Ohio State's Ryan Day Ranked Top Coach, But Lacks Recent Championship Pedigree

Analyst's 3-year sliding scale ranking obscures Buckeyes' 2025 shortcomings compared to other top coaches.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has been ranked as the top college football coach entering the 2026 season by analyst Josh Pate, but a closer look suggests Day may not deserve the top billing. While Day's overall record at Ohio State is impressive, the Buckeyes' 2025 season included a loss in the Big Ten championship game and a quarterfinal defeat in the College Football Playoff, raising questions about whether Day is truly the nation's best coach right now.

Why it matters

College football coaching rankings are closely watched, and the top spot carries significant prestige. However, the methodology used by Pate, which weighs sustained performance over multiple seasons, may overlook Day's recent shortcomings compared to coaches like Indiana's Curt Cignetti, who led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 season and a national title in 2025.

The details

Pate's ranking of Day as the top coach entering 2026 is based on a three-year sliding scale that considers on-field results, recruiting, program culture and future outlook. While Day's overall record at Ohio State is strong, the Buckeyes' 2025 season included a loss in the Big Ten championship game to Indiana and a quarterfinal defeat in the College Football Playoff, raising questions about whether Day is truly the nation's best coach right now.

  • Ohio State finished the 2025 season with a 12-2 record.
  • The Buckeyes lost to Indiana in the 2025 Big Ten championship game.
  • Ohio State was defeated in the 2025 College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

The players

Ryan Day

The head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

Curt Cignetti

The head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers football team, who led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 season and a national title in 2025.

Josh Pate

A college football analyst who recently ranked Ryan Day as the top head coach entering the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“College football analyst Josh Pate recently ranked Day as the top head coach entering the 2026 season, citing on-field results, recruiting, program culture and future outlook.”

— Josh Pate, College Football Analyst (Sporting News)

What’s next

Ohio State has a top-tier matchup with Texas in Austin in Week 2 of the 2026 season, which will provide an early indication of the Buckeyes' path for the upcoming year.

The takeaway

While Ryan Day's overall record at Ohio State is impressive, his recent shortcomings in key games, including a loss in the 2025 Big Ten championship and a quarterfinal defeat in the College Football Playoff, suggest he may not deserve to be ranked as the nation's top coach entering the 2026 season. Coaches who have won championships or made deeper playoff runs, such as Indiana's Curt Cignetti, may have a stronger case for the top spot.