What a night in Columbus, y’all! The Buckeyes just rag-dolled Tennessee through the snow in a 42-17 playoff beat-down, clinching their spot in the Rose Bowl. Ryan Day went from the hottest seat in college football to Buckeye royalty in 60 minutes flat. After that week 14 nightmare 13-10 loss against Michigan, folks were ready to pack his bags. But hold on—Day flipped the script with that W. That W against Josh Heupel’s Tennesse had Buckeyes fans look past week 14 Michigan Scars. And Will Howard, the man catching stray bullets all season, finally showed out. This wasn’t just a game; it was a clinic. Tennessee? They got exposed like an umbrella in a windstorm.

Let’s talk about Will Howard. My man woke up feeling dangerous and turned into a menace for Tennessee’s defense. Howard threw for 311 yards, two touchdowns, one pick, and hit 82% of his passes. That’s Heisman-level stuff if you consider how he’s been struggling this season. Ryan Day wasn’t shy about giving him his flowers in the post-game presser, either. “Will was excellent in this game. Played really well. Did a really good job of placing the ball. He made some big-time throws. When he needed to make plays with his legs, he did. Certainly, Jeremiah (Smith) was dynamite again. But Will was a leader,” Day said. And he wasn’t lying—Howard led like a vet tonight, turning Tennessee’s defense into Swiss cheese.

And can we talk about Ohio State’s run game? Sheesh. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins were out there running wild with two touchdowns each. Ryan Day finally found that run-pass balance that’s been missing in big games. “We had some good runs. Those hits for us. It makes a big difference when we have that run-pass balance,” Day explained. It’s no wonder Tennessee’s defense folded like a cheap backyard chair. The Buckeyes offense was cooking on all burners, and the Volunteers had no answers.

Then there was the Ohio State defense—absolute lockdown. They had Nico Iamaleava running for his life and throwing prayers. The kid finished with just 107 yards, completing 45% of his passes, and no touchdowns through the air. None. Zero. Zilch. He did scrape together 2 rushing touchdowns, but let’s be real. That was after their main RB, Dylan Sampson, went down. Ohio State’s defense looked like they had something to prove after that Michigan debacle, and boy, did they show out. Ohio State and Ryan Day low-key mourned for 2 weeks and straight got back on their feet, leaving scars in the past with today’s performance.

Ryan Day Ohio State vs Tennessee: quick analysis

Ryan Day came into this game with a chip on his shoulder, and it showed in his aggressive play-calling. That first-half tempo was like a blitzkrieg, catching Tennessee off guard and putting them in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Will Howard’s decision-making and quick release were on point, and when he wasn’t airing it out, Henderson and Judkins were smashing through the line like bowling balls. The Buckeyes’ O-line deserves a shout-out too—they kept Howard clean all night and opened up massive lanes for the run game.

On the defensive side, Ohio State took away everything Tennessee does well. They stacked the box to stop the run and dared Iamaleava to beat them with his arm. Spoiler alert: he couldn’t. The Volunteers’ offensive line got manhandled, and their wideouts couldn’t get open. It was a masterclass in game planning from Ohio State’s DC. Props to Jim Knowles.

Next stop: Pasadena. The Buckeyes are heading to the Rose Bowl for a showdown with Dan Lanning’s undefeated Oregon Ducks. It’s a rematch of that Week 7 thriller where Oregon edged out Ohio State 32-31. This time, Ryan Day and his squad have momentum, confidence, and a little extra fire in their bellies.

The fans who flipped on Day after Michigan are back in his corner now. Hypocrisy? Nah. It’s college football at its peak. It’s crazy how fast things can change in college football. Low-key, that Michigan loss was a blessing in disguise. Their O-line got exposed and run-game got man-handled against the Wolverines. That Michigan scar gave Ryan Day to a reality check and time to fix the leak and get it right by the playoffs. Their Buckeyes Nation prayed for moments like this, and they’re ready to ride this wave all the way to the championship.