How much is Ohio State coach Ryan Day worth taking over in 2024?

It’s no secret that college football coaches make a lot of money from ridiculous contracts that sometimes make them the highest-paid public employees in their respective states.

When it comes to buyouts, the numbers are similar, as coaches are often owed millions of dollars when their school decides it’s time to part ways and fire the coach without cause.

So how much money would Ohio State have to pay Ryan Day if the Buckeyes wanted to fire their head coach?

Day — who has been the Buckeyes’ full-time head coach since the 2019 season — has the 17th-largest buyout among college football coaches in 2024, according to USA TODAY Sports’ salary and contract database. As of December 1, 2024, Day’s contract purchase price is $37,276,042.

That’s definitely not the biggest — Georgia’s Kirby Smart has the largest buyout at $118,083,333 — but still a big chunk of change if Ohio State ever decides to release Day.