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ESPN Ranks Ryan Day as No. 2 Head Coach in College Football
On Friday, ESPN released its annual list of the top 10 head coaches in college football as ranked by a panel of a dozen analysts. Fresh off of claiming the latest National Championship for Ohio State, Ryan Day found himself ranked second overall on the list behind only Kirby Smart of Georgia.
2. Ryan Day
— ESPN (@espn) May 16, 2025
4. Marcus Freeman
7. Kalen DeBoer
Our college football reporters ranked the best coaches in college football for 2025 https://t.co/9z70wr2it5
Day did not receive any first place votes from any member of the panel, with all but one going to Smart. The only coach other than Smart to sit at the top of any panelist's list was Bill Belichick of North Carolina.
While Day finished as a comfortable second in the aggregate rankings ahead of Clemson's Dabo Swinney at third overall, one-quarter of the panel all had Day ranked at fourth on their lists. When asked to elaborate on such placement, ESPN senior writer Andrea Adelson relayed the following:
I think he should be docked for having a poor record against Michigan, the most important game on the schedule every year. He is 1-4 against the Wolverines and lost last season as a prohibitive favorite. The corresponding outrage from the fan base only died down after Ohio State won the national championship. That leads me to my second point. You might be thinking the national title is reason enough to have Day ranked higher. But in any other season, that Michigan loss would have ended the Buckeyes' season. They got a second chance only because of the newly expanded 12-team playoff. — Andrea Adelson, ESPN
Current Notre Dame head coach and former Buckeye linebacker Marcus Freeman finished fourth overall in the rankings. The head coaches at two of Ohio State's other College Football Playoff opponents — Steve Sarkisian of Texas and Dan Lanning of Oregon — ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. Penn State's James Franklin placed at eighth on the list.
Brian Kelly of LSU received the most votes from the panel among head coaches that did not earn a spot in the aggregate top-10 rankings. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti tied with Belichick for second name left off the list. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel each received three votes, while Iowa's Kirk Ferentz received one.
Notably, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore did not receive a single spot in the rankings from any member of the panel.
ESPN Will Launch a ~$30/Month Streaming Service in Fall
Last Tuesday, ESPN announced that it will debut a new streaming service in the fall season consisting of all the company networks under its brand with an additional unlimited option for $29.99 per month that includes events on ABC.
With the UFC deep in negotiations on a new broadcast rights deal, ESPN is launching its new streaming service for $29.99 per month this fall.
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 13, 2025
ESPN+ is being rebranded as ESPN Select at $11.99 per month. All details #UFC #ESPN https://t.co/aVaITWJ6cn
The company will also offer plans above even that of the unlimited level, including a $35.99 per month bundle with Disney+ and Hulu, though the first year will only cost subscribers $29.99 per month during the launch phase. A no-ads option will also be available at $44.99 per month as well as an annual plan with a $299.99 price tag. ESPN's current streaming offering — ESPN+ — will rebrand to "ESPN Select" and still make itself available at $11.99 per month.
Such a shift in product strategy comes with the intention to target consumers of digital media that have gradually shifted way from cable or satellite television packages. At the moment, most of the company's channels — such as ESPN, ESPN2 and others — require viewers to be a customer of a traditional television provider.
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro claims the launch of the new service will "redefine our business." The announcement of the move comes at an interesting time for the company as it navigates negotiations with the UFC for a potential renewal of a broadcast rights agreement. The current deal expires at the end of this year, and ESPN+ not only sees interest in the mixed martial arts promotion represent a significant portion of its subscriber base, but the service also hosts all of the brand's pay-per-view events.
Charles Woodson to Become a Cleveland Browns Owner
On Thursday, a report emerged that former Michigan defensive back and Fremont, Ohio native Charles Woodson plans to purchase a 0.1% stake in the Cleveland Browns.
Hall of Famer Charles Woodson is set to purchase a 0.1% stake in the Browns from the Haslam family.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) May 15, 2025
The sale is contingent upon Woodson agreeing to similar broadcasting restrictions to Raiders owner Tom Brady and removing his name, image and likeness from businesses he is pic.twitter.com/pNjwavk6ah
Forbes valued the Browns franchise at roughly $5.15 billion in 2024, which means the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner would pay roughly $5.15 million for his minority stake in the team. Such a number represents barely over five percent of the almost $98 million Woodson earned in player salary across his NFL Hall of Fame career that lasted nearly two decades.
The news of Woodson's purchase drew immediate comparisons to the move Tom Brady made with the Las Vegas Raiders that finally received league approval last year, and not just because both are Michigan men. Due to Woodson currently serving as an analyst for Fox Sports in a similar capacity to Brady, he will have to adhere to the same guidelines the NFL set for Brady last year that include a ban from visiting facilities of other teams and observing practices.
ICYMI
FOX Gets Ohio State's Opener Against Texas and The Game
At the top of the week, FOX announced that the network would once again broadcast The Game as well as the Buckeye football season opener against the Longhorns, with the latter as a dreaded noon game. Curiously, FOX Sports later removed the line about the opener serving as Big Noon Kickoff from its article. A few days later, Ohio 59th district representative Tex Fischer proposed a bill banning the Big Ten from scheduling almost all OSU football games at noon.
Carson Hinzman Set to Move into Leadership Role on Offensive Line
Now preparing for his fourth season in a scarlet and gray uniform, Hinzman prepares to return to his original position at center ahead of the next campaign as he takes over full-time for Seth McLaughlin. Dan Hope profiled Hinzman's thoughts on the subject as he considered how the adversity he has experienced so far has prepared him to lead his position group.
Matt Patricia Making an Early Positive Impression on Buckeye Defensive Personnel
After a disappointing tenure as Detroit Lions head coach that included several of his former players publicly celebrating his dismissal, Patricia's hire in wake of Jim Knowles' departure drew mixed reviews from Ohio State fans earlier this offseason. Those skeptical of the move will be happy to know that the Buckeyes under his tutelage already have many positive things to say about him and his coaching style just a few months into his time in Columbus.
What’s Next
- 104 Days: Buckeye football season opener vs. Texas
- 167 Days: Jim Knowles returns to Columbus
- 195 Days: The Game
