Paul Finebaum Blasts a Major College Football Head Coach for Another 'Choke Job'

The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes suffered the biggest comeback loss for an AP No. 1 team in college football history on Saturday.

Ohio State Blows 20-Point Fourth Quarter Lead to Texas

The Buckeyes dominated the No. 4 Texas Longhorns on the road through three quarters. The Buckeyes looked like they were heading toward a statement win. Ohio State led 23-3 entering the fourth, but was outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter to lose 24-23.

The Buckeyes still outgained the Longhorns 372-336. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had a stellar performance. He finished the game with eight catches for 164 yards and one score. Quarterback Julian Sayin completed 17-of-32 passes for 278 yards, one score and one interception.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day looks to the scoreboard during the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Blasts Ryan Day After Ohio State's Historic Collapse

The collapse immediately put Ryan Day under the microscope. ESPN's Paul Finebaum appeared on "The Matt Barrie Show" and acknowledged that Day has plenty of accomplishments, but he questioned why another major game had ended with Ohio State failing to close.

"There is a lot about him to like, and then there's a lot about him that I've been questioning," Finebaum said. "We're talking about one of the three or four best coaches in the country. I don't know how that happened. There's no excuse for it. I hate to call it what it is, but it's another Ryan Day choke job."

Day seemed to have put these demons to bed with his national championship run in 2024, that saw him when four playoff games. However, last year the Buckeyes were No. 1 for much of the season before losing to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Miami Hurricanes in Ohio State's first playoff game. Now, you add this loss and the questions are back.

Day Now Faces More Questions After Another Brutal Loss

Finebaum's criticism is especially damaging because Ohio State had controlled nearly the entire game before completely losing its grip in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes were unable to sustain drives offensively, while Texas repeatedly extended possessions and eventually turned a 20-point deficit into one of the most memorable wins in program history.

The loss does not end Ohio State's season or its College Football Playoff hopes, but the manner of the defeat matters. The Buckeyes entered the season with championship expectations, and Day now has another high-profile collapse attached to his résumé. Ohio State will have opportunities to respond, but until it proves it can finish games like this, the questions surrounding Day in the biggest moments are not going away.

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