Ryan Day faces criticism after Ohio State's loss to Texas despite defensive decision being justified by Urban Meyer

The only thing hotter than the playing surface during Texas' stunning, come-from-behind win over Ohio State this past Saturday has been the heat Ryan Day is facing following a third-straight loss against a top-10 opponent.

Making the 24-23 loss especially painful for Buckeye fans was the sight of their team blowing a 20-point lead and their coach making a controversial decision that ultimately backfired when Day gave his offense less time to try to win the game after not allowing Texas to score on their initial play from the 1-yard line.

Day should take accountability for his team's lack of recent success against other top-tier programs. Once again, Day's team fell victim to self-inflicted wounds and an inability to make a big play when it mattered most. Players need to make plays, but the overall performance of a team falls on the head coach.

Day shouldn't, however, apologize for trusting his defense to stop Texas late in Saturday night's game. It was the right decision even though it didn't lead to the desired result. Just ask Urban Meyer, Day's former boss, who won three national titles during runs at Ohio State and Florida.

"I would have a really hard time letting them score," Meyer said. "You need a stop. I have enough confidence in my defense. I almost worry, if I throw up the white flag on our defense, what am I telling them down the road, too? I couldn't do it.

"I know people are gonna say, 'Let them score.' I never would have let them score there. I would have been all over the defense, trying to get them to make a play, make a stop. All you've got to do is make a stop, and you win the game."

Ryan Day regrets not letting Texas score late in the fourth quarter of Ohio State loss

Brad Crawford

Meyer is right, and so was Day, even if he has somewhat walked his decision back.

There are countless examples of teams losing big games after allowing a team to score. In the NFL, the heavily-favored Packers lost Super Bowl XXXII after Mike Holmgren let the Broncos score with 1:45 left. Bill Belichick made the same mistake 14 years later after he allowed the Giants to score the go-ahead -- and ultimately -- game-winning touchdown late in the Giants' second Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

As Meyer alluded to, Ohio State's defense could have come up with a game-winning play. They nearly got it after Hollywood Smothers fumbled on second-and-goal, but the ball was recovered by teammate Raleek Brown. Smothers punched it in on the next play.

Texas' previous woes on short yardage and in the red zone against Ohio State also justify Day's decision. The Buckeyes forced a turnover on downs late in the first half when they stuffed Ryan Wingo for a 10-yard loss on fourth-and-1. In Columbus last September, the Buckeyes' defense came up with multiple red zone stops that keyed Ohio State's 14-7 win. And who can forget Jack Sawyer's strip and score deep in Buckeye territory that locked up Ohio State's 28-14 win over Texas that was part of the Buckeyes' successful 2024 playoff run.

Day, as Meyer pointed out, had more to lose on Saturday than the game. If he had conceded in that moment, he risked losing his defense during the season's second week. Ohio State's defense wasn't able to come through on Saturday night, but the experience should make them a better unit moving forward.

Ironically, Day's loss to Texas is similar to former Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel's loss to the same program 21 years earlier. Both losses ended the unofficial grace period that both coaches received after winning national titles.

Following Ohio State's 2002 title, Tressel largely avoided criticism for two years until his decision to rotate snaps between quarterbacks Troy Smith or Justin Swick contributed to Ohio State's last-minute loss to Texas, who end up winning the national title that season after stunning two-time defending champion USC (Ohio State, after Tressel eventually named Smith as his starting quarterback, settled for a double-digit win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl).

Day, despite late-season losses last season to eventual champion Indiana and Miami, largely avoided criticism. Day, after all, had just led the Buckeyes to an improbable run through the playoffs that culminated with the school's third national title this century. He also got the monkey off his back after Ohio State defeated Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Saturday's loss, however, has reignited the criticism for a coach whose career winning percentage (.865) is higher than Meyer, Tressel, and Woody Hayes. But instead of being revered like those legendary Buckeye coaches, Day often draws more comparisons to John Cooper, whose success in Columbus is often overshadowed by his and his team's shortcomings. Day, despite his success so far, is in jeopardy of suffering that same fate.