Ryan Day gives heartbreaking answer about Ohio State-Michigan rivalry

Give Ryan Day this much: No one can accuse the Ohio State head coach of not feeling the effects of the Buckeyes’ three-game losing streak to Michigan.

That much was evident during his weekly coach’s show as he discussed Ohio State’s upcoming rivalry game. Reflecting on the importance of “The Game,” Day gave an emotional response about the impact of the Buckeyes’ recent results against “That Team Up North.”

“We’ve felt what it’s like to not win this game. And it’s bad,” Day told 10TV’s Dom Tiberi on GameTime with Ryan Day. “It’s one of the worst things that’s happened to me in my life, quite honestly. Other than losing my father and few other things — it’s quite honestly, for my family, the worst thing that’s happened. So we can never have that happen again, ever. And that’s been the approach all season.”

Day has previously disclosed that his father died via suicide when he was just eight years old. The 2019 Big Ten Coach of the Year hasn’t just been open about confronting his own trauma stemming from his father’s death, but has also been a public advocate for mental health in the years since becoming Ohio State’s head coach.

But while the 45-year-old Day has become a polarizing figure in Columbus — on the one hand, he lays claim to a 66-9 record; on the other, he’s 1-3 vs. Michigan and 2-4 in bowl games — even his most vocal critics (including this author) would have to admit that his answer regarding the rivalry was heartbreaking. It’s one thing to say you understand the rivalry. It’s another to call it “the worst thing that’s happened” to your family and invoke your father’s tragic death to prove it.

While the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry might be serious — and as the amount of X’d out Ms in Columbus this week would tell you, it is — it isn’t actually a matter of life and death. Regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s game, hopefully Day keeps to proper perspective, even if many fans think that this is exactly that.

[10TV]