Paul Finebaum Reverses Course on Ryan Day After Beating Texas

"The team that Ryan Day put out there the other day was not the same team that won the championship, but it looked pretty similar to me," Finebaum said. "Ryan Day didn't have a long way to go, but he's advanced as an elite head coach, which I didn't think he was."

Paul Finebaum Previously Criticized Ryan Day

This marks a significant shift from Finebaum's offseason comments. A caller on his show declared Day a top-three coach in the sport, but Finebaum said that anyone who thinks that is foolish.

“I think anyone who thinks Ryan Day is one of the two or three best coaches in the country is foolish,” Finebaum previously said. “He is a good CEO. But I think that you have seen multiple instances, Georgia three years ago, Michigan the last four years, where he looks completely clueless on the football field.”

Ryan Day Has Had Struggles

There was some fairness to the criticism. While Day won the national championship last year. The Buckeyes have not won the Big Ten title since 2020 and have not defeated the Michigan Wolverines since 2019. The rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is one of the most intense in college football.

Michigan leads the all-time series against Ohio State with a record of 62-51-6. However, since the year 2000, the Buckeyes have had the upper hand, with a record of 16-7 (one of those wins was vacated) against Michigan, including eight consecutive victories before the Wolverines started their current winning streak.

Before embarking on their magical College Football Playoff run last season, there was speculation about whether Day could win the big one. He had a record of 1-3 in playoff games, and with his struggles against Michigan, things weren't looking promising. The Buckeyes had also lost to the Oregon Ducks during the 2024 regular season. However, they then went on an impressive playoff run, defeating the Tennessee Volunteers, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Has Ryan Day Finally Shaken Off His Critics?

If Ohio State keeps winning, Day could finally put to rest the questions that have followed him for years. Finebaum may have changed his tune after Week 1, but the real test comes in November against Michigan, the game that has defined his tenure more than any other.