Ohio State and Ryan Day Are the Offseason's Big Winners, but Now They Must Win Big

His key rival is finally gone, his roster might be the best in college football and his program has suddenly become the "it" destination in the sport.

While plenty can be said about Ryan Day's high-profile losses, no individual in the CFB stratosphere is running better at this exact moment.

Sure, we're many months away from fall practice and even further away from games. As we know, especially in this instance, they are the only thing that matter.

With that acknowledged, it's hard not to be swept up in the momentum Day suddenly has after squandering it last season. And although the pressure will be enormous, it will be that way for good reason.

A little more than two months ago, all of these emotions were absent. Day's team lost its third consecutive game to Michigan, falling out of the College Football Playoff race in the process.

Questions surrounding Day's future grew in earnest following that latest defeat—including some from this writer. An uninspiring—albeit short-handed—defeat to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl only inched those concerns forward.

Since that moment, however, Day has delivered a program renovation unlike any the sport has ever seen. He's gotten some breaks, too.

Jim Harbaugh has proved to be Ohio State's kryptonite in recent years. After many years of flirting with the NFL, Harbaugh is now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers following the Wolverines' national championship win.

This, in many ways, was the cherry on top. Day didn't need this to happen, but it certainly can't hurt. Harbaugh's absence, while massive, is just a small piece of the optimism.

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While the transfer portal will be the focus for many—and we'll get to that momentarily—Day got a slew of key players to return for another season.

Defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, cornerback Denzel Burke and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams all made the decision to return for another year on defense. Tuimoloau and Sawyer are poised to be one of the best one-two combinations in all of college football.

On offense, wideout Emeka Egbuka and offensive lineman Donovan Jackson also made the decision to return. While Egbuka won't immediately fill the void left by Marvin Harrison Jr., there is untapped potential still to be reached.

These decisions alone would have been substantial. But the additions to the roster only make them more meaningful.

It starts at quarterback, where former Kansas State QB Will Howard will now take over as starter. Howard is both seasoned and dependable. And although he might lack flash, Ohio State is getting a known commodity.

On the topic of known commodities, former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins also joined the Buckeyes. Playing alongside TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State might have the best running back tandem as well. The team also added Seth McLaughlin, a seasoned center formerly of Alabama who will bring plenty of experience.

The most noteworthy additions of all, however, came at the very end. Nick Saban's unexpected retirement created an opportunity.

Day was able to land safety Caleb Downs, a soon-to-be-sophomore who might be the best defensive back in college football. Joining Downs was Julian Sayin, a 5-star quarterback who is widely regarded as one of the best players in the class of 2024.

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In this new era of the transfer portal and NIL, we simply haven't seen an offseason like this.

To deliver it, of course, Day had plenty of help. NIL played a significant role in all these decisions, and it would be disingenuous to credit Day's masterful recruiting as the sole reason for the Buckeyes' success.

This program wants to win, and it's acting (and spending) as such. In the moment, Day has done a masterful job of putting this support and resources to use.

For as critical as many have been to highlight his shortcomings—which includes an overall record of 56-8, complicating the conversation—it would be unfair not to point out how much he has positioned Ohio State for success in 2024 and beyond.

In need of a special season, Day has loaded up. Ohio State, now playing in an expanded and more challenging Big Ten, is cementing itself as the favorite moving forward. There should be optimism in all that has transpired and what it can mean, and it should be real.

One can't help but deny another emotion from entering the conversation. It's not exactly new, and it would have existed regardless of the new additions. But the pressure that will follow Day through spring practice, fall camp and eventually the season will be extreme.

The expectations to win the Big Ten and beat Michigan were already seismic. In fact, they seem almost mandatory. Now, following a slew of meaningful moves and ample coverage of the new-look Buckeyes, Day will be expected to have the kind of year that has eluded him thus far.

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Yes, he was a missed field goal and a few questionable calls from playing in a national championship just over a year ago. The sport can be cruel like that, although the outcome will never change.

Given the many pieces both new and old, there is no reason to believe he won't finally conquer these demons. He has assembled the team to do just that, and his greatest obstacle is no longer there. The College Football Playoff will expand, meaning Ohio State will have easier access to a postseason it was just denied entry from.

It's not hyperbole to say that this year will mean everything to Day. Anything short of a national title will be deemed a failure. Given the evolving nature of the sport, that sentiment feels almost unfair.

Regardless, that is the current state. Nothing that happens between now and actual football will change that. If anything, hype will only grow louder.

With a roster constructed to win big right now, it's now or never.