Ohio State's Ryan Day Snubbed in The Athletic's Coaches Tiers
Ohio State coach Ryan Day has some work to do if he wants to be regarded as one of the best in college football.
The Athletic has categorized Ohio State's Ryan Day and Clemson's Dabo Swinney as Tier 2 coaches for the upcoming 2026 season. This unexpected move for Day, who has an impressive 82-12 career record and previously won a national championship, appears to be based on expectations and resources at Ohio State. Day's two predecessors also won national titles, and he has fulfilled the high expectations placed upon him.
Curt Cignetti, who led Indiana to its first-ever championship in 2025, and Kirby Smart, with two championships as head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, are in the top tier. Vannini believes that if Day wins a second title, he could move into the elite group.
Interestingly, Swinney, despite having two national titles, has fallen out of the top tier for the first time since The Athletic started this classification. The Tigers have shown signs of decline, with only one College Football Playoff appearance in the last five years and a 7-6 record last season, their worst since 2010.
Both Swinney and Day are in the same tier this year. While Swinney's Clemson began the 2025 season ranked No. 4 and finished 7-6, Ohio State's Buckeyes, led by Day, had an outstanding season, losing only two games: one to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game and another to Miami in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State is currently ranked No. 1 ahead of the 2026 season and has a strong chance to win another title. It remains to be seen if Day will join Smart and Cignetti at the top for next season.
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