Ohio State won its sixth national title and first since 2014 by outlasting Notre Dame 34-23 in the College Football Playoff (CFP) championship game. The Buckeyes dominated most of the night, with quarterback Will Howard throwing for 231 yards and two scores.
The turning point came on third-and-11, when Howard dropped a long pass to receiver Jeremiah Smith, who was wide open and made an incredible catch in the corner of the end zone. Ohio State led 28-7 at halftime and never looked back.
Notre Dame staged a late comeback, trailing 31-7, but ultimately fell short. Coach Marcus Freeman’s team scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to make it a one-score game with only seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Despite being underdogs entering the game, Ohio State was the better team, outgaining Notre Dame 445 yards to 308. The Buckeyes’ victory marked their first national title since 2014 and brings an end to speculation about coach Ryan Day’s job security following a 13-10 loss to Michigan in November.
Day’s .873 winning percentage coming into the game was third among coaches with 50-plus games, and his team has dominated most of the playoffs. Ohio State will join a list of title-winning coaches, including Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Woody Hayes, and Paul Brown, who all won national titles under their leadership.
The Buckeyes’ victory also marks the first time the Big Ten has taken back-to-back titles since 1942. The team’s dominance in this year’s expanded playoff field has been a surprise to many, with Ohio State rolling through four games by an average score of 36-21.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/cfp-national-championship-ohio-state-notre-dame-1179b47b57053e9a237f98ca56ebe50d