Ohio State keeps Notre Dame from winning the college football national championship

The parties were back on top as Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34-23 to win the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night.

Ohio State has now won nine college football titles, tying them with USC for fourth all-time among the NCAA officially recognized championships.

It’s also the first title since the 2014 season, which marked the first College Football Playoff.

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Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after catching a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025 year. (IMAGN)

The Buckeyes have been a completely different team since losing to Michigan in their rivalry game. And after convincing wins over Tennessee (42-17), Oregon in the Rose Bowl (41-21) and Texas in the Cotton Bowl (28-14), Ohio State used their high-octane offense to power through past Notre Dame to win it all.

But this game was unlike previous wins at Ohio State during these playoffs, as the Fighting Irish really made a statement in an 18-play opener that scored more than nine minutes into the first quarter.

And it’s all thanks to the hard work of quarterback Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame offensive line.

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Leonard ran nine times for 34 yards and a score after a fourth-and-one at the Ohio State five-yard line. ESPN even reported that Leonard ran to the sideline, threw and stumbled a bit before sitting on the bench. He also appeared to tell teammates that he landed on the ball during one of his runs, which may have caused an upset stomach.

However, the tides of momentum quickly shifted in Ohio State’s favor as Will Howard and his group of talented gunslingers didn’t just answer, they took over when the ball was in their hands.

The next drive went 11 plays and 75 yards as freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith capped the drive with a perfect play call in which he acted like he was running after Howard on a pre-snap, but kept his feet on the ground and headed into the end zone with no one in sight. .

Not only did Ryan Day’s group tie the game, but the defense turned it up a notch as Notre Dame’s second and third drives resulted in back-to-back three outs. And the Buckeyes’ offense used that to their advantage, scoring two more touchdowns before the end of the first half.

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshawn Judkins (1) celebrates a touchdown by tight end Jay Scott Jr. (88) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta 20 January, 2025. (IMAGN)

Quinshawn Judkins, the explosive running back who splits time with TreVaion Henderson, scored both of those touchdowns, the first of which was a nine-yard run where he fought through several tackles to cross the line. Then, with 27 seconds left in the second quarter, he was wide open in the end zone when Howard made a throw that put the Buckeyes up 21-7.

And if that wasn’t enough, Judkins scored his third touchdown of the night on the first drive of the second half — a one-yard run that was set up by his 70-yard run on the second play of the half to immediately give the Buckeyes a first-and-goal.

Judkins finished the game with 100 yards on just 11 carries, along with two catches for 21 yards.

There was some concern for Ohio State, however, when Notre Dame cut the game to two points after Leonard found Jayden Greathouse for a 34-yard touchdown and converted the two-point attempt to make it 31-15.

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The concern stemmed from a fumble by Emeka Egbuka after going 24 yards on a catch and run. It was Ohio State’s first miscue since their Nov. 2 game against Pennsylvania.

Notre Dame used that turnover to drive downfield, and Leonard found himself knocking on the door until an incomplete pass to Greathouse made it fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State nine-yard line with 9:27 left in the game.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day celebrates after a touchdown by running back Quinshan Judkins during the first half of a college football national championship playoff game, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Bryn Anderson)

Given the score, you’d think head coach Marcus Freeman wanted to try his luck at another touchdown, but kicker Mitch Jeter and the SWAT team ran onto the field. And the interesting play backfired, as Jeter’s 27-yard field goal attempt flew wide of the left post – he caught it.

The game wasn’t quite over after the defense fumbled the punt, and Leonard was able to find Greathouse again, this time with a beautifully thrown ball and an even better 30-yard catch. Needing another two-point conversion, Jordan Faison took the pass and Ohio State seemed to sniff it out, but he threw it to Beau Collins for the go-ahead touchdown.

Currently in a one-score game, the Buckeyes had to dig deep with the Fighting Irish knowing the stop gave them a chance to complete the comeback.

Backing up on third-and-11, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly ran a gutsy deep pass from Howard to Smith, and despite the freshman not having a single reception in the second half, he nailed the dagger with a 57-yard catch to put the Bucky ball at the nine-yard line after the two-minute warning.

At that point, the Buckeyes could have run out the clock as the Fighting Irish used all of their timeouts and the celebration began.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates a touchdown with running back Quinshawn Judkins (1) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025 . (IMAGN)

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In the box score, Leonard was 20-for-29 for 240 yards with two touchdowns and also rushed for a team-high 40 yards on 17 carries with a score on the ground. Greathouse also had 11 yards on five receptions.

For the Buckeyes, Smith led the way with 89 yards on five receptions, while Egbuka caught six times for 64 yards. Howard finished the game 17-of-21 for 231 yards, and he also rushed for 57 yards on 16 carries.

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