CFB insider predicts “disaster” for HC Ryan Day if Ohio State loses to Michigan again in the 2024 college football season

The stakes couldn't be higher for coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes as they look forward to the 2024 showdown against arch-rival Michigan. After three consecutive losses to the Wolverines, the pressure is mounting, and a fourth defeat could spell disaster for Day and his squad, as per analyst Josh Pate.

The college football insider didn't hold back when discussing the potential ramifications in Columbus on his "Late Kick with Josh Pate" podcast last week.

"Well, No. 1, it would be a disaster in Ohio State. It would be a disaster," Pate said. "There's this weird thing in college football that's both beautiful and terrifying, and that is the impact and the weight of rivalry games.

Pate couldn't dismiss the notion that the Buckeyes loss to Michigan this season may open unwanted doors for Ryan Day.

"If Ohio State loses to Michigan, I don't care what they did elsewhere in the season, it will be an illogical conversation for Ryan Day from that point out."

[Timestamp: 02:08]

Ohio State has gone all-in for 2024, returning several key players, adding big names from the transfer portal and hiring former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. The Buckeyes are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to reclaim dominance over Michigan in "The Game."

How did Nick Saban help Ryan Day post-retirement?

Nick Saban’s retirement in January, following Alabama’s Rose Bowl loss to the Michigan Wolverines, started a new era in college football. Surprisingly, Ohio State's Ryan Day found some unexpected benefits from Saban’s departure.

In a conversation on "The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast," the Buckeyes coach shared his thoughts on Saban’s exit and how he took inspiration from that.

“Well, I felt that pain because I’ve gone through some of those similar things and Coach Saban’s past, and history, and what he’s done is just unbelievable,” Day said.

Day will be on the gridiron sidelines for his sixth season, leading the Buckeyes at the age of 45, as he becomes more accustomed to the sport’s constant changes.

"I also am trying to really put perspective on it all," Day said. "Because I know it sounds a little deep, but the truth is the order of the entire universe is chaos, and that’s kind of the way life is. It’s chaotic.

"And I know there’s a lot of chaos right now in college football, but the product’s never been better."

[Timestamp: 18:34]

The former Alabama coach had cited the chaotic state of college football, including the impact of NIL deals and the transfer portal, as major factors in his decision to retire.