Ohio State Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is quickly catching up to Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart ahead of the College Football Playoff in terms of who the sport's best coach is.
That how CBS Sports' Chip Patterson views it, at least when it comes to the top two coaches in Smart and Day.
According to Patterson, Day could surpass Smart if the Buckeyes end up repeating next month.
"Like Kirby Smart, Day has a nearly impeccable résumé (82-11 overall) and is making his fifth College Football Playoff appearance. He's just missing that second title ring to match Smart in the debate for the sport's top coach, but the next six weeks could change that if the Buckeyes use the Indiana loss as fuel for a deep playoff run," Patterson wrote.
Another advantage Day has going for him is the fact the Big Ten can win its third national title in a row with the Buckeyes having two, arguably, creating a changing of the guard in the sport.
"The last 12 months have been pretty great for Ryan Day. While there's obvious disappointment in falling short with a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, Day has come a long way since entering last season's CFP fresh off the sting of a fourth straight loss to Michigan. Since then, he is 16-1 with wins over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, Notre Dame, Texas (again), Penn State, and -- most importantly -- Michigan," Patterson added.
The Buckeyes have also done more with less, and just saw their quarterback nearly win the Heisman Trophy in his first season as a starter.
"Day lost a bevy of NFL Draft picks from last year's team plus both coordinators, yet the 2025 Buckeyes have been one of the country's best from start to finish. This season has showcased the strength of Ohio State's development, and his hire of Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator mirrors the earlier addition of Chip Kelly -- another example of Day's ability to integrate high-level coaching talent into his program," Patterson wrote.
Should the Buckeyes repeat, though, the debate gets really interesting.
We will find out in a few weeks how true Patterson's position actually becomes. Right now, though, it's certainly a solid argument.