Ryan Day Gets Honest About Michigan Loss Ahead Of National Title Game
01/18/2025 01:49 PM
When Ohio State lost to Michigan on Nov. 30, it legitimately felt like the end of an era for Ryan Day. And yet, he managed to bounce back from that loss and get the Buckeyes all the way to the national championship game.
So, what was Day's secret to success? It might sound simple, but the Ohio State coach preached the importance of dealing with rough times. He also revealed that several discussions were had behind closed doors that really helped unify the locker room.
"In life, you have to work through tough times and it's how you respond to those tough times and that's it," Day said. "That's been the message all along to our players. It's not always how things happen in life, it's how you respond. Our guys have learned a lot about that. There's some great stories to be told about what went on behind closed doors and some of the things that were said and the personal challenges we had for each other and collectively the story, but the only way that gets told is if a (national title) banner gets put up in the Woody [Hayes Athletic Center]."
Day made similar comments after Ohio State defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl. He basically said the adversity his team dealt with a month earlier led to its playoff run.
"The story of this team is yet to be told. No great accomplishments are ever achieved without going through adversity. That's just the truth," Day said. "And so we've gone through our share of adversity. That's life. I told those guys that. We're not focused on what's coming down the road, we're not focused on what's happened in the past. We're focused on right now, and being right where we are. And at the end, we want to be able to tell the story of this team."
Day has a chance to finish this story the right way on Monday against Notre Dame.
Ohio State is heavily favored to defeat Notre Dame. While people may view that as a bad omen, it's worth noting the Buckeyes have been favored in every game so far this postseason.
Do you think Ohio State will capture the national title on Monday night?
Related: Jack Sawyer Reveals How Ohio State Bounced Back From 'Brutal' Loss To Michigan
