The Ohio State Buckeyes were victorious against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during College Football’s biggest stage claiming their ninth total championship in school history. The Buckeyes, led by senior quarterback Will Howard, triumphed over The Fighting Irish with a final score of 34-23. Thanks to the efforts of freshman standout wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and defensive lineman Jack Sawyer the Buckeyes were able to dominate on both sides of the ball. With Ohio State’s most recent loss against the Michigan Wolverines to end the regular season the Buckeyes were looking to bounce back with vengeance. After the fourth straight loss to Michigan, Buckeye head coach Ryan Day’s job seemed to be on the line, however, Day silenced all doubts on college football’s biggest stage.
The Buckeyes started slow in the first quarter with zero points scored and seven points allowed, however in the second half, Ohio State exploded out the gate with a dominant performance on both offense and defense. The first score coming from an 8-yard passing touchdown to freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith was a promising sign. With the help of a precise passing game led by Will Howard and a dominant rushing performance from Quinshon Judkins the Buckeyes were able to extend their lead to 21-7 by halftime. Shortly after, the Buckeyes extended their lead to 31-7, seemingly stealing the national championship with dominant defense and stand out offensive play
Notre Dame, refusing to let down, bounces back scoring sixteen unanswered points, cutting the lead to eight points. However on the most crucial play of the game Will Howard connected with Smith with a 55-yard reception to seal the game on 3rd down. The big gain from Smith sealed the game with ending the long lasting national championship drought in which the Buckeyes had faced for the last decade.
Just a month ago Day’s future as Ohio State’s head coach seemed uncertain, with whispers and rumors spreading around peers and executives. After four consecutive losses to the wolverines, fans and alumni were outraged creating T Shirts with the phrase “Fire Ryan Day” and memes such as fake LinkedIn profiles for Ryan Day in search of new jobs. However, with what seemed like the entire fanbase against him Day persevered and delivered the Buckeyes a national championship for the first time in ten years. The victory secured Day’s legacy and job for years to come.
Ohio State’s dominant performance capped off their historic season delivering their ninth national championship, and redeeming head coach Ryan Day, whose job security had been in question. The win not only sealed Ohio State’s legacy atop of College Football but also caused a turning point in the program.
