How Ryan Day can change (or cement) his Ohio State football legacy vs. Michigan

Ohio State football fans measure a coach's success with the program by their record against Michigan. Talk to any fan about a Buckeye coach and they'll immediately know what their record was against TTUN. It's how coaches leave their legacy with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

So far, Ryan Day's legacy doesn't look so good. In five full seasons, he has just two Big Ten championships, no national championships, and a 1-3 record vs. TTUN. That's a resume that won't get many fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes excited. That could all change on Saturday.

This year's version of The Game is the most important version of Day's career. This is by far the worst version of Michigan Day has played so far. He talked about how bad it's been when he's lost The Game. If he loses it again, his legacy will be cemented in the worst possible way.

Ohio State football coach Ryan Day can change his legacy for the better

On the flip side, Day can still change how he is viewed if he wins on Saturday afternoon. A win would send the Buckeyes to the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time since 2020. It would also give Ohio State their best shot to win a national championship since that same season.

Losing to TTUN would likely cost Day his job if he doesn't win the national championship. But if Day does beat TTUN and win a national title, he goes down instantly as one of the best coaches in Ohio State history. His legacy is on the line when his team takes the field Saturday afternoon.

The players want to win this game badly for Day. They all play hard for him because they absolutely love him. They know what this game takes out of him. Beating Michigan would finally give Day some grace from the fans and take some of the enormous pressure off his shoulders that he carries.