Paul Finebaum has never been one to shy away from bold opinions, and when it comes to Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, the SEC Network personality didn’t hold back. Known for his often polarizing takes and deep-rooted insight into the college football landscape, Finebaum stirred the pot yet again with a brutally honest evaluation of the Buckeyes’ leader—one that sent ripples through Columbus and beyond. As the 2025 season looms, Finebaum’s commentary has reignited national conversations about Day’s future, his legacy, and whether the Buckeyes are trending up or slowly drifting away from elite status.
Ryan Day, entering his sixth full season as head coach at Ohio State, carries an impressive record on paper—an overall win percentage that rivals the best in the country, a College Football Playoff national championship appearance, and multiple top-five recruiting classes. But to Finebaum, numbers don’t tell the full story. In a recent radio segment and follow-up television appearance, Finebaum laid bare what many have murmured quietly for the past two seasons: Ryan Day, despite his success, is not meeting the lofty expectations set by Ohio State’s storied tradition.
Finebaum’s comments centered on Day’s recent struggles against archrival Michigan—an area where legends are made and broken in Columbus. “Let’s not sugarcoat it,” Finebaum said. “Ryan Day has lost three straight to Michigan. In the world of Ohio State football, that’s unacceptable. You can go 11-1 every year, but if that one is Michigan, you’re failing in the eyes of Buckeye Nation.” It was a direct shot at Day’s Achilles heel, and one that resonated deeply with a fanbase growing increasingly restless.
The criticism didn’t stop there. Finebaum questioned Day’s ability to win the “big game,” suggesting that while Day is an excellent recruiter and offensive mind, his teams have struggled in high-pressure environments. “He can blow out Indiana, Rutgers, and Purdue all day long. But when it’s time to go toe-to-toe with elite teams, the results have been mixed at best,” Finebaum said. “That’s the difference between being a good coach and being a championship coach.”
To some, Finebaum’s remarks may sound harsh or overly critical, but for others, it’s simply echoing a reality that’s become harder to ignore. Since taking over from Urban Meyer, Day inherited a program that was already a perennial powerhouse. While he maintained the program’s high standards initially, the aura of invincibility that defined the Meyer era has faded. Back-to-back losses to Michigan in 2021 and 2022 broke a nearly two-decade streak of dominance. Then came 2023—a season that offered redemption but ended in heartbreak yet again, as the Wolverines snatched victory from the Buckeyes in another November classic.
Finebaum went on to dissect Day’s demeanor, implying that he lacks the “edge” and “killer instinct” of previous Ohio State greats. “When you watched Urban Meyer on the sideline, you knew he was locked in, completely consumed by winning. Ryan Day, at times, looks overwhelmed or too cautious. That’s not the mentality that wins national championships,” Finebaum asserted. It was a pointed critique not just of coaching decisions, but of personality—something rarely brought into question at a place where results usually speak loudest.
Naturally, Finebaum’s comments ignited fierce reactions. Ohio State supporters quickly came to Day’s defense, pointing to his stellar win-loss record, the razor-thin margin in the 2022 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia, and the program’s overall consistency. “He’s had us in the hunt every year,” one fan tweeted. “People act like winning 11 games is easy. It’s not. He’s doing a great job.” But even among supporters, there was acknowledgment that the Michigan issue looms large. “We love Coach Day, but he’s got to beat that team up north. That’s just the way it is,” another fan posted.
Former players also chimed in. A few Buckeye alums expressed confidence in Day’s leadership, noting his ability to connect with players and maintain Ohio State’s recruiting dominance. But others, perhaps speaking with the blunt honesty Finebaum employed, admitted the program feels like it’s plateaued. “We’re good, but are we feared? Not like we used to be,” one anonymous former player told a Columbus-area radio show. “That edge is missing.”
Finebaum’s remarks come at a particularly pivotal time. The 2025 season is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in recent Ohio State history. The College Football Playoff is expanding, the Big Ten is now a super-conference with the additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, and the pressure to deliver results has never been higher. Day will face a gauntlet of high-profile matchups, with little margin for error if he hopes to reestablish Ohio State’s place atop the national hierarchy.
Adding to the stakes is the rise of Michigan under Jim Harbaugh and now Sherrone Moore. What once seemed like a temporary stumble has turned into a legitimate shift in power. Michigan’s back-to-back-to-back wins have swung momentum and recruiting leverage to Ann Arbor. If Day cannot reverse the tide soon, the long-term consequences could be substantial.
In true Finebaum fashion, he also touched on the possibility that Day may eventually be pushed out—despite what his record suggests. “If he loses to Michigan again and misses the Playoff, the heat is going to be unbearable,” Finebaum predicted. “Ohio State is not a program that waits around. They expect championships. Not contention—championships.” It was a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of big-time college football, where even excellence isn’t always enough.
Day himself has addressed the criticism in recent press conferences, maintaining a calm but resolute tone. “I understand the expectations here,” he said. “No one puts more pressure on me than I put on myself. We’re working every day to be the best version of Ohio State football that we can be.” While Day remains professional and composed, the undercurrent of urgency is impossible to ignore.
Ironically, Finebaum’s critique may serve as a motivator. Day has proven doubters wrong before—most notably in 2022, when the Buckeyes were one missed field goal away from toppling eventual national champion Georgia. The talent is there. The infrastructure is elite. What’s missing, according to critics like Finebaum, is the consistent killer instinct required to finish the job on college football’s biggest stages.
For all the noise, the reality is simple: Ryan Day’s fate will be determined not by pundits or fans, but by the scoreboard. Beat Michigan. Win the Big Ten. Return to the College Football Playoff. Anything less, and Finebaum’s “blunt verdict” will feel less like hot-take theatrics and more like prophetic analysis.
As the season approaches, all eyes will be on Columbus. Ryan Day will have another opportunity to silence the critics, reclaim the rivalry, and prove he’s the man to lead Ohio State back to glory. But until then, the pressure will mount, the questions will persist, and voices like Finebaum’s will continue to challenge him to rise—or risk falling short of greatness.
