The No. 7 Ohio State football team failed to score a touchdown for the first time in seven years on Friday en route to a 14-3 loss to the No. 9 Missouri Tigers in the Cotton Bowl.
Quarterbacks Devin Brown (who left early due to an ankle injury) and Lincoln Kienholz completed just 10-of-23 passes for 106 yards. The running game posted only 2.9 yards per carry (33 yards, 97 attempts). Ohio State scored on just one its 11 drives, including eight straight in which it came up empty after a first quarter field goal.
During and after this game, fans and analysts pointed the finger at Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who has been the subject of a torrent of criticism over the years.
For starters, Day's Buckeyes have not fared well against the best in the nation.
College Football Report @CFBRepRyan Day at Ohio State:<br><br>• 56-8 Record<br><br>1-3 vs Michigan<br>0-3 vs the SEC<br>1-6 vs CFP Top 5 <a href="">
OSU has lost three straight games to Michigan since 2021. The Buckeyes have entered each contest as the No. 2 team in the nation. Two of those defeats led to OSU being shut out of the College Football Playoff, including this season.
Under Day, postseason success has been hard to come by. The Buckeyes lost in the CFP semifinal in 2019 and 2022. They reached the final in 2020 but were crushed 52-24 to Alabama once there. The 2021 campaign did end with a Rose Bowl win over Utah, but now this year ended in about as ugly of an offensive fashion as possible.
Ohio State fans haven't seen something akin to this since 2016, when the Buckeyes fell 31-0 to Clemson in the CFP semifinals. Friday marked OSU's lowest scoring output since that game.
That Clemson team was elite and ended up winning the national championship though. Missouri is certainly impressive in its own right as the ninth-ranked team in the nation, but it also entered the Cotton Bowl allowing 22.3 points per game (40th in Division I FBS).
In fairness to Day, the Buckeyes entered this one shorthanded. Superstar wide receiver and Heisman finalist Marvin Harrison Jr. skipped the Cotton Bowl, presumably in advance of declaring for the 2024 NFL draft.
Starting quarterback Kyle McCord has left for Syracuse. Wideout Julian Fleming, who finished third among OSU wideouts in receptions and receiving yards, is in the transfer portal. Running back Chip Trayanum, the team's second-leading rusher, has already left for Kentucky.
However, there was still talent left over, and yet Ohio State could not muster any points in the final three quarters.
Folks had plenty to say about Day and the Buckeyes while viewing this performance.
Cory @fakecorykinnanRyan Day when all of his inherited 5-stars graduated <a href="">
Patrick Daugherty @RotoPatRyan Day's vibes always succeed in being just off in difficult to articulate ways
yungmoneysniper @LanceLo80482046Ryan day when you ask him to call a good play <a href="">
Ari Wasserman @AriWassermanCome on, Ryan Day. It's the Cotton Bowl. It's a meaningless exhibition game. You have a young QB in there you may really have to count on in a few years. <br><br>What's the harm in even TRYING to do something?
McNeil @Reflog_18Ryan Day: "how do you expect us to cobble together an offense when all our best players are out?" <br><br>Kevin Stefanski: <a href="">
Mr. Ohio @MrOH1ORyan Day needs to hand the play calling over to Hartline next year
The Victory Bell @VictoryBellOSURyan Day being scared to fail is killing this team right now <br><br>Just throw it man it's a football game
Bengals Doge @Bengals_DogeOhio State and Ryan Day have been carried by Generational Talent. It's time to move on from Day.
Druuuuuuuuuuuuuskimane @LegendofSMRyan Day trying to call plays but only has 7 5* players at his disposal. <a href="">
Devin M. Bilski @DevinMBilskiRyan Day simply doesn't know how to motivate a team or develop QBs. The good QBs he coached were already elite and succeeded DESPITE him
B1G_Ryan @B1G_RyanRyan Day had three top 100 recruits as QBs in the room this season. If this is the best he can get out of the two with multiple years in the system — and Will Howard is the best backup plan he's got — that QB whisperer moniker is gonna have an expiration date real fast.
The Bulldawg Report @ReportBulldawgRyan Day's offense looks very pedestrian without an elite QB and elite WR.
PFF College @PFF_CollegeLeaked Ohio State playbook down to their QB3: <a href="">
Barstool Blue @BarstoolUofMOur top scientists have crunched the numbers and have simplified Ohio State Football down to one simple formula <a href="">
Blooper @BlooperBravesI thought Ohio State was supposed to be good
Tom Fornelli @TomFornelliBack in my day Ohio State's 3rd-string QBs won national titles.
Michael Boston @michaelkbostonAmerica after watching the first half of Ohio State/Missouri <br><br> <a href="">
Ari Wasserman @AriWasserman10 years ago, Ohio State won a national title on this field with its third-string quarterback. <br><br>Tonight, Ohio State is too afraid to throw a pass with its third-string quarterback in the Cotton Bowl.
MUSSEMERITUS @MUSSemeritusUtah and Ohio State 2 years removed from the Rose Bowl and starving for offense <a href="">
Colin Schrader @smackncappnTelling my kids about the Ohio State offense under Fields and Stroud <a href="">
Don Thomas @REALDonThomasRyan Day.<br><br>Still stranded on 3rd Base. <a href="">
jbook™ @jbook37I can't recall an offensive line being this bad in all my years. However, when Missouri is not even disguising pressure Ryan Day never adjusted. Straight numbers game when it comes to blocking.
Kenny "The Roadman" Roda🎙🎧📻🏈⚾️🏀🏒⚽️ @TheKennyRodaI don't wanna hear about the transfer portal, leaving for the draft, injuries, or any other excuses, that was a pathetic performance by supposedly 1 of the Top 5 programs in the entire country. <a href="">#RyanDay</a> & <a href="">@OhioStateFB</a> should be embarrassed!
Matt Baxendell @MattBaxendell<a href="">#OhioState</a> under Ryan Day is officially a charmin soft program.<br><br>Embarrassing. There are a LOT of changes that better happen after this shit show embarrassment.
The Victory Bell @VictoryBellOSURyan Day didn't even try to adjust tonight<br><br>Dude makes $10 million a year for what?<br><br>No one in college football does less with more
Jessica Smetana @jessica_smetanaCotton bowl recap: <a href="">
Now Ohio State moves onto 2024 with more questions than answers after a tough ending to the season. Next year kicks off on Aug. 31 with a home game against Akron.
