Nick Saban criticizes Ohio State fans for negativity around Ryan Day, Buckeyes | Sporting News

Ohio State entered the season with a championship-or-bust mentality after loading up in the offseason.

While the Buckeyes still have a chance to meet that goal, the season hasn't played out the way many fans expected.

A narrow road loss to Oregon could be explained away the top-ranked Ducks enter the playoff at 13-0, so there isn't much shame in losing that game on the road but a devastating upset defeat at the hands of rival Michigan in November set any good feelings surrounding the program ablaze.

The result is a bizarre dynamic.

Ohio State still has a chance to win a title after earning a top-eight seed in the College Football Playoff, but enthusiasm from fans is low and some are still calling for coach Ryan Day's job.

Ahead of the Buckeyes' playoff matchup with Tennessee, Nick Saban explained why he thinks that mentality is entirely wrong.

BENDER: For some OSU fans, beating Michigan supersedes a national title SN's PLAYOFF HQ: Live CFP scores | Updated CFP bracket | Full CFP schedule What did Nick Saban say? Saban said on ESPN's "College GameDay" that Ohio State fans are only hurting the program by perpetuating negativity about Day and the team.

"I understand the fans aren't part of the team," Saban said, "but they shouldn't have any higher expectations for the team than the players themselves." Saban described his own experience at Alabama as being similar to Day's, explaining, "I sat in that seat for 17 years.

People thought we should win every game we played." Coach Saban gets REAL talking about fans and social media #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/tWoyP2ZoQa Alabama won six national championships under Saban, which gave him the benefit of the doubt after the occasional loss to rival Auburn.

Day hasn't won a national title in his six seasons at Ohio State, and his only national championship game appearance was a loss to Saban and the Crimson Tide.

MORE: Latest weather updates for Ohio State vs.

Tennessee Still, Saban doesn't approve of the dissatisfaction he's hearing from Ohio State fans.

"People that create a negative atmosphere, regardless of circumstances," Saban said, "only hurt their chances of being successful." Saban spoke explicitly about the Buckeyes' rivalry game loss, arguing, "If Ohio State wants to beat Michigan, they need to be positive about the coach and the players.

Theres nobody who wants to beat them worse than the players and the coaches.

No.

2, they have an opportunity to win the national championship.

Everybody oughta be supporting the hell outta them so they have the opportunity to do it and quit all this negative bulls---." If negativity from fans breeds losses, Ohio State could be in trouble against Tennessee.

Fans are still split on Day, at best, and it might take a win over Oregon in the quarterfinals to quiet the noise surrounding his future.

SN 2024 All-America team Player of the Year: Travis Hunter Coach of the Year: Curt Cignetti.

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