# Ohio State has a Ryan Day problem after Texas collapse

> The Buckeyes' 24-23 loss to Texas has fans questioning whether Day is still the right coach for the program.
- Title: Ohio State has a Ryan Day problem after Texas collapse
- Summary: The Buckeyes' 24-23 loss to Texas has fans questioning whether Day is still the right coach for the program. Despite an 83-13 record and a national…
- Keywords: ohio state buckeyes, ryan day, texas longhorns, college football, arch manning, jeremiah smith, arthur smith, steve sarkisian, kent state, ross bjork, playoff rankings, sports
- Source: Ohio State Buckeyes On SI — https://si.com/college/ohiostate/opinion/ohio-state-has-a-ryan-day-problem-after-historic-collapse-against-texas-01m2kmpnae4m
- Published: 2026-09-15T23:24:02+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: ohio state buckeyes, ryan day, texas longhorns, college football, arch manning, jeremiah smith, arthur smith, steve sarkisian, kent state, ross bjork, playoff rankings, sports
## Historic collapse against Texas
Ohio State lost 24-23 to Texas after leading at halftime. The Buckeyes dropped from playoff favorites to No. 6 in the rankings.
## Playoff hopes still alive
Day and the Buckeyes still have a shot at the playoffs. They'll need to dig deep and work their way back up the rankings.
## Fans blame conservative play-calling
Fans and pundits are criticizing the coaching staff for lack of execution and conservative calls. They couldn't stop Arch Manning and the Longhorns.
## Day's impressive resume
Day has an 83-13 record and one national championship since 2018. He's sent Chris Olave, CJ Stroud, Chase Young, and others to the NFL.
## Day controls the offense
Day said Saturday that all offensive plays run through him, in coordination with Arthur Smith. Everything that happened has his fingerprints on it.
## Second-half shutdown
The Buckeyes' decline started after halftime when Steve Sarkisian and Texas shut down key offensive players.
## Jeremiah Smith neutralized
Texas shut down receiver Jeremiah Smith after he had 110 yards and a touchdown. The Buckeyes managed only a field goal in the second half.
## Red zone failures
Running back Ja'Kobi Jackson couldn't score from a yard away. He was stopped again on 4th-and-2 from the 13-yard line in the second half.
## Quarterback struggles
Sayin failed to connect with Devin McCuin for a touchdown and was sacked twice. Small errors pushed the Buckeyes out of the red zone.
## Kent State up next
Ohio State faces Kent State on September 19th. Day can recover against the weaker Golden Flashes, whom they've beaten 3-0 historically.
## Front office must evaluate
Day and Smith must hold players accountable, but also themselves for taking their foot off the gas. Ross Bjork needs to consider if Day is still the right fit.
## Key takeaway

Despite an 83-13 record and a national championship, Ryan Day's conservative play-calling and second-half collapses are raising serious questions about his future at Ohio State.