The Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day had a kumbaya moment, which was preceded by a shouting match, last December, after the team's Week 14 loss to TTUN at home.
In a moment that then-starting quarterback Will Howard spoke of in nearly mythical terms, Day and his locker room exchanged unpleasantries before coming together and praying, hand in hand, per ESPN's Jake Trotter.
It was a moment that was caused by death threats aimed at Day and his wife following the Wolverines' loss that knocked the program down to 10-2 and the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff bracket.
"The jeers escalated into death threats. Armed guards had to be stationed at the Day home, as they had been after past Michigan losses. Day's wife, Nina, even received threatening text messages and calls on her phone," Trotter wrote.
"But Day and his family remained resolute. So did the Buckeyes, who came together during a pivotal three-hour meeting a couple of days later with just Day and the players.
"It began with screaming and tears. It ended with everyone clasping hands in prayer."
Things got so bad between Day and the fanbase before the CFP that Kirk Herbstreit commented on how the Buckeyes may have benefitted from playing on the road in their first-round matchup. Ohio State ended up blowing out the Tennessee Volunteers, 42-17.
It should've never gotten that far. Hopefully, it never happens again.
Not that basic human decency and the ability to not harass a college football coach and his family should come to it, but the 2024/2025 championship will hopefully put a pin in any similar behavior in the future. Even if TTUN keeps OSU's winless streak going this coming November.
Regardless, good on Day for rallying the troops during a difficult circumstance and making something great of the poor hand dealt.