The Ohio State Buckeyes are still basking in the afterglow of their national championship win against Notre Dame, and Ryan Day is already plotting his next move. On ESPN Radio, Day dropped the mic: his eyes are on a second title next season. Bold? Not really, if we look at the number of starters and key players that are returning. But while the Buckeye faithful are riding high, college football fans—especially Michigan fans—didn’t hesitate to light up the internet. After all, Day’s Week 14 meltdown against Michigan is still fresh in memory, and not everyone’s sold on him ‘running it back.’

Let’s get one thing straight: Ryan Day’s Buckeyes had one of the most insane championship runs in college football history. Four straight wins against top-10 opponents, including folding Josh Heupel’s Volunteers, dismantling No.1 ranked undefeated Oregon, and handling business against Texas, all capped with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the natty. For a guy who was literally in tears and having a mental breakdown after losing 13-10 to Michigan in week 14, this run was Day’s Hollywood redemption arc. Petitti even called it “the greatest run in college football history.” Okay, let’s chill with the hyperbole, but yeah—it was big.

Day didn’t just bounce back; he erased the humiliation of losing four straight times to Michigan. But even with the confetti still settling, the internet’s buzzing about whether Day can keep the momentum or if that win was just a flash in the pan.

On January 24, Day joined ESPN Radio and casually announced his focus on winning another title in 2025. He got all the ingredients for another natty. They recruited the No.1 CB Devin Sanchez, while Tavien St. Clair and Julian Sayin will battle it out for the starting QB role. They’ve also got two legit, five-star wide receivers on their roster: Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Seems they got all the gunpowder to run it back.

But here’s the thing—fans didn’t take it lightly. Michigan fans, salty as ever, were quick to troll Day for his optimism. Even Ohio State fans had mixed feelings, with some hyped and others thinking he might be getting ahead of himself.

Top Comment by John Spanel

Winning the natty is goal number one every single year. The Michigan game has moved up to second. The game...more

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Ryan Day catching strays on X for planning Natty #2

When Ryan Day’s ESPN clip made it to X, the fans went nuclear.

The Buckeyes fans started it with, “He got a lil taste… he wants more. Cocaine Day is locked the Fk in. Let’s ride.” The imagery here? Chef’s kiss. A fan dropped a meme of Ryan Day’s head on Scarface’s Tony Montana, sitting in that iconic chair. The message? Day’s hooked on the championship high and isn’t letting go. Nice reference though, but not friendly. It’s like once you get the taste, you’ll come back for it twice. It’s giving that Anthony Joshua’s iconic vibes: ‘Man, first time I felt nice, I had to do it twice.’ 

Another Buckeyes fan chimed in with, “Jim Knowles: Get ready to learn Carmen Ohio.” This Buckeye fan isn’t letting Day’s right-hand man off the hook. Jim Knowles, the wizard behind Ohio State’s No.1 defense, is reportedly getting offers left and right. Notre Dame and Penn State Football are offering 3 and 3.2 million bucks for the old-man, respectively. But Ohio State fans are pleading for him to stay, even turning his name into a meme-worthy chant.

Another user came up with receipts: “Think dude needed this run to get the demons out the closet. I truly think he can get the other ‘boogeyman’ off his back next.” The “boogeyman”? You already know it’s Michigan. While this fan believes the natty boosted Day’s confidence, they’re hinting he still has one major hurdle to clear.

A Michigan fan clocked in with clutch, “Sure ain’t on beating Michigan.” This Michigan fan couldn’t resist twisting the knife. Day’s 1-4 record against the Wolverines is his kryptonite, and they ain’t letting him forget it. Natty or not, the rivalry remains his biggest test.

Another user said, “No wayyyy.” Short, sweet, and dripping with disbelief. With teams like Oregon, Texas, and (of course) Michigan waiting to settle scores, this fan isn’t buying the hype.

Ryan Day might be low-key feeling himself right now, and honestly, who wouldn’t be on Cloud 9 after that natty run? But the competition next season is low-key stacked, and Day will need to prove this ain’t just a one-hit wonder. Can Day’s Buckeyes dominate the Big Ten and beyond, or will the ghosts of Michigan come back to haunt him?