Ohio State head coach Ryan Day talks to Nick Saban on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in Columbus on Dec. 21, 2024. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College football analyst compares Ohio State's Ryan Day to legendary coach

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Nick Pedone | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 3:13 PM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes are college football’s top-ranked team – but head coach Ryan Day still does not seem satisfied.

During Ohio State’s press conference, Day called out freshman running back Bo Jackson for reaching at a ball, stating that his team has to be more disciplined. Of course, this was a nitpicking comment as Ohio State rolled over Minnesota 42-3.

But that comment stood out to Bill Bender, a senior college football writer at Sporting News, who drew a comparison between Day and legendary college football coach Nick Saban.

“That tells me that we’ve reached the Saban portion of his tenure,” Bender said on The Bobby Carpenter Show on the BIGPLAY Sports Network. “Nick Saban was always finding something.”

"We've reached the Saban portion of his tenure."

-@BillBender92 on where he believes Ryan Day has progressed as a coach pic.twitter.com/430hTyQ0I3
— Bobby Carpenter Show (@BobbyCarpShow) October 9, 2025

Day has already won a National Championship with the Buckeyes after redeeming Ohio State’s losses against Michigan and Oregon in the College Football Playoff last season. Day is 75-10 since taking over the program from Urban Meyer, establishing dominance as one of the best coaches in college football.

Saban was 206-29 as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. While Bender’s comments might have been made out of hyperbole, Day is certainly pacing to become one of the best coaches in college football history if he can keep Ohio State on this promising path.

During his time at Alabama, Saban would preach that the Crimson Tide needed to improve themselves each week, regardless of who the opponent was.

“He would always talk about that internal scoreboard,” Bender said. “The scoreboard against Minnesota doesn’t matter, you know they’re going to win. Now they’re playing against something higher, and that’s themselves.”

As Ohio State approaches a tough test against No. 17 Illinois on Saturday, it certainly does sound like Day is channeling a little bit of Saban’s energy. If the Buckeyes can improve themselves, it will not matter who their opponents are.

If the Buckeyes can get through this ranked matchup, Day’s next tests will be Penn State and Michigan. While November 1st’s matchup against the Nittany Lions might not be as exciting any more, Ohio State can continually find small ways to improve – no matter the opponent.

Ohio State’s biggest test will be Thanksgiving weekend against Michigan. The Wolverines have gotten the best of Day’s Buckeyes over the last four seasons, so that matchup will certainly mean more.

“How many times did you hear Nick Saban say, ‘best version of ourselves?’” Bender asked rhetorically.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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