BLOCKBUSTER BREAKING: Ryan Day Pushes Back—Calls for Four Guaranteed Big Ten Playoff Spots, Says Ohio State ‘Deserves the Full Share’ in New CFP Era

In a bold and attention-grabbing stance that has already lit a fire under the college football world, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has publicly called for the Big Ten to receive four guaranteed College Football Playoff (CFP) berths under the sport’s expanded 12-team format. Day, who has never shied away from fighting for his team’s status among the national elite, argued that anything less would be a “disservice” to the strength, depth, and power of the newly configured Big Ten—a conference that now boasts 16 teams after a series of major realignment moves.

Speaking to reporters during a recent media availability, Day didn’t mince words: “This is the strongest, deepest conference in college football right now. If the playoff is about putting the best teams in, then the Big Ten needs four spots—locked in. Period. And Ohio State deserves one of them.”

The CFP is expanding from four to twelve teams starting this season, ushering in a new era with increased opportunities—but also new uncertainties. Under the current setup, the top six conference champions get automatic bids, while six at-large teams are selected by a committee. But in this era of superconferences, traditional conference lines are blurring, and the power balance is shifting fast.

The Big Ten’s latest expansion includes marquee programs like USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington—giving the league not just size, but overwhelming strength from coast to coast. According to Day, the Big Ten’s competitiveness should make it the primary beneficiary of the expanded playoff structure.

The SEC has been getting multiple spots for years, and rightly so,” Day said. “But now, with what we’ve built in the Big Ten, we should be getting at least as many—if not more. Four should be the baseline, and anything less is a slap in the face to what this conference represents.”

For Day, this isn’t just about conference pride—it’s about making sure Ohio State gets the respect it deserves in a system that’s still evolving. The Buckeyes have been a mainstay in the playoff conversation since its inception in 2014. They’ve appeared five times and won the first-ever CFP national title under Urban Meyer. Day has continued that legacy, reaching the playoffs three times and coming agonizingly close to a title in the 2022 season.

But the fear among many Big Ten coaches, Day included, is that the committee could be overly influenced by the SEC’s longstanding dominance or by metrics that undervalue the difficulty of playing in a top-heavy, deep conference.

“Look, we went toe-to-toe with Georgia, we’ve beaten Clemson, we’ve played Alabama,” Day reminded reporters. “We’ve proven that we’re a top-tier program. We shouldn’t be left sweating it out on Selection Sunday just because the Big Ten is beating up on itself. That’s not fair to our players, or to the fans.”

Predictably, Day’s comments have drawn both praise and pushback across the college football landscape. Some analysts agree that with the new-look Big Ten essentially forming a mini-NFL within the college game, it deserves multiple locked-in spots. Others argue that no conference should have guaranteed multiple playoff spots, no matter how strong its membership may be.

Paul Finebaum, never one to back down from an SEC-versus-everyone debate, shot back on his show: “Ryan Day wants four playoff spots? That’s cute. The Big Ten just added some West Coast sizzle, but let’s not pretend it’s the SEC just yet. You’ve got to earn it, not demand it.”

Still, many in the Big Ten see Day’s argument as a rallying cry—a call to ensure their growing league doesn’t get shortchanged in a system still dominated by southern biases and media narratives.

The College Football Playoff committee has not announced any intent to grant fixed spots to any one conference, and they continue to insist that selections will be based on rankings, metrics, and the overall body of work.

But with power brokers like Ryan Day now applying public pressure, and with TV contracts, ratings, and revenue all potentially favoring high-stakes Big Ten matchups, the structure could be tested sooner than later.

For now, Day is focused on the upcoming season. “We control what we can control,” he said. “We’ll play anybody, anywhere, anytime. But we want a fair shot, and we believe the Big Ten—and Ohio State—has earned that.”