By The Daily Caller (U.S.) | Created at 2026-09-16 14:14:49 | Updated at 2026-09-25 03:01:41
1 week ago
In other words, jobs are about to be lost.
Ohio State’s fourth-quarter unraveling against Texas is pushing the program toward major internal changes, head coach Ryan Day said Tuesday, admitting the collapse will “force us to make some hard decisions.”
The Buckeyes took a commanding 20-point cushion into the fourth quarter Saturday night, only to watch the Longhorns stage a furious 21-point surge to steal the 24-23 win. (RELATED: Florida State Fires Athletic Director After Disappointing Labor Day Loss To SMU)
“We had an opportunity certainly to finish the game and knock them out there in the third quarter,” said Day, according to ESPN. “It didn’t happen. Then we lost momentum and couldn’t get it back.”
The historic collapse is the first time since 2004 that an AP No. 1 team lost after holding a 20-point fourth-quarter advantage, according to ESPN Research. It also snapped Ohio State’s run of 115 straight victories when up by 20 — a mark that stood as the FBS’s sixth-longest active streak until Saturday.
"As you can imagine, it's extremely frustrating; it's maddening. And we're excited to get back on the field and get going."
🗣️ Ryan Day on Ohio State's Week 2 loss at Texas pic.twitter.com/dL468A0Enu
I keep going back and forth on whether or not Ryan Day is actually on the hot seat, and I think I’ve made up my mind, especially after this:
🚨JUST IN: Ryan Day fumes when a reporter where his trust in his special teams unit is. pic.twitter.com/AqTGhCwQ65
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) September 15, 2026When you run a program backed by nine-figure budgets, elite five-star recruiting classes, and arguably the most rabid, title-or-bust fanbase in America, you don’t get to surrender a 20-point fourth-quarter lead on national television.
You definitely don’t get to do it when you entered the season as the undisputed No. 1 team in the country.
Day can talk all he wants about having to make “hard decisions,” but the hardest one facing Columbus isn’t about backup rotations or defensive coordinator tweaks — it’s about him.
