ESPN’s Paul Finebaum sneaks in a shot at former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer when discussing the state of the Buckeyes

Ryan Day has Ohio State football operating at the highest level it has been in years. The Buckeyes’ head coach is 70-10 and coming off a national championship run that capped off a special season.

Day inherited a program already in great standing. Urban Meyer elevated Ohio State after the Jim Tressel era, going 83-9 as head coach and winning a national championship of his own.

Still, one ESPN analyst believes Meyer left success on the table in Columbus.

“I think Ohio State’s always been capable of doing it. This program won one national championship under (Jim) Tressel, one under Urban (Meyer). I’ll tell you what, it should have been a dynasty already because Urban Meyer blew more national championships than anybody that I can remember,” ESPN’s Paul Finebaum said recently on his show. “I think it’s on the verge. I think it’s very close to being a year-in, year-out contender.”

Meyer never lost more than two games in a season at Ohio State, and that only happened three times in his seven years. He won three Big Ten titles and never lost to the Michigan Wolverines—continuing a dominance that carried over from Tressel. T hat spoiled Ohio State fans, and it highlights one area where Day has struggled, as he enters 2025 with four straight losses to Michigan.

Perhaps Meyer could have added another championship, especially in 2012 when the Buckeyes went undefeated but were banned from the postseason. That postseason ban feels almost unthinkable today, as Michigan just played for a national title in 2024 under its own cloud of controversy.

Finebaum’s criticism of Meyer is just that—criticism. For the most part, Buckeyes fans are grateful for what Meyer built in Columbus, even if the ending wasn’t perfect.