Lou Holtz Shades Ryan Day Ahead of CFP Title Game amid Rift with Ohio State Coach

One of the subplots of Monday's College Football Playoff national championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame is the apparent rivalry between current Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and former Fighting Irish head coach Lou Holtz.

Well, it appears as if Holtz will be in attendance in Atlanta.

He took to social media and responded to a clip of The Pat McAfee Show discussing whether he will be there and said: "If Notre Dame doesn't win, it's because we want to preserve Ryan Day's job. I was originally going to be at the game in spirit, but now I'll be dragging my body along as well."

Day turned heads last season when he called out Holtz for questioning Ohio State's toughness after the Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame:

It was a rather shocking postgame interview from Day, and his comment saying "I'd like to know where Lou Holtz is right now" became a template for plenty of online jokes and memes.

In fact, it was such a memorable development that Day was asked about Holtz leading into Monday's game. When asked whether he had reached out to the former Notre Dame coach and spoken since his postgame interview, he simply told reporters, "No."

It is in the Buckeyes' best interest if Day doesn't get distracted by the outside noise of the Holtz situation or try to prove his team's toughness once again with the play-calling just because the 88-year-old is in attendance.

His team is one win away from the national championship and redemption from what would have otherwise been a disappointing season that included a loss to rival Michigan and a failure to reach the Big Ten Championship Game.

Ohio State has looked unstoppable at times in the CFP with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, among others, flying around and making plays in an offense that has appeared far more creative than the one that played in a phone booth for extended stretches against the Wolverines.

If the Buckeyes can avoid being dragged into a sloppy, slow-paced, physical game like that, they'll have a great chance to win their ninth national championship in program history.

And perhaps then Day can focus on Holtz again with more postgame comments.