The 2024 college football season has been a roller coaster from the jump and it’s finally over. With a 34-23 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, The Ohio State Buckeyes are crowned National Champions for the ninth time in program history. It was a year of explosive plays, elite defense, and inexplicable losses. In the end, the scarlet and gray confetti rained down on the field at Mercededs-Benz Stadium.
There will be discussions of where the 2024 Buckeyes stack up against past champions. Whether or not the conversations are in good faith, it’s apparent that this team’s biggest weakness in the 2024 season was itself. As a result, the losing streak to Michigan continued. However, for the first time in history, the loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game has been crowned champion.
The road was tough and could be considered the toughest in history. With the win over Notre Dame, Ohio State owned wins over six of the top eight teams in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Those two teams were, of course, Georgia and Ohio State. The Buckeyes beat Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Tennessee, Penn State, and Indiana. Now, despite all of the calls for his job and the unenviable consistent pressure, Ryan Day joins Dabo Swinney and Kirby Smart as the only active National Championship-winning coaches. In Ohio State history, Day becomes the fifth Buckeye head coach to win a title, joining Paul Brown, Woody Haynes, Jim Tressel, and Urban Meyer.
Ohio State Wins the National Championship, 34-23
A Clashing of Styles
The offenses of Ohio State and Notre Dame could not be more different. The Buckeyes were explosive throughout the CFP whereas the Irish were more methodical. That continued in this one.
Notre Dame opened the game with a slow, efficient drive with an 18-play, 72-yard touchdown drive that hemorrhaged 9:45 of the clock. Then, the Buckeyes responded. And responded. And responded.
Ohio State’s offense scored on each of the first five drives it held the ball, scoring four touchdowns and a field goal. After allowing that game-opening touchdown, the Buckeyes rattled off 31 unanswered points.
The Buckeyes came into this one with an offense predicated on big plays. Despite trading body blows, it was more of the same. The Buckeyes managed seven completions of 15 or more. On the ground, Ohio State broke through for six runs of 10 or more.
Defense Wins Championships
This game pitted the two best-scoring defenses against one another. With the final whistle, neither defense was able to hold the opponent to fewer points than its season average.
However, Ohio State’s defense smelled blood after getting smacked in the mouth from that first drive. After the touchdown, Notre Dame managed just 11 yards over the next four drives.
It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Irish were able to get anything going, conveniently aided by a few defensive penalties.
Despite the late success, Notre Dame was only able to amass 308 yards as compared to Ohio State’s 445.
When it mattered, however, the Irish did not go away. After being left out to dry by the offense attempting a futile fake put, it stiffened up and forced a field goal and a punt on subsequent drives. Those stops resulted in three long offensive drives for 14 unanswered points (and a missed field goal).
Made Them Sweat
After scoring 31 unanswered, the Buckeyes led 31-7 with 7:52 to go in the third quarter. Then, Emeka Egbuka, the program’s leader in career receptions, fumbled it. On the next drive, the Buckeyes punted. Notre Dame then scored.
On the final drive, Ohio State ran three times and it looked like Day and Kelly were “turtling.” Tweets of Ohio State’s triumph were frantically being erased and millions of glutes were being clenched. Then, on third and eleven with little-to-no momentum, Notre Dame sold out, played man coverage, and Jeremiah Smith made them pay with a back-breaking 56-yard reception.
The Buckeyes were running away with the game, much like Alabama did to them back in 2021. However, Notre Dame could not and would not be put away. Marcus Freeman’s squad fought an uphill battle for all 60 minutes and showed his and his team’s mettle. Despite this result, the Irish will be back as long as Freeman is heading up the charge.
Money Well Spent
Much has been made about Ohio State’s alleged $20 million roster. Whatever that NIL figure truly is, it was money well spent.
The Buckeyes were able to retain NFL-bound players like Jack Sawyer, Jaylahn Tuimoloau, and Tyleik Williams on defense and they stepped up for eight combined tackles. Tuimoloau shined yet again and added a pair of tackles for loss and a massive fourth-quarter sack.
Quinshon Judkins was the star of the show on offense. Despite Will Howard’s efficient day, passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns while completing 81 percent of his passes, Judkins put the team on his back. He ran the ball 11 times for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Ole Miss transfer kicked off the second half with a 70-yard run and was ultimately caught from behind. He also added a touchdown catch off a Howard scramble drill and was wide open in the end zone.
Then, with all of the focus on the kicking game and how sub-par it has been for the Buckeyes over the last few years, Jayden Fielding knocked through a 33-yard field goal with 26 seconds to go in the game to put it out of reach.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are national champions.
Now, there are 222 days until Week 1 at home against Texas and 313 days until a trip to Ann Arbor to right the ship against That Team Up North.
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