ATLANTA — The pass seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. Did it feel like seven weeks? Or maybe 10 years? That’s a debate Ohio State fans will relish for generations to come.
When Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard delivered a perfect teardrop throw on third-and-11 late in the fourth quarter Monday, it floated effortlessly into the hands of receiver Jeremiah Smith. That 56-yard completion sealed Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame, securing the program’s sixth national title and its first in a decade.
The play extinguished Notre Dame’s spirited comeback attempt and crowned the Buckeyes as champions of college football’s inaugural 12-team playoff—just as they had triumphed in the first-ever four-team tournament ten years pri
or.
"They were in man coverage, and I thought, 'I’m going to let this fly and trust him to make a play,'" Howard said of a moment that felt light-years away from Ohio State’s old, program-defining mantra of "Three yards and a cloud of dust."
This was a victory few thought possible just seven weeks ago—on Nov. 30—when a 13-10 loss to Michigan sparked chaos on the field and raised questions about whether coach Ryan Day’s tenure would survive the end of the year. “It’s a great story about a group of guys who overcame some really tough situations. At a time when a lot of people counted us out, they just kept swinging and fighting,” Day said.
The Buckeyes seemed to have the game in hand, but Notre Dame suddenly roared back to life. The setting made the moment even more dramatic—a packed stadium deep in SEC country, decked out like a Christmas tree with Ohio State fans clad in red on one side and Notre Dame fans in green on the other.
Trailing 31-7, Notre Dame mounted a stunning comeback, scoring two touchdowns and converting two 2-point attempts to close the gap to a single score late in the fourth quarter. Adding to the drama, the stadium cameras caught legendary Irish coach Lou Holtz in his luxury box. Ignoring the chorus of boos from Buckeye fans, he smiled and flashed a thumbs-up.
But time was running out for Notre Dame. After halting the Buckeyes on their first two plays and burning their timeouts, the Irish placed Christian Gray—whose interception had sealed their semifinal win over Penn State—in single coverage against Smith. Smith broke free down the right sideline, and Howard delivered his best pass of the season, perfectly landing it in the hands of the second-team All-American.
The play set up a field goal that officially ignited Ohio State's celebration and, for bettors, ensured the Buckeyes covered the 8.5-point spread at BetMGM Sportsbook.
“It was do or die—one of those pivotal moments,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “He’s a heck of a player. He’s tough to cover.”
Howard and Judkins Prove the Transfer Portal’s Worth for Ohio State
Howard, a standout transfer from Kansas State, delivered when it mattered most. The quarterback threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns, but nothing topped his game-saving pass to Smith with everything on the line.
Smith, who had been neutralized by Texas in the semifinals and remained relatively quiet for much of this game, finally broke free for the kind of moment he’s been known for all season. He finished with five receptions for 88 yards.
“We felt at the end that we wanted to give Jeremiah that chance,” coach Ryan Day said. “We hadn’t really gone to him all night, but I thought, ‘You know what? Let’s be aggressive, let’s take the shot, and leave it all out there.’”
Ohio State didn’t appear to need risks early, scoring touchdowns on its first four possessions and adding a field goal on its fifth.
When Quinshon Judkins—a transfer from Mississippi who exemplifies Ohio State’s smart use of the ever-growing portal—broke loose for a 70-yard run to set up his third touchdown of the night, making it 28-7, the game seemed all but over. Judkins finished with 100 yards on just 11 carries, cementing his impact as another portal success story.
It wasn’t over, and now Marcus Freeman will have to address some tough questions—one about the failed fake punt in the third quarter that set up a field goal, extending Ohio State’s lead to 31-7, and another about opting for a short field goal attempt on fourth-and-goal from the 9 while trailing by 16. The decision might have seemed more defensible had Mitch Jeter’s kick not ricocheted off the left upright.
“I know it’s still a two-score game, but you have a better probability of getting 14 points than 16 points,” Freeman explained.
Ohio State, however, had controlled the game for most of the night—and throughout the playoffs.
In truth, Ohio State was simply the better team. The Buckeyes outgained Notre Dame 445 yards to 308, with quarterback Howard completing his first 13 passes and rarely facing resistance. Ohio State punted only once the entire game.
The Buckeyes cruised through the expanded four-game playoff—a perfect stroke of timing for Ohio State, given the tournament’s jump to 12 teams in a season where they didn’t even play for the Big Ten title—winning by an average score of 36-21.
Seeded eighth, Ohio State proved that rankings didn’t matter. Lower-seeded teams won every game in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, and the Buckeyes delivered a commanding performance in this No. 7 vs. No. 8 title matchup.
A Perfect Ending to a Season That Nearly Slipped Away
This championship puts to rest, at least for now, the frustration over November’s 13-10 loss to Michigan—Ohio State’s fourth consecutive defeat in the rivalry. That game ended in chaos, with a postgame brawl ignited by Wolverine players attempting to plant a flag at midfield.
The fallout had many questioning whether Ryan Day, in his sixth season, had outstayed his welcome at a program that hadn’t won a national title in a decade.
But now, Ohio State’s marching band can dot the “I” with the national championship trophy in hand. And Day joins the ranks of title-winning Buckeye coaches, including Urban Meyer (2014), Jim Tressel (2002), Woody Hayes ("Three yards and a cloud of dust"), and Paul Brown (whose legacy lives on as the namesake of the Cleveland Browns).
Additionally, Ryan Day’s .873 winning percentage heading into the game ranked third among coaches with 50 or more games, just behind Notre Dame legend Knute Rockne.
The loss to Notre Dame also means college football still has yet to see a Black coach win a national title, with Freeman aiming to become the first.
Instead, it was a different kind of history. This victory marked the first time since 1942 that the Big Ten has claimed back-to-back national titles. Last year’s champions, Michigan, weren’t part of this year’s championship battle, but still played a pivotal role in Ohio State’s redemption story—one that few expected.
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