Lou Holtz has never been shy about speaking his mind. His latest remarks on Ohio State are a prime example. Nearly two years after igniting a war of words with Ryan Day, Holtz once again cast doubt on the Buckeyes’ standing following their 14-7 win over No. 1 Texas.
The 88-year-old Hall of Famer explained Ohio State’s offensive struggles despite the marquee victory. “You remember me telling you, I don’t think Ohio State’s a great football team,” Holtz told Outkick. “When you’re at home and you’re outgained by well over 100 yards, you just can’t look at it and say, ‘OK, we’re great.’ They are 1-0 and that’s the objective, but they’re not a great football team. I would not be overwhelmed about facing Ohio State.”
Holtz did credit new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia for his efforts, but he framed the reigning national champions as a group still searching for consistency. His perspective comes from his own history. He noted that Michigan’s four-game winning streak in "The Game" is a black eye for Day and the Buckeyes. “Lord knows, Michigan better not beat Ohio State again.”
Lou Holtz on Ryan Day & Ohio State 👀
— OutKick (@Outkick) September 3, 2025
"They're not a great football team. I would not be overwhelmed about facing Ohio State... I wrote him a congratulatory letter but I never heard back from him."@dandakich @CoachLouHoltz88 pic.twitter.com/NuDOBMAvMq
Holtz is best known for his 11 seasons at Notre Dame where he led the Fighting Irish to a stellar 100-30-2 record (.765) and a perfect 12-0 record in 1988 to earn consensus national championship honors. Yet that was just one stop across 33 seasons for Holtz, who remains the only coach to lead six different teams to bowl games.
His latest critique reopens an old storyline. In 2023, Holtz questioned OSU's toughness before its win over Notre Dame. The comments triggered Day’s passionate defense in his postgame interview. Trust me, the Buckeyes or Day didn’t forget all the way to a title win over Notre Dame. Holtz insists he even sent Day a congratulatory letter that went unanswered.
The Buckeyes latest win vaulted them to No. 1 in both major polls, positioning them as college football's team to beat.
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