As the postgame brawl unfolded — Ohio State upset Michigan and raised a victory banner at midfield in the Horseshoe — Fox camera caught Ryan Day on the sidelines with a look on his face that suggested, “What’s going on?
It may turn out to be a lasting image of this epic upset/collapse, depending on which side of the Toledo border you live on.
Michigan 13, Ohio State 10.
Again.
“I’m still trying to digest everything that just happened,” a shell-shocked Day said after his fourth straight loss to the Wolverines. “[I have] a locker room full of guys who are just devastated… Now there’s a lot of guys who are devastated. You can’t say anything at this point. You have to take ownership of it, and it starts with me.”
The Buckeyes (10-2) are headed to the College Football Playoff and could still win a national championship this year, but maybe— maybe – only that can answer for this disaster to the day. And the road to the title will be tougher — no byes after coming up short in the Big Ten (again) and possibly a first-round road game.
Michigan is headed to a modest bowl game at 7-5, but first-year coach Sherrone Moore has been able to salvage everything. They came in as a 19.5-point underdog with a former cancer survivor quarterback who rarely throws the ball more than 10 yards in the air.
Ohio State countered with a reported $20 million roster full of returning stars and portal kings, not to mention a coaching staff bolstered by the hiring of UCLA’s head coach (Chip Kelly) to call the games. It came with all the necessary focus the Scarlet and Gray have given this rivalry — refusing to say the word “Michigan,” throwing out all the “M’s” on campus, and having Day compare his previous three defeats to the tragic death of his father.
And yet in the end it was The Team, The Team, The Team from Up North.
Again.
“As you know, it’s not easy to accept,” Day said. “I have to take ownership and I’m the one who makes the final decisions.”
The second Buckeyes don’t blame Jim Harbaugh. Connor Stallions is not to blame for this. They can’t attribute it to, say, not being able to handle some all-time greats like Aidan Hutchinson, or maybe the law of averages finally kicked in and Michigan finally got it.
This is a four, and this was supposed to be a mismatch, a complete unbalanced affair. The difference in talent was significant. The seasons went in different directions.
Michigan quarterback Davis Warren — the aforementioned inductee with an inspirational story — completed just nine passes for 62 yards and two picks. His longest went for just 18 yards, caught by receiver Peyton O’Leary, who entered the game with just eight receptions and originally signed to play lacrosse at Massachusetts.
That sounds like a MAC story.
In the end, though, the game was a game — won by brute force and not by ranked recruiting, by will and will, not by NFL draft status. When the end of the season comes and the temperatures drop and the wind picks up, there aren’t many tricks.
Michigan was tougher, tougher again. The Wolverines outgained the Buckeyes 172-77, which has always been the biggest predictor of success in this annual showdown. Kalel Mullings had 116 yards all by himself.
How Day couldn’t fix it, even acknowledge the injuries on offense, will haunt him until he does.
“We just couldn’t control the game in the run,” Day said. “The overall execution was not good enough.”
Of course there was more. Two interceptions, two missed field goals and zero sacks didn’t help. And a horrible 12-man field penalty on Michigan’s final drive gave the Wolverines a first down and a chance to kill more time.
The nerves and pressure were one-sided at times, perhaps a sign not only of the losing streak, but of the unhealthy intensity Day is bringing to this game.
By the end, it was all too clear, even to unbelieving eyes everywhere. Ohio State was shut out in the second half, and its last first down came with 5:59 left in the third — Michigan’s defense stopped everything as it rained down on the Buckeyes and their coaches.
Meanwhile, Michigan pushed and pushed and overcame its own mistakes, turnovers and limitations to win again. Next year they will welcome recruitment no. 1 and upped their NIL recruiting game to match the money in Columbus.
If ever Ohio State had a year to run it, whip it up and celebrate, this was it. Ohio Stadium was packed and looking for revenge.
By the end, they were yelling at Day, who, despite a 66-10 record, is somehow on a hot seat that can only be cooled by a national title.
“Everybody wants to win this game in the worst way,” Day said. “Nobody wants to win more than us. He’s our No. 1 target… I don’t blame anyone for being upset.”
That includes the Ohio State players, who took great exception to Michigan trying to “plant” the flag in their logo after the game. A wild fight ensued – complete with punches and pepper spray.
Whether you consider it Michigan’s fault for the flag shenanigans or Ohio State’s for showing more fight after the game than during it. That it can happen again will persist even after volleys of “classless” behavior.
“These guys are trying to put a flag on our field and our guys didn’t let that happen,” Day said. “This is our ground and we’re obviously disappointed to lose, but we’ve got some proud lads in the squad. [that] I’m just not going to sit back and watch it happen.”
“They’ve got to learn to lose, man,” countered Michigan’s Mullings.
They’ve had quite a bit of practice in their loss to Michigan, and until Ryan Day learns how to win this game, even with a loaded roster, he might not be spared.