Ryan Day wasn’t fooling around at Skull Session on Saturday.

This is the College Football Playoff, Day has been getting criticism for underachieving in key spots at Ohio State, and the Buckeyes’ season will be on the line on Saturday night at the Horseshoe against Tennessee.

With all that in mind, Day let loose during Ohio State’s passionate game day tradition. He took the microphone and unleashed the way Buckeyes fans can only hope his players do against the Volunteers.

“Not much more needs to be said. One thing matters. Beat Tennessee. Period,” screamed Day to the roaring cheers from the crowd at the venerable St. John Arena. “These are proud men in front of you. Some damn proud men … who are going to do it one way, by swinging and swinging and swinging.”

Skull Session has become a staple in Columbus, and on Saturday there was no more dramatic Skull Session to be had, with Ohio State playing for another shot at top-seeded Oregon in the Playoff quarterfinals on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl.

After Day said — or yelled — what he needed to say, it was onto Ohio Stadium, where the 9th-seeded Volunteers and 8th-seeded Buckeyes will clash in Saturday’s primetime showdown at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.