If the No. 1 AP ranking and six straight wins weren’t achievement enough, Ryan Day has now been recognized with another national honor. One that only a single Ohio State coach has earned before. Day once remarked, “I’d like to think I’m one of the most competitive people I know.” In 2025, that statement rings true. 

Day has been named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Watch List, one of college football’s most respected coaching honors. For Day, it’s a first, and potentially historic. If he were to win, he would become just the second Ohio State coach ever to claim the honor. In the Buckeye coaching history, only Jim Tressel has ever gone on to win in 2002, the same season Ohio State captured the national championship. 

Naturally, Ohio State Football took to X to celebrate the news on social media “@ryandaytime has been named to the @bryantawards Coach of the Year Watch List 🌰🫡.” 

Day’s nomination comes amid one of the strongest starts of his career. The Bear Bryant Award committee announced 28 names on this year’s list, including Day and several Big Ten peers such as Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Dan Lanning (Oregon), Bret Bielema (Illinois), and Lincoln Riley (USC).

It’s not hard to see why Day’s name belongs on the list. Since taking over in 2019, he has guided the Buckeyes to a  75-10 record over his first 85 games and four College Football Playoff appearances. It is more than any other coach in that span. During his tenure, Ohio State has competed in 10 championship games in six seasons, maintaining a standard of consistency few programs can rival. An even more remarkable factor is that the Buckeyes have been ranked in the AP Top 10 for 84 of the 85 games Day has coached, a staggering 99% rate, the highest in the nation.

Under Day, Ohio State’s offense has ranked in the top three nationally in scoring three times, and the defense has climbed to No. 1 nationally five times. In every measurable way, Day has kept Ohio State where it expects to be: on top. And as much as Day earns the praise, the team deserves it in equal measure.

Ryan Day speaks on the impact of Caleb Downs

Ryan Day’s success is the outcome of his extraordinary team. And one of the key players who’s been turning heads since the start of the season is Caleb Downs, their leader on defense.

Coach Day didn’t hold back his praise for him: “To me, Caleb is the man that makes it all happen. We all see what Caleb does on the field, but a big part of the success that we have is Caleb’s presence on the field. Communicating, getting everybody on the same page, and building confidence around him. That’s probably one of the things that maybe has gone unrecognized a little bit.” Downs has recorded 28 tackles with a couple of tackles for loss with an interception this season, but his impact goes way beyond mere stats. The star safety ensures all of the defensive pieces are in their right place.

All of this success is leading analysts to place Caleb Downs to be drafted as a first-round pick next year. Analysts like Jordan Reid already have him down as the 5th overall pick. Star talent like this can take the Buckeyes to another natty. If everything goes according to plan, Ryan Day might be looking at a historic season for Ohio State University.