Michigan beat Ohio State for a third straight year and won the national championship last season, but Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day doesn't think the Wolverines' recent success has put extra pressure on his team's 2024 campaign.
"I don't think any year you're any more or less motivated," Day said on "The Joel Klatt Show." "I think every year, every team is a little bit different. But to say that those games haven't stung, of course they have. Those are bad weeks in Columbus when you don't win that game."
Day has posted a 53-8 record since being named Ohio State's full-time head coach prior to the 2019 season. However, the 45-year-old is only 1-3 against Michigan. The Buckeyes won eight straight against their archrival from 2012-19 but have since lost three in a row, putting Day under pressure despite his solid overall record.
"Whether it's the guys deciding to come back, whether it's about making strong decisions in those moments, I can say that you have to figure out what needs to get fixed to win that game," Day added. "That's the bottom line and that's what we did."
Ohio State enters the new season with one of the nation's best rosters after upgrading its squad in the transfer portal with the arrivals of safety Caleb Downs, quarterback Will Howard, and running back Quinshon Judkins, among others.
Day is embracing the pressure to deliver once again.
"C.J. Stroud says it the best. He says, 'Pressure is a privilege.' That means you're relevant. And that's kind of the way I've always lived my life," Day said.
The Buckeyes, who kick off their season Aug. 31, are scheduled to face Michigan on Nov. 30 at Ohio Stadium.
