Josh Pate Concerned About 'Unique Pressure' on Ryan Day, Ohio State

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Dec 17, 2024 4:27 PM ET

Despite his dominant winning record, Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day has much at stake in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

CBS Sports analyst Josh Pate expanded on that thought on Tuesday, highlighting the "unique kind of pressure" placed on Day and the program despite their consistent success since his takeover in Columbus.

Since taking over as head coach after Urban Meyer was placed on administrative leave in 2018, Day has a record of 66-10 with OSU.

He has a 46-5 record in conference games, and during his five seasons as the Buckeyes' head coach, the team has never finished the season ranked lower than No. 10.

Yet, a first-round CFP loss, as pointed out by Pate, could lead to his firing.

"I think there's a unique kind of pressure on Ryan Day in this game that I don't know that we've seen in quite a while."@JoshPateCFB pic.twitter.com/VnvRpRczc8
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) December 17, 2024

The Buckeyes have lost to Michigan, their biggest rival, for four straight years. For the lofty expectations placed on Day and Ohio State, anything short of an annual win against the Wolverines is an abject failure for many of the Buckeyes' fan base.

"There is not the usual fringe minority drumbeat (against Day), there is an audible drumbeat even from normally sane people (saying) that if he doesn't get the job done here, then it's time to move on."

No. 8 Ohio State hosts No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday in their first-round CFP matchup.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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