Desmond Howard: Ryan Day's 'coaching for his legacy' heading into Ohio State vs. Georgia
Ohio State football secured a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia Saturday night.
But to the analysts on ESPN's "College GameDay," Ryan Day is coaching for much more than a spot in the national championship game.
"What's fair and what's real is the powerful weight that's around the Ohio State program," former Ohio State quarterback and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said Saturday. "I would argue it's the most powerful weight in the country. I think it's at that level of the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys kind of pressure. And when you do well, it's exciting. When you don't, you should be fired. That's what Ryan Day has gone through.
"He's 45-5, he's lost to Michigan twice. And if he loses today, he's not going to want to come back home to Columbus because of the energy around the program. That's real. I don't think it's make or break for the program. But for him, I think he feels a lot of tension right now. How could he not, based on the reaction from the Ohio State fanbase. "
Former Michigan wide receiver and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard said the level of pressure Day is facing is to be expected as Oho State head coach, calling the job a "pressure cooker" like the top-tier SEC coaches feel.
"I'm not saying he's coaching for his job," Howard said of Day in the Peach Bowl. "But he's coaching for his legacy tonight."
'Think about Harbaugh'
"College GameDay" host Rece Davis said he understood Howard's opinion about Day "coaching for his legacy," but pointed to a recent example about Ohio State's rival.
"Think about (Jim) Harbaugh," Davis said. "You have to be ultra elite to turn it around. Harbaugh has. I don't know if Day needs to turn it around... This guy is one of the best coaches in the country. Does he need to beat his rival? Does he need to win championships? Absolutely. That's what happens when you coach at Ohio State."
Ohio State comes into its Peach Bowl matchup against Georgia as 6.5-point underdogs, the first time the Buckeyes have been underdogs since the 2021 national championship against Alabama.
Herbstreit knows Ohio State's fans' mindsets will flip if the Buckeyes beat Georgia, saying the talk surrounding Day will be "I told you all along this was the guy" if the team advances to the national championship.
David Pollack, a former Georgia linebacker and ESPN analyst, said he's focused on how Ohio State will respond after its regular season-ending loss to Michigan.
"If they come in tonight and they lay an egg, it's going to be bad. It's only going to get worse," Pollack said. "But if they come in tonight and play a good game against the No. 1 team in the country... and you lost to a really good Michigan team, it's not like the walls are caving in."
Lee Corso is not confident Ohio State has a shot against Georgia in the CFP semifinal.
"Ohio State has two chances in this game," Corso said. "None and none."
Ohio State football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10
Sept. 10: Ohio State 45, Arkansas State 12
Sept. 17: Ohio State 77, Toledo 21
Sept. 24: Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21
Oct. 1: Ohio State 49, Rutgers 10
Oct. 8: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20
Oct. 22: Ohio State 54, Iowa 10
Oct. 29: Ohio State 44, Penn State 31
Nov. 5: Ohio State 21, Northwestern 7
Nov. 12: Ohio State 56, Indiana 14
Nov. 19: Ohio State 43, Maryland 30
Nov. 26: Michigan 45, Ohio State 23
Georgia football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Georgia 49, Oregon 3
Sept. 10: Georgia 33, Samford 0
Sept. 17: Georgia 48, South Carolina 7
Sept. 24: Georgia 39, Kent State 22
Oct. 1: Georgia 26, Missouri 22
Oct. 8: Georgia 42, Auburn 10
Oct. 15: Georgia 55, Vanderbilt 0
Oct. 29: Georgia 42, Florida 20
Nov. 5: Georgia 27, Tennessee 13
Nov. 12: Georgia 45, Mississippi 19
Nov. 19: Georgia 16, Kentucky 6
Nov. 26: Georgia 37, Georgia Tech 14
Dec. 3: Georgia 50, LSU 30
Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ryan Day feels weight of OSU vs. UGA, per ESPN's 'College GameDay'
