Credit where it's due. Ohio State went into a hostile environment in South Bend and did what it needed to do in order to knock off Notre Dame to keep their national title hopes alive. It's probably the second-most impressive victory of the college football season to this point and the Buckeyes have more than earned the right to bask in the light.

Coach Ryan Day, whose first impulse upon seeing a walk-off touchdown in his favor was to harangue an 86-year-old man for rather innocuous comments, spoke at some sort of leadership event this week where he tried to reframe a 14-10 slugfest as some grand romantic gesture.

"The most romantic thing I’ve done for my wife in the last few months is beat Notre Dame last Saturday night," he said. "And that's the truth. You can ask her, I guarantee it. There ain't no dinner, no night out that she wants more than to win that game. I can promise you that right now. So that was a good night."

We're not here to judge. Whatever keeps the magic alive. You may not know it because of his jet-black hair and beard, but Day is 44 years-old. It's hard enough to go on date nights when you're not tasked with leading one of the sport's premiere programs. So whatever works.

This article was originally published on thebiglead as Ryan Day and Ohio State Beating Notre Dame Was the Height of Romance.