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Ryan Day continues his streak of falling short in the big games

After the Oregon game it's clear Ryan Day could have all the talent in the world, and still fall short in the big games.

By Tyler Lyman

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day walks across the field at Autzen Stadium prior to the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks.
Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day walks across the field at Autzen Stadium prior to the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Why does Ryan Day keep coming up short when it matters most for Ohio State? It's becoming a pattern, and after Saturday's 32-31 loss to Oregon, it's hard not to blame him. This was another game where the Buckeyes had plenty of chances to close the deal, but they just couldn’t make it happen when it counted.

The final play was a perfect example of what’s wrong. Will Howard, who played his heart out, thought he had enough time to set up a game-winning field goal. But the clock ran out, and Ohio State never got the chance to kick. It was frustrating, but honestly, it shouldn’t have come down to that. Howard did what he could, but once again, Ryan Day’s team fell apart in the biggest moments.

Ohio State had mistakes all over the field, penalties, turnovers, and bad defensive breakdowns. How does a team with this much talent keep making these same errors? Day has been preaching about “leaving no doubt” all offseason, yet when it mattered most, the Buckeyes left plenty of doubt. Ohio State made Oregon look better than they are by beating themselves, which has become a theme under Day in big games.

Take the offensive pass interference call late in the game. Sure, it’s frustrating to have a big play wiped out by a penalty, but that’s football. It’s Ryan Day’s job to make sure the team isn’t in a position where one call decides the game. But once again, here we are.

Ohio State’s mistakes piled up, fumbles, false starts, dropped snaps. Eight penalties in total, and six of those came on offense, killing key drives. You can’t win games like that. Day keeps talking about cleaning it up, but we keep seeing the same issues, especially in games that matter most.

And don’t even get started on the defense. It’s supposed to be one of the best in the country, but they gave up huge plays all night. How does a team this talented allow 496 yards of offense? Where was the pressure on Oregon’s quarterback, Dillon Gabriel? It wasn’t there.

This loss hurts even more because it was supposed to be the game where Ohio State showed they could handle these big moments. Instead, it’s another game where Ryan Day’s team didn’t have the discipline to finish. The talent is there, but until Day figures out how to turn that into wins in the biggest games, the Buckeyes are going to keep coming up short.

Yeah, the season isn’t over, and the expanded playoff gives Ohio State another chance. But unless something changes, it’s hard to feel confident that Day can lead this team to a national title. They can’t keep making the same mistakes and expect to win it all.

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This loss stings because it’s not the first time we’ve seen it, and it won’t be the last unless Ryan Day figures out how to fix these issues. Ohio State is too talented to keep having games like this.

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