By Eddie PellsThe Related Press
ATLANTA — As an alternative of crying over one other collapse, Ohio State can rejoice one other nationwide title after holding off a Notre Dame comeback bid Monday night time to stroll away with a nailbiter of a 34-23 victory over the Preventing Irish.
Will Howard hit big-play receiver Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards on a late third-and-11 to lock down a recreation that had been a laugher, then was one thing else.
Trailing 31-7, Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to make it a one-score recreation late within the fourth quarter.
The Irish stopped Ohio State on the primary two performs of the following drive and used their timeouts. However on third down, Howard discovered Smith in single protection on the proper sideline and dropped his finest cross of the season into the palms of the second-team All-American.
“They were running man coverage and I said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna let this loose and let him make a play on it,’” Howard stated.
It arrange a subject objective that began the celebration in earnest (and helped Ohio State cowl the 8 1/2-point unfold at BetMGM Sportsbook). And it closed out a seven-week climb from the depths of a program-shaking loss to 20-point underdog Michigan to the highest of school soccer after this, the debut of the game’s 12-team playoff.
Ohio State will convey its sixth “natty” and first because the 2014 season again to the Horseshoe in Columbus.
“It’s a great story about a bunch of guys who have just overcome some really tough situations, and with the point where there’s a lot of people that counted us out (they) just kept swinging and kept fighting,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day stated.
Howard, a transfer-portal success story from Kansas State, threw for 231 yards and two scores, however nothing will beat the cross to Smith with all the pieces on the road.
The receiver, who had been bottled up by Texas within the semifinals then pretty quiet for many of this recreation, lastly bought free for the form of play he’s been making all yr. He completed with 5 catches for 88 yards.
Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first 4 possessions, then added a subject objective on its fifth.
When Quinshon Judkins (100 yards, 11 carries, three TDs), a switch from Mississippi who highlighted Ohio State’s considered use of the ever-growing portal, busted a 70-yard run to arrange the rating that made it 28-7, this recreation appeared over.
It wasn’t, and now Irish coach Marcus Freeman should reply a couple of robust questions — one in regards to the failed pretend punt within the third quarter that was a subject objective for a 31-7 lead; the opposite about sending Mitch Jeter in for a brief subject objective try whereas down 16 and going through fourth-and-goal from the 9. It may need appeared like a greater name had Jeter’s kick not clanged off the left upright.
Actually, although, Ohio State was the higher crew. The Buckeyes outgained Notre Dame 445 yards to 308. Howard accomplished his first 13 passes and by no means actually bought stopped. Ohio State punted a grand complete of as soon as.
The Buckeyes rolled by means of 4 video games within the new, expanded playoff — what nice timing for Ohio State, which didn’t even play for the Huge Ten title — by a mean rating of 36-21.
Ohio State was seeded eighth within the match, however the seedings have been just about meaningless. The more serious seed received each recreation within the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, and the Buckeyes dominated on this title-game showdown of No. 7 vs. No. 8.
It places to relaxation, for now, any angst about that 13-10 Michigan loss in November — Ohio State’s fourth straight within the collection — that ended with a brawl after Wolverine gamers tried to plant a flag at midfield. The entire scene left lots of people, each out and in of Buckeye circles, pondering Day, in his sixth season, had outlived his usefulness on a campus that hadn’t tasted a title in a decade.
As an alternative, he’s on a listing of title-winning coaches with City Meyer, Jim Tressel, Woody Hayes and Paul Brown. Additionally, Day’s .873 profitable share is third amongst coaches with 50-plus video games — one spot behind none apart from the Notre Dame legend Knute Rockne, himself.
Faculty soccer nonetheless has by no means had a Black coach win the nationwide title. Freeman was attempting to turn out to be the primary.
As an alternative, one other form of historical past. This marked the primary time the Huge Ten has taken back-to-back titles since 1942. Final yr’s champion was Michigan, which was sitting residence watching this one, however nonetheless performed a particular position in a Buckeyes redemption story hardly anybody noticed coming.
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Initially Revealed: January 20, 2025 at 8:45 PM PST
