Head coach Ryan Day walks out onto the field before the No. 1 Ohio State-Wisconsin game Oct. 28. The Buckeyes won 24-10 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor

In its final NBC Saturday Night game of the season, Ohio State will host Michigan State Saturday at Ohio Stadium as both teams are coming off conference wins. 

The Spartans (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) have had a rocky 2023-24 season, which included the September firing of their former head coach Mel Tucker. They have since been under acting head coach Harlon Bennett, who has led his team to a 1-6 record. 

Saturday will be the first meeting between the Buckeyes and Bennett, who both won in week 10 against Rutgers and Nebraska, respectively.

For Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, he hopes to see improvement in his team this week and ultimately get the win come Saturday night. 

Here are updates from Day’s Tuesday press conference:

Fake punt? 

Punter Jesse Mirco faked a punt on a fourth-and-4 play in an attempt to keep the drive alive. After Mirco broke left, he was stuffed, handing the ball back to Rutgers on the Ohio State 32-yard line. 

Day was visibly upset from the sidelines and said that was unintentional and not a play he called. 

“The ball should have been punted,” Day said. “Never should have been run in that situation. So ultimately, I’m the head coach, and so it comes back on me, but it needs to be communicated better.” 

Moving forward, Day said he and special teams will work on clearer communication between coaches and players and making a “gray” situation black and white. 

McCord not graded out a champion

After every game, the coaching staff goes over the statistics and film for each player, and in 15 plays, each respective position coach “grades” them by looking at certain criteria.

If a certain player has an 80 percent or higher grade, they are listed as a “champion” on the week.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the football program would release a list of every player that graded out as a “champion,” however, they no longer do this, but Day is candid with his players’ performances when asked. 

Despite a solid game on the statistics sheet — 73 percent completion rate, 189 yards and three touchdowns — there was one column that spoiled junior quarterback Kyle McCord’s championship status. He threw an interception. 

“I thought, overall, he graded out well, but every time you throw an interception, turn the ball over, you’re not going to grade out that way,” Day said. 

On the season, McCord has 2,352 yards, 20 touchdowns and a 66 percent completion rate on 208 completions. 

Injury updates

Over the last few weeks, several players have gotten “bumps and bruises,” as Day said. 

Graduate linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, who played with two broken thumbs last season, coining him the nickname “Tommy No-Thumbs,” briefly went to the locker room with an arm injury in Saturday’s game at Rutgers. However, he later returned to the sideline. 

Day said he anticipates a full week of practice from him, and he’d “play with one arm” if it came down to it. 

Graduate safety Josh Proctor was hit hard in the head against the Scarlet Knights on a fumble-causing play, returned for a touchdown by junior cornerback Jordan Hancock. 

“I think he’s gonna be ready to roll here,” Day said. “We’ll keep looking at it, but tough player, tough player.” 

As for Devin Brown (lower body), Denzel Burke (undisclosed) and Lathan Ransom (undisclosed), the trio’s fate to return is up in the air. 

Day said Ransom will continue to be evaluated throughout the week, while he anticipates Brown and Burke to have full weeks of practice. Brown was available Saturday at Rutgers, but Day said it was situational — only bringing him in if absolutely necessary. 

Saturday’s game in the ’Shoe will kick off at 7:30 p.m.