With Ohio State’s aspirations of repeating as national champions officially over in the wake of their Cotton Bowl loss to Miami on Wednesday night, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day is in reflection mode — and star safety Caleb Downs, who’s a potential top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, should he declare, is on Day’s mind.
“What Caleb Downs has done for Ohio State and does every day, most of it you see is on the field, but what I see is off the field. He’s a special young man who has done a lot for this program. I’ll forever be in debt for what he’s done for us,” Day said about Downs after the game.
“Not only his play, but what he stands for off the field. Who he is, his family. He’s tremendous. He played his tail off tonight, and nobody hurts more than he does [about this loss].”
Downs completed the 24-14 Cotton Bowl loss with seven solo tackles and 10 mixed tackles.
A consensus five-star recruit, Downs performed his 2023 freshman season at Alabama, which noticed him reel in two interceptions, log an SEC-high 70 solo tackles, 107 mixed tackles and in addition run again a punt for a landing. Downs then transferred to Ohio State for the 2024 season after Alabama head coach Nick Saban retired.
Over his two seasons in Columbus (2024-25), Downs averaged two interceptions and 75 mixed tackles per season and returned a punt for a landing in 2024. This season, Downs tallied two pressured fumbles and one sack on a Buckeyes’ protection that ranked first in college football in opponent passing yards (129.7 per recreation) and was third in the identical defensive class final season.
Ohio State, which went 12-0 within the common season, misplaced its final two video games, beforehand shedding to Indiana within the Big Ten Championship, 13-10.
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