Ohio State not tough? Ryan Day fights back after win over Irish: ‘That ends tonight’-ZoomTech News

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Ryan Day alternated between emphatically pumping his fists and holding up the ‘O’ for Ohio as he walked quick and furiously towards the Ohio State locker room.

His feelings had been brewing for the final couple of days as a result of his crew had been publicly referred to as out for not being robust or bodily sufficient. And now he may correctly let all of his emotions out.

“Lots of people took plenty of pictures at this crew the final 48 hours,” a heated Day stated. “And it actually hit dwelling to me.”

The sixth-ranked Buckeyes got here into Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday night time and broke the ninth-ranked Preventing Irish hearts with a 17-14 victory that was clinched with only one second left on the clock.

For 3-plus hours, this place was electrical. Followers wore vivid inexperienced to match Notre Dame’s specialty uniforms for the top-10 prime-time showdown, and their noise degree drowned out the sprinkling of Buckeyes followers who made the journey.

After which right away, a hush fell over that raucous crowd after an epic drive that can undoubtedly go down as one of many best in Ohio State historical past.

Trailing 14-10 with 1:26 remaining, the Buckeyes wanted to go 65 yards in 66 seconds. Kyle McCord, the Buckeyes’ unproven first-year beginning quarterback, hit Emeka Egbuka for 23 yards on third-and-10, discovered Julian Fleming for seven yards on fourth-and-7, and linked with Egbuka once more for 21 yards on third-and-19. It was that final play that introduced Ohio State to the Notre Dame 1-yard line with seven seconds left. McCord spiked the ball on first down. On second down, he regarded for Marvin Harrison Jr., broadly thought-about to be the nation’s high receiver, however the go was incomplete.

On third-and-1, Day — making up for falling quick in a few eerily related conditions earlier within the sport — determined to run it up the center for the win. And that is precisely what senior operating again Chip Trayanum, who solely had six touches for 13 yards, did to tug off a outstanding comeback win.

It did not damage that Notre Dame solely had 10 males on the sector for the play, an admission from Irish head coach Marcus Freeman that drew a good quantity of criticism. Nonetheless, that modified nothing within the eyes of the Buckeyes.

“The narrative round us is that we aren’t robust, so I do not know the way else you are gonna draw it up,” McCord stated. “Final play of the sport, top-10 opponent, no timeouts, three seconds left. We get that yard and win, or we do not get that yard and lose.”

The landing was underneath evaluate for a number of nervy minutes, however finally officers dominated it was good.

“I knew I used to be undoubtedly in,” Trayanum stated. “It was shut. However as a operating again you reside for runs like that. The nitty-gritty runs, the runs the place you battle together with your physique to remain up and ensure nothing touches [the ground], so that you undoubtedly observe that and also you envision it. It is nonetheless surreal.

“I simply knew the job needed to be achieved. So simple as that.”

And this brings us again to Day’s feistiness and anger as quickly as the ultimate whistle blew. He heard there was shade being thrown towards his crew earlier within the week, particularly from former legendary Notre Dame coach, Lou Holtz.

Holtz, whose 1988 nationwide championship crew was honored on the sector throughout Saturday’s sport, had gone on the Pat McAfee Show on Friday and called out Day’s teams for lacking toughness.

“He has misplaced to Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan twice,” Holtz stated. “And all people who beats them does so as a result of they’re extra bodily than Ohio State. I feel Notre Dame will take that very same strategy.”

This royally offended Day, and he got here out swinging, first in his postgame TV interview, and once more in his information convention.

“I am actually upset and disrespected by what Lou Holtz stated publicly about our crew and Ohio State and Buckeye Nation,” Day stated. “And we’re not going to face for that.” 

“That is not even near true,” Day continued, his voice rising an octave. “We had one dangerous half a pair years in the past [against Michigan] up in Ann Arbor within the second half.

“Each sport we play in, we’re bodily,” he added, yelling. “We’re. I do not know the place that narrative comes from, however that ends tonight. This crew proper right here confirmed toughness. It confirmed grit. They did not surrender, they usually discovered a method to get that final yard.”

Requested if he purposefully referred to as a run play to complete issues off, Day stated, “1,000%.”

“It is all the time been Ohio towards the world, and it continues to be to this present day,” Day stated. “The momentum was going for Notre Dame at one level. And our guys caught their foot within the floor and [Trayanum] makes a big-time play and the heart of our crew to go in and win that sport on the street.

“You are telling me this crew is not bodily? Is not robust? You are mistaken.”

One of many storylines heading into this matchup was expertise at quarterback. Sam Hartman was a sixth-year starter who transferred to Notre Dame from Wake Forest, whereas McCord was making his fifth begin ever. He had backed up C.J. Stroud for the final two seasons and had solely skilled hostile street environments from the sideline. This was an opportunity for him to make a press release. 

McCord went 21 of 37 for 240 yards with no turnovers. He had a couple of zippy passes and practically a stupendous landing go to Egbuka within the second quarter, however the receiver dropped the ball in the long run zone. He was 10-of-17 on third down and confirmed poise and composure all through, particularly on the ultimate drive with the sport on the road.

“That is what nice quarterbacks do, and for his first top-10 street sport, to be put in that state of affairs and are available by means of, it says lots about his future,” Day stated. 

Defensively, Ohio State did not document a sack or drive a turnover, however they did not surrender a play of greater than 28 yards. They held Hartman to a season-low 175 yards passing and only one landing, and now the veteran QB is 3-10 vs. ranked opponents going again to his days at Wake Forest.

“Hats off to the protection,” Day stated.

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Ohio State handed its first take a look at of the season, however has loads extra coming with Massive Ten journeys to Wisconsin and Michigan, plus a house sport towards Penn State subsequent month. After the Buckeyes snuck into the School Soccer Playoff final yr — the place they misplaced on a walk-off discipline objective to eventual champion Georgia on New 12 months’s Eve — their postseason hopes are nonetheless very a lot intact.

The Buckeyes are off subsequent week, which is why Day stated they’d most likely rejoice this win a bit longer. He most likely additionally wants the additional time to chill off. As the top coach at Ohio State, Day isn’t any stranger to scrutiny and criticism. However coming after his crew’s physicality lower deep.

“It was a life lesson,” Day stated. “We all the time say ‘Ignore the noise.’ However after some time if somebody is poking at you, you have gotta get up for what you consider in, and that is the way in which I used to be raised and the way in which I’ll be shifting ahead.

“I get Ohio towards the world. We wanted to play like that right now.”

They did.

Now, can they hold it going?

Laken Litman covers faculty soccer, faculty basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand wrote for Sports activities Illustrated, USA As we speak and The Indianapolis Star. She is the creator of “Robust Like a Lady,” printed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Observe her on Twitter at @LakenLitman.

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