 |
| Quinshon Judkins scored three TDs and Will Howard completed his first 13 passes in the Buckeyes' College Football Playoff national championship game win over Notre Dame. |
Tue, Jan 21, 2025, 10:23 AM GMT+68 min read
Ohio State Claims National Championship with Victory Over Notre Dame
The Ohio State Buckeyes secured their spot in history as the first two-loss national champion in 18 years, defeating Notre Dame 34-23 on Monday night. While the Buckeyes dominated for much of the game, they had to fend off a late surge from the Fighting Irish to clinch the title.
After taking a commanding 31-7 lead early in the third quarter, Ohio State saw Notre Dame score 16 unanswered points. A 30-yard touchdown pass from Riley Leonard to Jaden Greathouse, followed by a successful two-point conversion, trimmed the Buckeyes' lead to 31-23 with 4:15 remaining. However, a critical third-down completion from Will Howard to standout freshman Jeremiah Smith helped seal the victory.
Notre Dame’s defense gambled on an aggressive man-coverage scheme, but Ohio State’s offensive line provided ample time for Howard to find Smith, who easily broke free for a long gain. Quinshon Judkins capped off his stellar performance with three touchdowns, solidifying his role as a key playmaker in Ohio State’s championship run.
A Tale of Two Halves
Notre Dame started strong with an 18-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Leonard's touchdown run, giving the Irish an early 7-0 lead. But Ohio State quickly flipped the script. Jeremiah Smith caught a wide-open touchdown pass to tie the game, and Judkins took over from there.
The Ole Miss transfer scored three consecutive touchdowns, including a six-yard reception just before halftime. That touchdown marked Judkins' second receiving score of the season and echoed Ohio State’s Cotton Bowl semifinal performance, where TreVeyon Henderson’s 75-yard screen pass helped break Texas' momentum.
The second half began with Judkins' one-yard touchdown run, set up by his electrifying 70-yard burst on the second play of the drive. Judkins finished the game with 100 rushing yards, his first 100-yard performance since Week 3 against Marshall.
Notre Dame's Comeback Falls Short
Trailing 28-7, the Irish struggled offensively. After their opening touchdown, Notre Dame managed just three yards over three possessions in the first half. A failed fake punt early in the third quarter—when a pass from backup quarterback Steve Angeli slipped through the hands of Jordan Faison—summed up their frustrations.
Despite these setbacks, Notre Dame showed resilience in the fourth quarter. An Emeka Egbuka fumble in Ohio State territory gave the Irish a spark, but head coach Marcus Freeman’s decision to attempt a field goal on fourth-and-goal from the nine-yard line backfired. Kicker Mitch Jeter missed the kick, and the Irish remained down 16 points.
Notre Dame did close the gap with another Greathouse touchdown, but it was too little, too late against a Buckeyes team that controlled the tempo for most of the night.
Ohio State’s Redemption Arc
For Ohio State, the 2024 season was a "championship or bust" campaign following the disappointment of 2023, which ended with a loss to Michigan and a missed playoff berth. Star players like Henderson, Jack Sawyer, and Denzel Burke returned for another shot at glory, while transfers like Judkins and quarterback Will Howard provided a spark.
The addition of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator added a new dimension to Ryan Day’s offense, but the regular season was far from smooth. The Buckeyes lost a thriller at Oregon and suffered their fourth consecutive defeat to Michigan, sparking questions about Day’s future.
Yet, the Buckeyes found their stride in the postseason. They dominated Tennessee in the playoff opener, exacted revenge on Oregon in the Rose Bowl, and overcame early struggles to dispatch Notre Dame in the championship game.
Ohio State’s victory not only ended an 18-year drought for two-loss champions but also reaffirmed its place among college football’s elite. For Day, the triumph silenced doubts and solidified his legacy as one of the sport’s top coaches.
0 Comments