Day succeeded Urban Meyer as coach in 2019 and has a 70-10 record. His .875 winning percentage is the highest among active coaches. He is one of only three active coaches – Smart and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney are the others – to have won national championships.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football has inked an agreement with coach Ryan Day, extending him through the 2031 season with an annual compensation of $12.5 million. He will become the nation’s second-highest paid head coach, pending an approval of the deal by OSU’s board of trustees.

Day, who earned just over $10 million in 2024, was under fire by fans and media after the Buckeyes lost to rival Michigan for a fourth straight year. Ohio State received an at-large spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff and posted impressive wins over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame for its first national title since 2014.