The Buckeyes are back on top as Ohio State beat Notre Dame, 34-23, to win the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night.

Ohio State has now won nine college football titles, tying them with USC for fourth-most all-time among the NCAA’s officially recognized championships.

This is also the first title since the 2014 season, which was the inaugural College Football Playoff.

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The Buckeyes have been such a different team since losing to Michigan in their rivalry game. And after convincingly defeating Tennessee (42-17), Oregon in the Rose Bowl (41-21) and Texas in the Cotton Bowl (28-14), Ohio State used its high-octane offense to barrel past Notre Dame to win the whole.

But this game wasn’t like past Ohio State wins during this playoff run, as the Fighting Irish really made a statement on an opening drive that lasted 18 plays and killed over nine minutes of first-quarter clock.

And it was all thanks to the hard work of quarterback Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame offensive line.

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Leonard ran nine times for 34 yards and scored after picking up a fourth-and-1 at Ohio State’s five-yard line. ESPN even reported that Leonard ran to the sideline, threw up and stumbled a bit before sitting on the bench. He also appeared to tell teammates that he landed on the ball on one of the runs, which could have caused an upset stomach.

However, the tide of momentum quickly shifted to the Ohio State sideline as Will Howard and his group of talented weapons not only responded, but took over when they had the ball in their hands.

The ensuing drive went 11 plays and 75 yards as freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith capped the drive with a perfect play call that saw him act like he was running behind Howard in pre-snap motion, but planted in the ground and walked into the end zone with no one in sight.

Ryan Day’s group not only tied the game, but the defense turned it up as they forced back-to-back three-and-outs on Notre Dame’s second and third drives. And the Buckeyes’ offense used that to their advantage with two more touchdown drives before the end of the first half.

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) celebrates a touchdown catch with tight end Gee Scott Jr. (88) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter of the College Football Playoff championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025. (IMAGIN)

Quinshon Judkins, the explosive running back who splits time with TreVeyon Henderson, scored both of those touchdowns, the first of which was a nine-yard run where he fought through several tackles to get over the line. Then he was wide open in the end zone on a rolling throw by Howard with 27 seconds left in the second quarter to put the Buckeyes up 21-7.

And if that wasn’t deflating enough, Judkins scored his third touchdown of the night on the first drive of the second half—a 1-yard run that was set up by his 70-yard run on the second play of the half to immediately get the Buckeyes’ first -and-goal.

Judkins finished the game with 100 rushing yards on just 11 carries as well as his two catches for 21 yards.

There was some concern for Ohio State, however, as Notre Dame cut it to a two-score game after Leonard found Jaden Greathouse for a 34-yard touchdown and converted the two-point attempt to make it 31-15.

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The concern stemmed from an Emeka Egbuka fumble after going 24 yards on a catch-and-run. It was the first Ohio State fumble since their Nov. 2 game against Penn State.

Notre Dame used that turnover to drive down the field, and Leonard pounded on the doorstep until an incomplete pass to Greathouse made it fourth-and-goal from Ohio State’s nine-yard line with 9:27 left to play in the game.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day celebrates after a touchdown by running back Quinshon Judkins during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Given the score, you’d think head coach Marcus Freeman would try his luck at another touchdown, but kicker Mitch Jeter and the special teams unit ran onto the field. And the interesting play call backfired when Jeter’s 27-yard field goal attempt went wide of the left field goal post—he hooked it.

The game wasn’t quite over after the defense forced a punt, and Leonard was able to find Greathouse again, this time on a beautifully thrown ball and an even better catch from 30 yards out. Needing another two-point conversion, Jordan Faison took a handoff and it looked like Ohio State sniffed it, but he threw it to Beaux Collins for the successful attempt.

Now a one-score game, the Buckeyes had to dig deep with the Fighting Irish, knowing a stop gave them a chance to complete the comeback.

Backed by third-and-11, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly called a gutsy deep pass from Howard to Smith, and despite the freshman not having a single reception in the second half, he secured the dagger — a 57-yard catch to set Buckeyes at the nine-yard line at the two-minute warning.

The Buckeyes were able to run out the clock at that point with the Fighting Irish using all their timeouts and the celebration ensued.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates a touchdown with running back Quinshon Judkins (1) against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025. (IMAGIN)

In the box score, Leonard was 20-for-29 for 240 yards with two touchdowns, while also rushing for a team-high 40 yards on 17 carries with his score on the ground. Greathouse also had 11 yards on five receptions.

For the Buckeyes, Smith led the way with 89 yards on five receptions, while Egbuka had six catches for 64 yards. Howard finished the game 17-of-21 for 231 yards, and he also rushed for 57 yards on 16 carries.