Maybe Ohio State football fans will like coach Ryan Day now. Fifty-one days after suffering the worst loss of his career, Day led the No. 8-ranked Buckeyes to their first national championship in 10 years with a 34-23 victory over No. 7-ranked Notre Dame in the National College Football Playoff sponsored by AT&T. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to edge rusher Jaden Greathouse with 3:03 left in the third quarter and threw a 2-point conversion pass to edge rusher Jeremiyah Love to increasing the score to 31-15. After a late defensive play, Leonard then found Greathouse again for a 30-yard touchdown, and Beaux Collins converted a 2-point attempt from edge rusher Jordan Faison to increase the score. 31-23 with 4:15 left.

The Buckeyes finally beat the Irish when quarterback Will Howard threw a deep ball to freshman catcher Jeremiah Smith, who hit cornerback Christian Gray for a gain of 56 yards to the Irish 10-yard line. That led to Jayden Fielding’s 33-yard field goal, giving the Buckeyes an 11-point lead with 26 seconds to go. The victory was redemption for Day, whose team had lost to rival Michigan, known as “School Up North”, for the fourth straight time in a shocking 13-10 loss at home on November 30. That loss, in which the Buckeyes were favorites by 21 points, eliminated Ohio State from the Big Ten finals. That loss did not eliminate Ohio State from the CFP first 12 teams. The Buckeyes defeated No. 9 seed Tennessee in the first round, No. 1 seed Oregon in the quarterfinals and No. 5 seed Texas in the semifinals before defeating Notre Dame in the 16th game of the season.

Ohio State players said Day accepted partial responsibility for losing to Michigan again. But this shocking defeat could be just what the Buckeyes need to win their seventh national championship in program history. “I don’t pay attention to [the criticism],” Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “I don’t know what else you can do besides win a national championship.” And with Michigan winning the final four after the 2023 season, the Big Ten has won back-to-back national championships for the first time since 1940 to 1942, when Minnesota won back-to-back championships and Ohio State won a third championship. Monday’s game was also redemption for Howard, a Kansas State transfer who struggled in his first start against Michigan. Against Notre Dame, Howard completed 17 of 21 passes for 231 yards with two touchdowns and also ran 16 times for 57 yards. Buckeyes quarterback Quinshon Judkins, an Ole Miss transfer, ran 11 times for 100 yards and three total touchdowns. Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and one score.