College football insider Paul Finebaum believes that Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has been “fully vindicated” after winning this year’s national championship. At times this year, Day was criticized for the Buckeyes’ poor performances in key conference games against the Michigan Wolverines and Oregon Ducks.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that Finebaum and others believe that winning the College Football Playoff trumps those struggles. The Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the program’s first national championship since 2014.
Paul Finebaum’s Ryan Day and Ohio State Buckeyes Assessment
Finebaum appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up” and discussed how Day must feel vindicated after the amazing performance and big win.
“He has been fully vindicated. Yes, Michigan is important, losing four in a row. But winning the national championship trumps everything in the poker game of college football, and today, he stands on the top of it,” Finebaum stated.
.@finebaum says OSU head coach Ryan Day has been "fully vindicated" after winning the CFP National Championship 👀 pic.twitter.com/zIy2vPe3qF
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 21, 2025
Buckeyes Season Recap
At times this season, some college football insiders and fans called for Day to be fired. Yet, he and the Buckeyes remained focused on their work and goals despite the noise from the media and outside the locker room.
This led the Buckeyes down a magical College Football Playoff run, one that culminated in a national championship. Ohio State defeated the Tennessee Volunteers, the No. 1 seed and conference-rival Oregon Ducks (who they lost to earlier in the year), the Texas Longhorns, and, of course, Notre Dame.
Day got the most out of his players on both sides of the ball and was able to develop numerous others — including quarterback Will Howard, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and safety Caleb Downs — into dominant superstars with a very bright future ahead of them.
KEEP READING: Finebaum Makes an Eye-Opening Statement on Carson Beck’s Georgia Stint
As with any season and even more so with a talented team, the Buckeyes’ roster will unquestionably look different next year as the program has many NFL Draft-eligible players. Still, there is no doubt that Day and his players deserve to enjoy this moment after a difficult and sometimes hostile season.
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