The sky over Columbus has turned a menacing shade of scarlet and gray. After Ohio State's stunning 41-28 home loss to Oregon on Saturday night, the Buckeyes find themselves in unfamiliar territory—3 losses in a regular season for the first time since 2011. And now, head coach Ryan Day is drawing comparisons to none other than President Donald Trump.
It was Vice President J.D. Vance, an Ohio native and die-hard Buckeyes fan, who made the eyebrow-raising analogy during a Monday meeting with small-business leaders in Washington. "I wanted to talk, of course, about the devastating loss last week," Vance said, before pivoting to a broader lesson in leadership. "You know, of course, there are a lot of people I think unfairly criticizing the leader of the team, despite leading us to a great victory two years ago."
Vance didn't stop there. He drew a parallel between the political sphere and the gridiron, referencing "staff infighting and questions about reshuffling" and "a conversation about whether the number two has what it takes to ultimately lead the team." Then, with a wry smile, he clarified: "I'm talking, of course, about the Ohio State Buckeyes."
The vice president's remarks come as Day faces mounting pressure following the Buckeyes' third loss of the season. Ohio State's 6-3 record has all but dashed their College Football Playoff hopes and thrown the Big Ten title race into doubt. Yet Vance remains steadfast in his support, particularly for freshman backup quarterback Luke Fahey. "And let me just assure you that I really believe in Luke Fahey, our backup quarterback, and I think our team is going to make an amazing, amazing turnaround here," Vance said.
Day, who led the Buckeyes to a national championship just two seasons ago, didn't mince words about the team's predicament. "Not someplace we thought we'd be," he admitted. "Beyond disappointed. Understand what the expectations are. It's like the first thing when you walk into the Woody, (when) you join our program is you understand what the expectations are. I mean, your expectation is to win every game here. So to lose three games is unacceptable."
The fallout has been swift and severe. Critics from all corners have pointed to internal chaos, and staff shakeups are already underway. Meanwhile, standout receiver Jeremiah Smith has been defending himself against labels like "petulant child" in the wake of the loss. The turmoil is reminiscent of the dysfunction that has plagued other programs this season, such as Michigan's recent coaching changes.
Day, however, is focused on steadying the ship. "I just told the team in the locker room that now we've got to weather the storm," he said. "It'll be a storm here. Something that none of us are used to at Ohio State. And we're going to come together tomorrow. We'll have a team meeting. And we'll figure out what's next."
The Buckeyes will look to rebound against Northwestern on Saturday, but the road ahead is fraught with questions. Can Day rally his troops, or will the comparisons to a political firestorm prove prophetic? One thing is certain: in Columbus, the heat is on.
