In the end, there he stood.

As pepper spray filled the air and his players engulfed themselves in a wild post game skirmish with its most hated rival, Ryan Day stood emotionless and motionless, deep in his own complicated thoughts, somewhere far away from the action.

More than any single quarter or play, this is what we'll remember most about Ohio State's epic collapse to Michigan. Not the strange play calling, which plagued this team all 60 minutes. Not the inept offense, which failed to do much of anything at all. Not the various special teams' stumbles.

Not even the loss itself—a grotesque 13-10 defeat that will haunt this fan base for some time.

No, Day's expression amid chaos said everything. His paralysis was our paralysis, and the questions he undoubtedly asked himself during this fog—after putting together one of the best rosters in the sport in large part to the many millions of dollars dumped into this program—are the same questions many will be asking in the weeks ahead.

How can this possibly go on any longer?

The answer, at this point, seems obvious. And the conversation surrounding Day's future is likely to persist for the coming weeks and months.

For all the bad that took place—and we'll get to that—the season did not end on Saturday.

For as seismic as this loss was for the Buckeyes, they're still a College Football Playoff team regardless of what happens from this point forward.

It changes the equation, without a doubt. Ohio State could have won the Big ten and earned a bye with a win. At the very least, the Buckeyes seemed destined to host a playoff game. Now, all of that is in question as the sport moves on without them.

Somehow, despite the silver lining, it doesn't make the agony much less. Ohio State was nearly a three-touchdown favorite, playing at home against one of the worst Michigan teams in recent memory.

The offensive play calling was borderline inept, and the play wasn't much better. Quarterback Will Howard never looked comfortable, and a maligned offensive line didn't help much.

Every lever Day seemed to pull—including settling for two field goals that went wayward—seemed to backfire. And although the Ohio State defense did its part to keep this game close, it wasn't enough.

The final skirmish that occurred afterwards was a microcosm of the tension surrounding both the rivalry and Day's tenure. The head coach's response in the aftermath of the madness was that much more perplexing.

"I don't know all the details," Day told reporters. "But I know these guys were looking to put a flag on our field and we're not going to let that happen."

Placing the blame solely on Day would be unfair. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly didn't have his best day, either. The play on the field also was, well, uninspiring. A few straighter field goal attempts, and we're writing a different story.

The reality, however, is this conversation has become too normal for Ohio State's head coach, who is now 1-4 against Michigan, a game that serves as its own individual season for this fan base.

Day has lost this particular game four years in a row, doing so in four spectacular ways. Given the fact that Michigan lost its star head coach and many of its stars after last season—and that Ohio State had played its way into a great position after an early loss to Oregon—this one feels larger than most.

On the plus side, he's won a lot. Day's record of 66-10 is undeniably great. The issue is that the 10 losses have largely come against Michigan or in the College Football Playoff. Day is currently 1-3 in the postseason.

The end result is a situation that has grown increasingly toxic with each loss. Ohio State loaded up this offseason through the transfer portal, in large part to NIL. The many millions of dollars it spent was gathered to avoid this exact day and response.

Day was given the kind of support few coaches will ever have, even in this era. He was gifted a roster loaded with talent on both sides of the ball along with a coaching staff seemingly constructed for this opportunity.

While the season is not yet complete, it's hard to quantify what we've seen as anything but a tremendous disappointment. It's also hard to see a path forward for Day barring anything short of a national championship.

The disdain that has been building for years has reached the point of no return. For all the winning Day has done, the losses have been that bad. The moments have been that big.

Day will certainly get the opportunity to coach his team in the postseason. This much we know. What happens after that will depend on the games that transpire.

Maybe, just maybe, Ohio State will find its footing and win a national championship. The talent is certainly still in place to win more.

Anything less than that, however, should signify the end of Day's tenure with the school. In fact, many Ohio State fans would rather see this conversation end sooner than that.

The ending, at this point, feels inevitable. Perhaps the breakthrough is still to come, although the lasting image of Day on Saturday, amid madness, said everything that needs to be said.