Leave no doubt. That was the theme Ryan Day chose for his sixth team as Ohio State’s head coach, hoping to reach the mountaintop. It’s an oh-so-simple concept that’s evaded him so often in an OSU career that’s seen him do practically everything but.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day faced criticism after the team's loss to Michigan. He and the Buckeyes drowned that out with a national championship win.

Those narratives seem silly now, even preposterous. That loss to Michigan at The Horseshoe feels like an eternity ago.