On Monday evening, the Ohio State football program clinched its first national championship in ten years with a 34-23 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Atlanta. This game was a back and forth contest throughout, with Ohio State at one point taking a 24-point lead but ultimately seeing things get a bit dicey down the stretch.

The biggest play of the game occurred late in the fourth quarter, with Ohio State facing a crucial third down and Notre Dame hoping to get the ball back to its offense with a chance to tie.

On that play, the Irish blitzed Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, who threw a deep ball down the field to star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith caught the pass deep in Irish territory, effectively sealing the win for the Buckeyes.

After the game, Smith had some high praise for his quarterback, who is expected to depart for the NFL Draft this offseason.

“It just shows the type of quarterback he is,” said Smith, per The Sporting News on X. “In my eyes he's a first round draft pick. Will is just a great leader, on and off the field as well. He just had a great week of preparation, just leading us to this victory tonight.”

A breakthrough for the Buckeyes

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) take the field for the start of the game against Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Just over a month ago, it looked like all hope was lost in Columbus following the team's embarrassing home loss to the Michigan Wolverines to close out their regular season slate.

However, Ohio State was still able to backdoor their way into the playoff due to the new 12-team format introduced this year, and they looked like a completely different team when they got there, first decimating the Tennessee Volunteers and Oregon Ducks before winning closer contests against Texas and Notre Dame.

Jeremiah Smith established himself as one of the nation's best wide receivers this year and would likely be a top NFL draft pick if he was eligible to go to the pros right now.

Meanwhile, Will Howard raised eyebrows with his dominant performances during the Buckeyes' playoff run, including the play of his life on the long pass to Smith late in the National Championship..

It remains unclear just how much that may influence scouts come draft day, but he'll likely be on a roster when the next NFL season rolls around.