Ryan Day responds to Kirk Herbstreit comments about Ohio State hearing boos at home
Kirk Herbstreit wondered out loud during ESPN’s College Football Playoff selection show on Sunday if Ohio State’s home playoff game in the first round would be a blessing or a curse.
The eighth-seeded Buckeyes (10-2) got the final home spot in the first round of the new 12-team playoff bracket and will host No. 9-seed Tennessee (10-2) on Saturday, December 21 (8 p.m. Eastern Time, ABC/ESPN) at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing for the home team is to be determined.
“After the way the Ohio State season ended against Michigan, I don’t know if it would have been better for Ohio State to go on the road,” Herbstreit said, referring the 13-10 home loss to Michigan, which entered the game unranked and a three-touchdown underdog, “to get away from their home crowd that will be booing after their third down not converting and their punter comes out. Booing Ryan Day.”
Tennessee opened as 7.5-point underdog at Ohio State
Michigan shut Ohio State out in the second half at Ohio Stadium on November 30 and held the Buckeyes to just 252 yards, including just 77 rushing yards on 26 attempts.
Ohio State entered the game eyeing a trip to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis and a rematch with No. 1 Oregon, which beat the Buckeyes by one point at Autzen Stadium earlier this season.
Ohio State opened as a 7.5-point favorite against Tennessee on Sunday afternoon, not long after the College Football Playoff bracket was announced.
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“They’ll have to rally and have a good start to the game,” Herbstreit said, “or it can turn sideways with the home crowd.”
Ryan Day on the possibility of hearing boos at home: ‘We’re used to it’
Day was asked about Herbstreit’s comments during his press conference later on Sunday.
“Well, that happens sometimes on a three-and-out anyway, so we’re good,” Day said. “We’re used to it. No. I mean, we’re fired up to be at home. We can’t wait to be at home.
“It’s gonna be a great atmosphere, and our guys are fired up to go finish the season with a win in Ohio Stadium.”
If anything, Day sounded confident while previewing the matchup with Tennessee.
“Getting this first win will be critical in building momentum as you head into the teeth of the playoffs,” Day said. “And when you look at tournament play, you look at playoffs, we all know that that first game is very, very important.”
