Ohio State holds off Notre Dame comeback to win first national championship since 2014 | NFL news
Ohio State delayed its return to Notre Dame to celebrate its first national title victory in 11 years.
It turned into a great 34-23 victory for the Buckeyes over the Fighting Irish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Trailing 31-7, Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter.
The Irish stopped Ohio State on the first two plays of its next drive and used their timeouts to add pressure, but running back Will Howard reached wide receiver Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards on third-and-11 to lock the game and set up a field goal who started the celebration in earnest, capping a seven-week climb from the depths of a 20-point loss at underdog Michigan to the pinnacle of college football.
Ohio State will return for its sixth national title and first since the 2014 season at the Horseshoe in Columbus.
Howard, a portal success story from Kansas State, threw for 231 yards and two scores, but nothing will top a pass to Smith with everything on the line.
The receiver, who was weighed down by Texas in the semifinals and then pretty quiet for most of this game, finally broke free for the type of game he’s played all year to finish with five catches for 88 yards.
Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, then added a field goal in the fifth to take a commanding lead.
When Quinshon Judkins (100 yards, 11 carries, three TDs), a Mississippi transfer who highlighted Ohio State’s judicious use of an ever-growing field goal, broke off a 70-yard run to make it 28-7, this game she looked done.
It didn’t, and now Irish coach Marcus Freeman will have to answer some tough questions — one about a botched third-quarter fake that turned into a 31-7 field goal, the other about sending Mitch Jeter into the game for a short field goal attempt while down 16 and facing fourth-and-goal from the 9. It might have looked better if Jeter’s shot hadn’t bounced off the left side.
The Buckeyes still outgained Notre Dame 445 yards to 308. Howard completed his first 13 passes and was never stopped. Ohio State was the better team.
