The drought is over.
Any doubts about Ryan Day, Ohio State and his inability to win on the biggest stage may disappear.
With a 34-23 win over No. 7 seed Notre Dame on Monday, the No. 8 seed Buckeyes held off a slow comeback from the Fighting Irish after Ohio State built and won for the ninth time in program history. They won their first national championship since 2014. Although he had an overwhelming lead, he almost lost track of the race.
“This is a great story of guys who just overcame some really tough situations,” Day said after the game. ”
Ohio State defeated Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas to advance to the national championship in the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, giving Notre Dame an 18-play lead before the game started. It took almost 10 minutes. As the clock struck, the Buckeyes exploded for 31 straight points.
Will Howard completed his first 12 passes and the Kansas State transfer threw touchdowns to star wideout Jeremiah Smith and running back Quinshon Judkins in a near-perfect opening 30 minutes. He set a CFP championship record.
Judkins also rushed for a touchdown and finished the game with 100 rushing yards on 11 carries.
Howard completed 17 of 21 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns, but attempted just six passes and completed three in the final 30 minutes.
But Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and, perhaps more importantly, added two two-point conversions to give Ohio State the win and an eight-point lead before celebrations began in Atlanta. It came close.
Howard connected with Smith for 56 yards on a crucial third-and-11, extending the Buckeyes' final drive and putting them in field goal range, not allowing Notre Dame to get the ball back with a chance to tie.
“It was do-or-die. It was a knockdown like that,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said of Smith's exit. “He's a hell of a player. It's hard to cover him.”
