The Ohio State Buckeyes survived a late surge from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, securing the 2024-25 College Football National Championship with a 34-23 win.
It was the first time the Buckeyes won the title since 2014, when they defeated the Oregon Ducks 42-20. Here are the biggest takeaways from the biggest game of the 2024 season.
Will Howard Proved His Worth With MVP Performance
After last season, it was apparent that the Buckeyes’ missing piece to the puzzle was at quarterback.
The program addressed that issue by landing former Kansas State signal-caller Will Howard through the transfer portal.
Howard went through ebbs and flows throughout the regular season, and there was doubt that he could consistently produce.
However, in the College Football Playoff, the 23-year-old QB looked the best he had all season. In the four games — vs. Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame — Howard completed 75.2% of his passes for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions.
On Monday night, Howard completed 17 of 21 pass attempts for 231 yards and two TDs, including a record 13 completions to start the game.
In a weak QB NFL Draft class, Howard may be a dark horse prospect at the position and could be a Day 2 selection.
Head Coach Ryan Day Finally Delivers a Championship
Ryan Day has been one of the most scrutinized college head coaches since taking over at Ohio State in 2018.
Despite having one of the most talented rosters year after year, Day has been unable to lead Ohio State to the finish line, often falling short in frustrating fashion. He has also struggled mightily against Michigan, including losing to the Wolverines at home this year as double-digit favorites.
Nonetheless, the 45-year-old head coach was able to get over the hump and lead his team to a national title on one of the hardest paths, taking down an undefeated Ducks team and a Texas Longhorns squad.
Ohio State and Texas are the two favorites to win the national championship in 2026.
Notre Dame Could Not Overcome Another Slow Start
“Slow start” may be an over-exaggeration, as the Fighting Irish orchestrated a 10-minute opening drive that concluded with a Riley Leonard rushing touchdown.
After that drive, Notre Dame failed to score another point in the first half, which has been a recurring problem for the program during the playoff.
In the two previous games, Notre Dame scored 16 total points in the first half, including three points against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl.
Against a lethal Ohio State offense, scoring seven points is simply not good enough to keep up.
KEEP READING: The History of Come-From-Behind Wins in the CFP National Championship Game
The Fighting Irish were able to scratch their way back in the second half, scoring 13 unanswered points, cutting Ohio State’s lead 31-23 late in the fourth quarter.
It will be interesting if Notre Dame can replicate their success next season with notable players departing for the draft.
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