Ryan Day stood firm against every adversity the 2024 season threw at Ohio State. After a crushing 13-10 loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes rebounded with successive wins to secure a national championship berth. And on Jan. 20, Day and his team pulled off the improbable, hoisting the golden trophy after a dominant 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.
On Monday night’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Day reflected on the hardships they endured to reach the pinnacle of college football.
Ryan Day Gets Real About Ohio State’s Championship Journey
The Buckeyes finished the season with a 14-2 record. Credit goes to Day and quarterback Will Howard, who trusted the process and delivered a stellar performance in the 12-team College Football Playoff. This relentless work ethic became a topic of discussion on Fallon’s show, where he asked Day about the team’s motivation to bounce back.
“I think that’s the story of this team. I think there are so many people who can learn from this team. We have an unbelievable group of guys who decided to come back and forgo the NFL, and there was a point at the end of the year when nobody thought we were going to do this,” Day said.
“There was a group of guys who decided they were going to start with a home game against Tennessee. We got some momentum going there, went out to L.A. and the Rose Bowl, played No. 1 Oregon, and won that game.”
“Then we went to the Cotton Bowl in one of the most iconic games in Ohio State history—just an unbelievable play by Jack Sawyer with a sack-fumble at the end to win—and then we finished with a national championship trophy.”
Day emphasized the resilience and life lessons his team demonstrated throughout the season.
“There was a point when a lot of people doubted us, but the resilience of these guys to come back and win—I think there’s a lot of life lessons there. We get caught up in so many things, but really, at the end of the day, it’s about the lessons these guys are learning. For people to watch this team overcome adversity—that, to me, is the story of this team,” he added proudly.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Day will aim to sustain the momentum heading into the 2025 season, though he faces a major roster overhaul, with several key players, including Howard, heading to the NFL.
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Expect Day to be aggressive in the transfer portal as he looks to reload for another championship run.
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