The first big step has been taken. Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Tennessee Volunteers decisively and advanced to the next phase of the playoffs, where they will face none other than the Oregon Ducks. The high level of play was partly due to their QB Will Howard, who practically had no flaws in his performance. Regarding this, HC Ryan Day expressed his happiness with the performance displayed.
Beyond his satisfaction with the level shown by his quarterback, Day made it clear to the press after the game that one of the key factors in not giving Josh Heupel’s team any breathing room was the aggressiveness with which they approached the game from the very start.
“We called this game more aggressively, there’s no question about that,” Day said, drawing comparisons to the Buckeyes’ loss against Michigan. “But we also did some things in this game that maximize what we have. … And I thought Will [Howard] was excellent.”
Howard finished the game with a total of 311 passing yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-29 completions. Additionally, the Buckeyes had a standout performance from Smith, who recorded 6 catches for 103 yards, becoming the sixth freshman in CFP history to surpass 100 receiving yards.
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field on November 16, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
After this resounding victory against such a high-quality opponent, Ohio State earned the right to compete in the Rose Bowl, where they will face none other than the Ducks. Dan Lanning’s team was their conqueror in the regular season, so Ryan Day’s squad will be seeking revenge.
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Day reflected the pride he feels for his players
Although the game’s outcome didn’t seem to have much impact on the Buckeyes, it was clear that Nico Iamaleava’s team could pose a serious challenge on the road ahead. After the game, Ryan Day expressed his joy over the high level of play displayed by his players.
“I’m proud of our seniors for a lot of reasons,” he said. “One, for the fact that they were able to finish their last game at Ohio Stadium with a win like that. I’m also proud of the way they responded. I told them in the locker room that in life, you’re gonna be defined by the way you handle adversity as a person, as a man, as a dad.”
“To see the way they responded in this game, you could tell from the jump that they had a look in their eye and were gonna win this game. I thought they played that way. A lot of football ahead of us. Great win. But we’re gonna enjoy this for 24 hours, and then it’s on to Oregon,” he concluded.
