Ohio State Fans Brush Off AD's Criticism, Break Into Ohio Stadium for Championship Celebration

Heading into Ohio State's championship game against Notre Dame, Buckeyes fans were already under fire for their treatment of head coach Ryan Day. 

After No. 2 Ohio State lost 13-10 against rival Michigan on Nov. 30, fans were calling for Day to be fired. Fans littered social media with hateful posts, leading Day to hire round-the-clock armed security after he and his family were harassed and threatened following the loss to the Wolverines. 

“I'm a friend of Ryan Day's; I hear things that he and his family go through,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said on “The Pat McAfee Show” back in December. “Especially Nina, his wife. His son, who gets death threats from multiple, multiple people. And what it's doing to them as a family.

“… When I hear that, it really frustrates me that he has to deal with putting an armed guard outside of his house 24/7 for his own fanbase. That hurts my heart that that is a reality for the Ohio State coach.”

The criticism was perhaps knee-jerk, as the Buckeyes went on to beat the Fighting Irish 34-24 in the national championship Monday night.

“There's no way he should go through the stuff, especially his family,” Bjork said Monday following the Buckeye's victory. “It's one thing to criticize play calling, but the personal stuff is uncalled for. And what I hope that people really take away from this is we have the best coach in the country.”

Despite their harsh criticisms of coach Day, Buckeyes fans didn't hold back with their celebrations. 

According to the New York Post, jubilant Ohio State fans broke into the university’s stadium in the frigid cold to celebrate after the Buckeyes beat the Irish. 

Fans also burned couches and other furniture in the streets of Columbus, prompting firefighters to respond. 

"Police are still working to monitor all areas of campus. The crowd at the stadium is dwindling. Police remain on site. At its peak, there were a few hundred on the field. No injuries or arrests at this time that I am aware of," OSU spokesman Dan Hedman told WOSU. 

Despite sub-zero temperatures, WOSU reported that hundreds of students took to the streets, prompting Columbus Division of Police to shut down North High Street near 14th Street across from the Ohio Union.

Most of the revelers cheered and danced in the street to the music from nearby bars. Some people climbed light poles and sat on top of Central Ohio Transit Authority bus stop shelters.