One more, then forever. In the midst of an incredible run that had Ohio State fans walking on air all winter long, only one remaining foe stood in the way and Buckeye fans were quite optimistic about our chances. Still, while OSU stacks up favorably, Notre Dame was not a team to take lightly. They quietly improved significantly, playing at a level far removed from the version that lost to unranked NIU in early September. They had just toppled Georgia, the opponent the team expected to face in the Championship, and were bringing in a stout defense that aimed to prove that the OSU passing attack was stoppable and a tough offense that aimed to prove Lou was right about their toughness.

Going Into the National Championship

• Five Things about Notre Dame - Despite not being the most talented team on paper, Josh Fryar credited them as the toughest team in college football. Their talented secondary, ranked No. 2 in passing yard allowed per game and No. 1 in pick sixes, said they would not back down from their usual man-on-man approach despite OSU's elite WR corps. They didn't lack any confidence, either, as RB Jeremiyah Love openly wished to take on Ohio State. Yeah, how did that go? Oh.
• Across the Field - Notre Dame writer Tyler Horka said that, despite conventional wisdom suggesting that zone would be better suited to handle OSU's WRs, Al Golden's would stick with man coverage because of his desire to win the way he wants to. His key to the game involves Notre Dame successfully running their methodical offense to keep the score close and prevent Ohio State from generating an insurmountable lead. Ultimately, he picked Notre Dame to win 28-24. 
• Game Preview - The game plan seemed pretty clear: focus on shutting down ND's rush and you can probably handle the pass. ND was ranked 4th in yards per carry but 84th in yards per pass attempt. Crazy that Will Howard was an even worse QB, according to some irrelevant moron. Ohio State's defense traditionally handles the run extremely well, but has had some trouble before with running QBs like Leonard.
• Presser Bullets - As for Ohio State, Ryan Day was clear: the team was focused. There would be no looking ahead, no resting on laurels. Rather, the team was hungry to carry this momentum and finish job. Leave no doubt. The coordinators respected Notre Dame's squad and the unique challenges they would bring. 

National Championship vs Notre Dame in 158 Minutes 

Apologies, but this is the only video I could find on youtube showing the whole game and there is no sound. 

Open Threads: Q1 Pt 1 | Q1 Pt 2 | Q2 Pt 1 | Q1 Pt 2 | Halftime | Q3 Pt1 | Q3 Pt2 | Q4 Pt 1 | Q4 Pt 2  

Coming Out of the National Championship

• National Champions - Notre Dame started off well, running exactly the offense they would need to in order to make this game competitive. Unfortunately for them, it proved rather unsustainable, as they followed their opening drive TD with two 3-and-outs and one play that went nowhere before halftime. Meanwhile, Ohio State got off to the fast start they wanted, scoring three touchdowns on each of their first half drives as noted inferior quarterback Will Howard completed 13 consecutive passes (a CFP national championship game record). Ohio State started the second half just as explosively, with Quinshon Judkins breaking a 70-yard run (another CFP national championship game record), to set up his third touchdown of the day. From there, Notre Dame would claw back, thanks in part to a fortuitous fumble by Egbuka that would prevent Ohio State from putting the game out of reach. Despite the rally, Ohio State ultimately iced the game with a non-scoring deep ball none of us will ever forget and a field goal kick to put the nail in the coffin. 
• Celebration - Buckeye Nation beamed with pride as the 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes tore through the toughest postseason gauntlet in college football history to take the crown. Mayhem erupted on campus. It took a while, but perpetual hater and SEC blowhard Paul Finebaum reluctantly acknowledged OSU. 
• Five Things - Will Howard capped off his Ohio State career with another brilliant performance and proved he was the quarterback Ohio State needed. Quinshon had himself a day, notching a hat trick on the biggest stage. The defense played great and then not so great, but good enough. The seniors endured a lot of adversity throughout their time here but at the end of everything, got to stake their claim at the top of the mountain. The same goes for Ryan Day, who put together a masterful run we'll always remember.
• Critics Silenced - The path this team took was incredible. There's no way I can encapsulate how it felt at the end of all of it. The season made us optimistic, hopeful, humbled, worried, panicked, amazed, confident, concerned, impressed, stunned, devastated, incredulous, euphoric, excited, tense, triumphant, jubilant, proud.

Thanks to everyone who followed the journey with me through all of last season. Like I said in the first post, there was a lot that I forgot and reliving the swings and changes week-to-week through the season was really fun and, I hope, a convenient reminder that teams rarely arrive as finished products and sometimes the setbacks and hardships make the final result and growth along the way that much more meaningful. 

Up Next: Week 1 vs. #1 Texas.