who went 7-0. Still an important win for Day as he can now say he finally defeated Michigan once again.
“We’re going to win with humility.” — Ryan Day.pic.twitter.com/an2EIXbx9U
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) November 29, 2025
When you’re the head coach at Ohio State, you are judged on how you perform against Michigan, winning Big Ten Championships, and winning National Championships. 1st came the National Championship last season, then came beating Michigan this week. This doesn’t mean winning a National Championship is more important than beating Michigan, but this was an important victory for Day and Ohio State.
The other important step for Ohio State was the way they won. Last year, when they got defeated, it felt like Michigan got in their heads, and Day decided to make it a grudge match of running the ball. This time, he trusted quarterback Julian Sayin after an early interception to throw for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns. Then, late in the game, when they needed to put the game away, they were able to run the ball. Then you add another dominant defensive performance, and you've got a 27-9 blowout victory for the Buckeyes.
The next step for Ohio State is to play an undefeated Indiana team in the Big Ten Championship. Two 12-0 teams are competing for the league championship. Whichever team wins the game should be the top seed in the college football playoff. For Ohio State and Day, they will now have 364 days to enjoy this victory. If they win the Big Ten and repeat as National Champions, it will also matter to them that they beat Michigan.