Ohio State’s College Football Playoff destination is the Cotton Bowl against the Winner of Texas A&M and Miami on December 31st at 7:30 pm EST.
The College Football Playoff bracket has been officially revealed, and Ohio State is the No. 2 seed after losing the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State awaits the winner of Texas A&M and Miami in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal.
Ryan Day met with the team at 1:00 pm this afternoon, then held a media availability in which he discussed the loss to Indiana and his team’s CFP fate.
Watch the full press conference here:
Ryan Day’s Press Conference | College Football Playoff Bracket Reveal https://t.co/ZywXedbpgt
— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) December 7, 2025
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day acknowledged the Buckeyes “were not at our best” in the loss to Indiana, pointing to issues across the board, including a lack of offensive balance, a costly turnover, five surrendered sacks, and poor third-down and red-zone execution. Day said he has had a “sick-to-your-stomach” feeling since the game and “didn’t sleep well,” emphasizing that neither coaches nor players performed to their standard.
Day reiterated that offensive coordinator Brian Hartline handled play-calling duties but stressed that the process is collaborative. He noted the increased preparation time before the next matchup should help Ohio State operate more efficiently. Hartline will spend part of this week in Florida as the staff finalizes plans for the coming weeks. Day also said, “Brian [Hartline] will be locked in when he’s here because he wants to finish the right way.”
Despite an early interception by quarterback Julian Sayin, Day said he was pleased with how the quarterback responded under pressure. While admitting he did not play well enough to win, Day insisted Julian’s performance “certainly wasn’t the issue.”
Looking ahead, Day said the focus is on responding “like men” and refusing to make excuses, with an emphasis on reaching “maximum speed and violence” by month’s end after a long layoff. He stressed that beating top-tier opponents requires all 11 players to do their jobs on every snap.
On being selected as the No. 2 seed, Day said the College Football Playoff committee recognized Ohio State’s full body of work. He expressed excitement about returning to Dallas for a matchup against Texas A&M or Miami, which Day called “two really good teams.”
Continue to stay tuned to The Silver Bulletin for more coverage on Ohio State’s journey in the College Football Playoff that will begin in the Cotton Bowl.
Blake Biscardi, a native of Pickerington, Ohio, is The Silver Bulletin’s Lead Reporter & Editor and the Creator & Host of the Saturday Cadence podcast, a national college football show. As a trusted voice on Ohio State, the Big Ten, and College Football Playoff since 2016, Biscardi is a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and a two-time Graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia.