Postgame Quotes vs. Minnesota
10/4/2025 10:27:00 PM | Football
Oct. 4, 2025 – Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Attendance: 105,114
Watch Ohio State Postgame Press Conference
Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach
On Julian Sayin's performance...
"You're seeing every week Julian [Sayin] play with more confidence, and we wanted to put more on his plate this week."
On the Ohio State receiving core...
"I can't say enough about Carnell Tate, Jeremiah Smith, Brandon [Innis] and Max Klare. All of these guys are very prideful, all of them want the ball and all of them have expectations. To see the unselfishness each week from a bunch of guys that just want to win, that's winning football in a day and age that there's a lot that's going on."
On the Buckeyes' pregame mindset...
"We believe that if we train harder than anybody else in the country and prepare harder than anybody else in the country, that it shouldn't matter who we play."
Julian Sayin, Ohio State quarterback
On Ohio State's offensive progress…
"We're not where we want to be as an offense yet. We're still growing and developing each and every day."
About the offense's preparation…
"Our practices every day are intense; we're playing against the best defense in the country. I think that the competition out there is just so intense that it brings out the competitive spirit."
Sonny Styles, Ohio State linebacker
On what is leading to the defense's success...
"I think we trained that way and in camp and in spring ball. Coach Patricia has kind of instilled that mindset into us, as we're always going out there, and we're going through as loving brothers. I think you see it out there when guys are making plays. You see guys that are more excited about other guys making plays. And that's just huge. It's just that we love each other. We love to see each other do well."
On what Coach Matt Patricia has done to elevate the defense...
"I would say the football knowledge side of it. I think guys are really starting to understand the game bigger. It's bigger than just understanding the play and understand your job, like understanding what's the offense trying to do here? What part of the defense are they trying to attack? What's their mindset going throughout the game and stuff and stuff like that."
On playing on this defense...
"Yeah, it's awesome. I think it's just exciting. We feel like we're on the attack, not that we're on our heels. We're on attack all the time. We know that the different looks we give to the offenses kind of keeps them on their heels, keeps them a little bit confused. It just feels good. I think we're all confident what we're doing. We all know our jobs. I think we're really just growing in terms of football."
On Coach Day's intensity...
"I think we've got a driving team, a little bit of an attitude to us, and I think Coach Day instills that. He's trying to make sure we're never complacent. Despite the success we have the last few games, we know what it feels like."
Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State cornerback
On if he's having fun this year...
"I'm having a lot of fun. I'm on the field more. So obviously it's become more fun for me and the team's getting close, especially after that Washington trip, going on a first road game, getting that win. I feel like that's important for us every day."
On what it's like playing on this defense...
"Yeah, our game's fun. It's an opportunity to go out there and showcase what we've been working on and put our preparation on display. Some people don't have the opportunity to do this. So we're just blessed to be out there and play the game."
On how he thinks the defense has become one solid group and how integral Coach Matt Patricia has been...
"That comes from all the tough times we went through in practice. The practices are harder than the game, so going through the weight room, training in the winter, going through ups and downs as a defense, I think it's just brought us closer together. And then even through the season, going through some of what you saw, where they brought it all the way down there and we had to get a stop. So just know we can do that. We've done it before. Just continually gives us confidence… He [Matt Patricia] just gives us confidence as a defense, we know we're about to run. We're situationally aware and I'm very appreciative to have him as a coach."
Carnell Tate, Ohio State wide receiverOn him and Jeremiah Smith making each other better…
"We're always pushing each other to make a better play. Also, we're all always pushing each other to get each other open. If [Jeremiah Smith] doesn't do his job, I can't get open. If I don't do my job, [Jeremiah Smith] can't get open."
On Bo Jackson making his first career start…
"Bo [Jackson] has been very impressive. [When the] ball is in his hands, he's electrifying. I'm proud of him – happy for him. I'm rooting for him all the way."
On the fulfillment he feels from this kind of game and getting the ball…
"Everyone's always excited when they get the ball. They make the play. All the feelings are there. The excitement is there. All high emotions are definitely there."
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota Head Coach
On Ohio State as a unit…
"They're really big, really powerful, and then they force you to put more people in the box, and then they throw it over your top with two first round draft picks. You're picking your poison. They know how people are going to defend them, and the minute you pick something, they go ahead and take what you're giving them, and they've got the playmakers to do it."
On the Ohio State defense…
"That's one of the best defenses I've ever seen in 13 years. But it's not just the players and the depth. That's exceptional. That's off the charts. That's some of the best I've seen. But it's the schematic pieces that make it so complex, where every single play is a different front structure, blitz structure, coverage structure.They've got really good players. They've got a really good scheme."
On playing Ohio State…
"It's like sharpening sword on iron. You got to make that thing sharper, and we have to be sharper, and that's a really good football team. We've got to grow and we've got to move on, so congratulations to Ohio State. You've got to give them a lot of credit."
On the Ohio State offense…
"I thought their quarterback played really well and threw the ball really well. The receivers caught the ball really well, they created separation. We couldn't get any pressure on the quarterback."
