Ohio State Coach Ryan Day Vows to Fix Mistakes Ahead of National Championship

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day expressed frustration Sunday over the Buckeyes’ self-inflicted mistakes in their 28-14 College Football Playoff semifinal victory against Texas, emphasizing the need for improvement ahead of the national championship game against Notre Dame on Jan. 20.

Day highlighted five offensive drives derailed by penalties and a turnover during Friday’s semifinal, including two 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. One of those penalties, committed by running back TreVeyon Henderson, forced the Buckeyes to punt early in the game. “There’s nobody that came back on offense and was pleased with the fact that we had those penalties,” Day said during a Zoom news conference. “We cannot have that in this game. Efficiency is going to be something that we’ve got to do a much better job of if we’re going to win it.”

Henderson, who made helmet-to-helmet contact with a Texas defender, was remorseful for his penalty. “He knows that he’s got to play with emotion,” Day said. “He can’t let emotion play with him.”

Day also addressed the quiet performance of star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who was held to one catch for 3 yards against Texas — his lowest output of the season. Smith had dominated in the first two playoff games, combining for 13 catches and 290 yards. Day attributed Smith’s struggles to missed opportunities rather than Texas’ defensive adjustments. “It’s a little bit more about execution than it is anything else,” Day said. “We weren’t able to sustain a few of those drives and connect on a couple other plays.”

Despite the offensive struggles, Ohio State’s defense stepped up, with defensive end Jack Sawyer sealing the win with an 83-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Cornerback Denzel Burke, who sat out the second half with an upper extremity injury, is expected to play against Notre Dame.

The Buckeyes, now 8.5-point favorites, will face Notre Dame in the national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Notre Dame, led by a stout defense and a potent rushing attack, has won 13 straight games since an early-season loss to Northern Illinois. Running back Jeremiyah Love, averaging 7.1 yards per carry, will be a key factor for the Irish.

Day acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “We’ve got to play our best game against Notre Dame.” The Buckeyes aim to secure their first national title under Day, while Notre Dame seeks its first championship since 1988.