“I think you’re crazy to run off Ryan Day, after just 5 years. My man is 47 and 1 against every other team that is not named Michigan. He gets you right on the verge every single season.” This take from Danny Kanell still rings true. See, Ryan Day and OSU’s natty run were gobsmacked in the middle of a raging war by the Bucks fanbase. “How could you lose to Michigan?” was the question on every fan’s mouth and “Fire Ryan Day” was their solution to fix the Bucks losing problem. But is it even fair? With how disgruntled the entire Bucks fanbase became, the question was not “Can the Bucks win the national championship?” The question became, “Are we even safe in Delaware?”

“The time between the Michigan game and the Tennessee game was as low and dark as you could possibly imagine… They told me multiple times to have Ryan follow in his father’s footsteps and kill himself,” Nina Day, Ryan’s wife, pointed out. We understand that football is like a religion to the fans, but bombarding your favorite team’s HC with death threats and hate just because he lost a game? Seriously? The entire period was a rollercoaster ride for Ryan Day, his family, and the entire Buckeyes team.

No, do you think fans would spare the players? With the amount of hate that piled up, Day and his team had to take extra security measures to make sure that his roster and other staff members remained safe. That entire flag-planting scene also added salt to the wound and fans wanted nothing more than to burn the Buckeyes Nation down.

“These Ohio State fans have got a psychotic obsession with Michigan,” Nick Saban had pointed out. So what the Bucks have lost in the last 4 meetings? Day is still getting the team on 10-win runs. Is that nearly not enough?

This entire attitude that “If Day doesn’t win against UM, he is a bad coach” has to go out that window. Mistakes happened that day at Ohio State Stadium. Day and Chip Kelly thought that they could out physical a very physical Michigan team and that backfired. This is fine. He-k Alabama lost to UM. Imagine that!!

But you know the best way Day turned his story around and slapped the haters on their faces?

Ohio State is your national champion!!

“As much as Michigan has that, you’ve got a national title, right?” and what could get close to that? After that Michigan loss, OSU went on a full rampage. SEC Giants were the first target and they got decimated in a 42-17 game.

Follow that up with a showdown against the “proverbial kings” of CFB in Pasadena and what happens? The Ducks had 8 points on the board compared to the Bucks on 34 in the first half itself. Talk about a good roast. Dan Lanning had nothing on OSU offense and defense.

And finally when Horns challenged the crown, even they got left in the dust. Day picking up that cup against ND with the final win was the cherry on top of that cake. This entire Michigan game, while it did create major problems in the personal life of Ryan Day, in hindsight was the rat poison OSU needed to trample through and become the national champions.