Paul Finebaum stresses importance of Ryan Day beating Michigan in 2023

Paul Finebaum stressed that Ryan Day has to beat Michigan when Ohio State heads to Ann Arbor this season.

The ESPN radio host was adamant that the school should not fire Day but the hot seat could come if Day loses to the Wolverines for the third straight year. That’s not so different than the pressure on Jim Harbaugh prior to Michigan beating Ohio State the last two years.

But 2023 is different, and Day needs this one over Michigan badly.

“I didn’t say I think Ryan Day is on the hot seat,” Finebaum told Matt Barire on ESPN’s YouTube channel. “I said if he loses to Michigan according to some people, pretty important phrase there I use, he will be on the hot seat. Matt, I know you have better things to do and read Twitter all weekend but I don’t and I saw on countless websites: ‘Finebaum says Ryan Day on the hot seat, stupid take of the year.’ 

“Well, what does that mean? That means that the media out there is just desperate for a big story and that is a big story.”

Michigan-Ohio State, along with Alabama-Auburn, is arguably the biggest game in college football. Especially to those in Ann Arbor or Columbus.

A 1-11 season would be awful, but if that one win was against your rival, that’d be a bigger win than almost anything.

But Day knows the Michigan game means a lot this year, considering the elevated expectations of the Wolverines and Buckeyes.

“That game does matter,” Finebaum said. “And I frankly think they are going to exceed even the expectations that they had this year for all the reasons that you’ve laid out. But you can’t really move a program forward at a level like Ryan Day has done and lose again to your biggest opponent. By the way I’m not suggesting he gets fired.

“That is absurd. I mean, what is he, still in single digit losses? He’s played for a championship and been to the playoffs a few times.” 

While Finebaum isn’t exactly saying it in terms of hot seat and he’s going to get fired if he loses, that take won’t go away regarding Day and the matchup with Michigan.

“You and I don’t control the narratives out there and we can help the narrative,” Finebaum said. “You can’t give a take anymore about Ryan Day without somebody misinterpreting it, but I’m an adult, I get it. I brought it up but nobody forced me to use the word hot seat. But it won’t be the last time you hear that take.”