Desmond Howard calls out Ohio State fans' 'psychotic obsession with Michigan' amid Ryan Day criticism

At Ohio State, Ryan Day lists three goals for each season – beat “The Team Up North,” win the Big Ten and win the national championship. Monday night, he’ll have a chance to do one of those in the title game against Notre Dame, but ESPN’s Desmond Howard pointed out the “psychotic obsession” some fans have with Michigan.

Howard praised Day and the job he’s doing in Columbus. Ohio State finished the regular season 10-2, including the loss in the season finale to the rival Wolverines, but rattled off three straight wins in the College Football Playoff to set up the national championship game against Notre Dame.

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Howard noted the opportunity Day has to quiet some of his critics in the Ohio State fan base. But when he took the job, Howard argued, Day knew what he was getting into with the importance of beating Michigan.

“I think Ryan Day is a really good coach – I think he’s a really good guy,” Howard said on College GameDay Monday night. “I think that some of the criticism that he’s gotten from his fan base, a segment of the fan base, is probably too much. But I mean, we understand exactly how they feel, the Ohio State fans, about the Michigan game and when you lose that game, you understand what comes along with that. What he deserves tonight is just part of the job, and he knew that before he took it.

“But he has a chance tonight to, I guess, just get rid of some of the fans who were on his case and guys who thought he should be fired. You can get those guys on his side tonight with a win in the national championship game against Notre Dame. You coached there, Coach [Nick Saban], you played there, Kirk [Herbstreit]. Fair or unfair, it is what it is. And they have a psychotic obsession with Michigan. As the head coach, you’re going to have to deal with that.”

Ohio State’s loss to Michigan marked its fourth consecutive defeat in the rivalry game, marking the longest such streak since the late 1980s and early 1990s. That led to questions about whether Day should keep his job considering Michigan improved to 7-5 with the win and Ohio State missed out on the Big Ten Championship.

But in the time since, the Buckeyes rattled off three straight dominant College Football Playoff victories to make their second national title game under Day’s watch. That’s why some, including ESPN’s Greg McElroy, argued Day deserves more praise than he’s receiving.

“I think pressure’s the best thing you can ask for as a coach,” McElroy said Monday on ESPN’s Championship Drive. “I think Ryan Day, victory or in defeat tonight, he has a remarkable future in Columbus. And I really believe that. He’s gonna win a lot of games.

“I’ll bet you anything, you tell me right now, will he win a championship in his tenure? It might not happen tonight, it might not happen the next couple years. He will win a championship. I really believe that.”