COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Punt to win.
In Ryan Day's football life, that phrase hasn't exactly held a prominent place. Consider that Day played quarterback for Chip Kelly at New Hampshire, oversaw the nation's highest scoring offense last year at Ohio State and has earned a reputation as a fourth-down swashbuckler.
But three times on Saturday, Ohio State punted on the types of fourth-and-short situation where Day may have felt compelled in the past to take a gamble. Most notably, Ohio State punted on a fourth-and-2 from their own 38 while trailing Notre Dame, 10-7, in the third quarter.