Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. This is the only Big Ten Podcast that’ll cover all 18 teams. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Coming off of his most embarrassing of four straight losses to Michigan, with the fanbase calling for his job, Ryan Day could’ve quit on Ohio State. He could’ve quit spiritually and he could’ve actually just quit. He could’ve landed almost any job in college football or the NFL. After needing 24/7 security at his house due to threats who could’ve blamed him instead he went back to work more determined than ever. Almost two months and four games later Ryan Day led his team to a national championship. There are a lot of stories to tell about this team including the fight from the 2021 recruiting class that never lived up to the hype sacrificing their NFL dreams for a year to get this moment. In the next few weeks all those stories will be told but so must the story of how Ryan Day preserved to reach this moment. 

In this episode, Jordan and Dante give credit to Day for learning from his mistakes and leading his team to the top of the mountain. There will be no apology tour, the criticism was warranted but so is the respect for getting it done. Marcus Freeman is another coach who led a resilient team through a shocking loss to Northern Illinois and didn't blink when down 31-7 late in the third quarter. Ohio State and Notre Dame are two of the most hated programs in college football but both Day and Freeman are coaches you can root for and who get the most out of their players. 

For Notre Dame, this game will be remembered for two questionable calls. On 4th and goal from the nine-yard line, Marcus Freeman decided to kick a field goal that was ultimately missed. Later in the game on third and eleven defensive coordinator Al Golden decided to blitz sending six men at Will Howard which left star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith on an island. Ohio State made plays in the big moments and the fighting Irish did not. They may not have won but they fought and made Ohio State earn it. 

For Ohio State, the past is forgiven and this much maligned coach and the senior class will go down in Ohio State history as legends. All the trials and tribulations of the last four years ended with the Buckeyes winning the hardest national championship arguably of all time by proving they were tough and beating five top-five teams along the way. 

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