In a stunning turn of events, ESPN insider Bill Connelly has ignited a firestorm in the college football world by crowning Ohio State’s Ryan Day as the No. 1 active head coach for the 2025 season. The announcement, part of Connelly’s analytical rankings, has sent shockwaves through the sport, with powerhouse programs like Georgia, Notre Dame, and Tennessee crying foul and dismissing the ranking as a head-scratching overreach. As the debate rages on, one question looms large: If not Ryan Day, then who else deserves the top spot?
Day, fresh off leading Ohio State to a 2024 National Championship with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame, boasts an impeccable resume. His .875 winning percentage is the best among active FBS coaches, with a 66-10 record since taking over in 2019. The Buckeyes have been a juggernaut under his leadership, going 46-0 against unranked opponents and securing three College Football Playoff appearances, including a thrilling run through Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas en route to the 2024 title. Connelly’s methodology, which compares a team’s SP+ rating to its program’s 20-year average, highlights Day’s ability to maximize Ohio State’s blue-blood advantages, placing him ahead of luminaries like Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel.
Yet, the crown sits uneasily on Day’s head. Critics from rival programs argue that his success is less about coaching brilliance and more about Ohio State’s unparalleled resources—top-tier recruiting classes, NFL-caliber talent, and a fanbase that demands perfection. Georgia’s Kirby Smart, ranked No. 3 by Connelly, has been the loudest detractor. Smart, who led the Bulldogs to national titles in 2021 and 2022, called the ranking “laughable,” pointing to Day’s 1-4 record against Michigan as a glaring blemish. “You can’t be the best when you’re losing the biggest game on your schedule year after year,” Smart reportedly said, echoing the sentiments of Bulldogs fans who feel their coach’s consistent dominance in the SEC merits the top spot.
Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, ranked fourth, was equally incredulous. The former Buckeye linebacker, who guided the Irish to the 2024 CFP National Championship game, argued that Day’s success is propped up by Ohio State’s infrastructure. “We’re building something special in South Bend with less,” Freeman said, referencing Notre Dame’s 13-game winning streak and playoff wins over Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State before falling to Ohio State. Freeman’s supporters point to his ability to navigate a grueling schedule and a midseason loss to NIU, only to rally his team to the brink of a title, as proof of superior coaching acumen.
Tennessee, led by Josh Heupel (Connelly’s No. 2), didn’t hold back either. Volunteers fans flooded social media, labeling the ranking a “disgrace” and touting Heupel’s transformative work in Knoxville. Despite losing quarterback Nico Iamaleava to the transfer portal, Heupel’s high-octane offense and ability to compete in the SEC’s brutal landscape have made Tennessee a contender. “Day’s got all the toys, but Heupel’s doing more with less,” one fan posted on X, capturing the sentiment that Tennessee’s rise from mediocrity to relevance deserves greater recognition.
The controversy isn’t just about Day’s accolades but the broader question of what makes a coach the “best.” Connelly’s analytics favor Day for his consistent excellence, but detractors argue that context matters. Ohio State’s loss to Michigan in 2024, a 13-10 upset despite being 20.5-point favorites, reignited calls for Day’s job—calls that only quieted after the Buckeyes’ championship run. Athletic director Ross Bjork’s staunch support for Day, even amidst fan outrage, underscores the polarizing nature of his tenure. “Coach Day is awesome,” Bjork said, but for every Buckeye fan chanting his praises, another points to the Michigan albatross as disqualifying.
Meanwhile, other coaches like Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Penn State’s James Franklin, also in Connelly’s top five, have stayed relatively quiet, perhaps content to let the spotlight burn elsewhere. But the debate has exposed a deeper divide in college football: Is greatness defined by raw results or by overcoming adversity? Day’s critics argue that coaching at Ohio State, with its endless resources, is a golden ticket. Yet, Day’s defenders counter that the pressure of leading a program where anything less than a national title is failure is a unique challenge—one he’s met head-on.
As the 2025 season looms, with Ohio State facing a brutal schedule including Texas, Penn State, and Michigan, Day has a chance to silence his doubters. But for now, the college football world remains split, with Georgia, Notre Dame, and Tennessee leading the charge against ESPN’s bold claim. The question persists: If not Ryan Day, who else? The answer, it seems, depends on who you ask—and where their loyalties lie.
