“Sad and certainly angry”: When Ryan Day got 100% on his emotions following Ohio State’s Clemson loss in Fiesta Bowl

Ryan Day has been the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes since 2019. As the numero uno of one of the most prestigious programs in collegiate football, he has experienced numerous highs and lows.

However, few experiences struck a nerve, like the Buckeyes' 29-23 loss to the Clemson Tigers in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl after squandering a 16-0 lead. The loss cost the previously unbeaten Buckeyes the chance to advance to the CFP national championship game.

"Our guys played hard, certainly feeling a wave of emotions right now," Day said after the game. "You know: proud, sad and certainly angry."

He continued,

"But again, I thought our guys left it all on the field. They played hard and played bold. There were certainly a lot of plays in that game that did not go our way, and it's very hard to swallow right now. We have to take a look at the film and figure out what really happened on those plays."

The Buckeyes mustered just seven points in the second half. They went scoreless in the third quarter, and the Clemson Tigers took advantage and controlled the game from then on. Clemson eventually won the tie by six points in front of 71,330 fans.

How did Ryan Day and Ohio State fare after the Fiesta Bowl loss?

Ryan Day earned the 2019 Dave McClain Coach of the Year Award for the excellent season he compiled with the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, he narrowly missed out on the national championship game due to the loss to Clemson.

Day continued his great work at Ohio State, and the program has never lost more than two games in a college football season. It was only a matter of time before they won the big one. It occurred in the 2024 season, as the Ohio State Buckeyes handily dispatched the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win their first national football championship in years and the first of the Ryan Day era.

The Clemson Tigers' loss likely sparked a flame in the offensive-minded head coach, now a one-time national champion.

With the 2025 season approaching, Ryan Day and his squad are ready to go for the rare college football two-peat. The last team to achieve the feat was the Georgia Bulldogs. The Buckeyes will like their chances to add their name to such a prestigious club.