The Road to Redemption

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Ryan Day sits in his office, days away from the season-opening showdown against top-ranked Texas. Behind him, the Rose and Cotton Bowl trophies from last year's playoff run gleam on a shelf. Across the room, a black-and-white photograph captures Jeremiah Smith's game-clinching grab against Notre Dame -- the play that sealed the Buckeyes' first national championship in a decade.

Facing the Fire

Nine months earlier, Day faced the fiercest scrutiny of his career after a fourth straight loss to Michigan. As the final seconds ticked away in the 13-10 defeat at the Horseshoe, Ohio State students chanted "F--- Ryan Day." The jeers escalated into death threats, and armed guards had to be stationed at the Day home. His wife, Nina, even received threatening text messages and calls.

"Fans were yelling at his wife in stores, his kids were getting messed with at school," said 2024 Buckeyes captain Jack Sawyer. "The things that he and his family had to go through were just absurd -- it's just insanity."

The Turning Point

But Day and his family remained resolute. So did the Buckeyes, who came together during a pivotal three-hour meeting a couple of days later with just Day and the players. It began with screaming and tears. It ended with everyone clasping hands in prayer.

"It got real in there," said then-quarterback Will Howard. "But it made us closer -- and turned us into a different animal when the playoffs came."

The Comeback

The Buckeyes bounced back with a fury. They destroyed Tennessee 42-17 at home in the College Football Playoff first round, then annihilated undefeated Oregon at the Rose Bowl 41-21, avenging their only other loss during the regular season. Sawyer's fourth-quarter strip-sack and score clinched the Cotton Bowl win over Texas, setting up Smith's heroics against the Fighting Irish in Atlanta.

The Championship

As confetti fell upon the championship presentation stage, Day hoisted the trophy and roared, letting the emotion pour out of him.

"Take all the components of what you'd want in a head coach -- and Coach Day has all of that," said Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork. "Maybe it took the national championship for people to really see it. But deep down, I think now people realize we've got the right guy."

The Legacy

Day's journey is a testament to resilience and leadership. Through adversity, he has not only maintained his composure but also led his team to the pinnacle of college football. His story is one of triumph over tribulation, and it cements his place among the greats in NCAAF history.