Report: Ryan Day Gets $150K Contract Bonus as Ohio State Advances to CFP Quarterfinal

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day earned a hefty bonus after the Buckeyes took down Tennessee by the final score of 42-17 on Saturday.

With the victory resulting in Day's team advancing to the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff, he received a $150,000 bonus (via USA Today's Steve Berkowitz).

He previously earned a bonus of $100,000 for leading the Buckeyes to a spot in the expanded 12-team CFP, per Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio State started its 2024 campaign strong, winning each of its first five games. While the Buckeyes suffered a narrow one-point loss at the hands of an undefeated Oregon team on Oct. 12, they immediately went on another five-game win streak and sat at No. 2 in the Week 13 CFP rankings.

The momentum surrounding Day's team came to a halt on Nov. 30, losing to Michigan by the final score of 13-10. The inability to win The Game has been a recurring theme for the Buckeyes under Day, as they haven't defeated their conference rival since the head coach's first full season in 2019.

The loss cost Ohio State a spot in the Big Ten title game, but it was still able to make the CFP with a 10-2 record.

Questions surrounding the Buckeyes' poor finish and Day's job security were present leading up to the clash with the Volunteers, but a dominant performance put most of the concerns to rest.

Day is also eligible for additional bonuses of $100,000 for a semifinal appearance, $150,000 for a CFP title game appearance and $500,000 for a national championship (h/t CBS Sports' Cameron Salerno).

After advancing to the Rose Bowl, Ohio State will face off against a familiar opponent. Oregon awaits the Buckeyes, owning the No. 1 seed in the playoff after finishing the regular season with a perfect 13-0 record.

The CFP quarterfinal clash will occur on Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET.