"We’re going to own it": Ryan Day's Ohio State takes collective responsibility of loss against Oregon

Ryan Day and his Ohio State team suffered a heartbreaking loss to Oregon at Autzen Stadium in Eugene over the weekend. The Buckeyes were defeated by just one point in the hotly contested Big Ten encounter, with the Ducks claiming a 32-31 victory in front of their fans.

The Buckeyes are, however, not avoiding the criticism after the loss, which was their first of the 2024 season. Instead, they are embracing it as part of the learning process following the tough defeat. Ryan Day commented on taking responsibility in his postgame press conference.

“Couldn’t quite get the stops we needed to and couldn’t finish it,” Day said while speaking with the media following Ohio State’s loss to Oregon in Eugene. “We talk about leaving no doubt and not coming down to one play, and that’s what happened in this game.

“We can sit here and talk about one play here, one play there, or complain about a call, but we’re not going to do that. We’re going to own it, and we’ve got to get it fixed.”

Ohio State’s Week 7 loss to Oregon gives another dimension to the College Football Playoffs projection. There’s still a huge chance both teams will secure a spot in the 12-team playoffs. There’s also a possibility of a rematch in the Big Ten championship game.

Ryan Day comments on Will Howard’s performance

Following the game in Eugene on Saturday, Ryan Day offered his view on the performance of Will Howard. The quarterback came under fire for his decision-making in the last play of the game.

With just six seconds remaining and the Buckeyes positioned at the Ducks' 38-yard line, quarterback Howard pump-faked a pass and opted to run, sliding to the ground as time expired. This left no opportunity for Ohio State to call a last-second timeout, sealing their fate.

“He’s tough,” Day said of Howard. “He competed all the way to the end. I give him credit and he was fighting all the way to the end. We were trying to get three guys into the boundary on the last play to get that ball completed. Somebody flashed in his face, and he scrambled.”

“He’ll be hard on himself but he was competing all the way to the end. Made some big-time throws to give us a chance to be in field-goal range.”

Howard completed 28 of 35 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon on Saturday. He also rushed for one score, showcasing his impact on the game. However, he wasn't able to lead Ryan Day’s team to victory in the encounter.