Ohio State Finishes Redemption Tour Against Notre Dame With CFP Title, Asserts Big Ten Dominance

ATLANTA -  As the confetti fell from the rafters on Ohio State inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday night, the Big Ten dominance over college football continued for a second consecutive season. It just so happened that the Buckeyes went on this run after being punched in the mouth by Michigan to end the regular season. 

We can characterize that game in eight different ways, but all it turned out to be was a wake-up call for a Ryan Day led football team that has turned into a lethal weapon over the past month. The problem for opposing teams was that Ohio State was always a problem in 2024, but opposing teams over the past month paid the price for the Michigan win over the Buckeyes. It was the perfect setup for this Ohio State team, with their backs against the wall, but knowing how dangerous they were for most of the season. 

But Ohio State winning a national championship by beating Notre Dame 34-23 on Monday proves that the Big Ten conference is currently on a heater, with no plans on stopping this run. It's almost poetic that it was Michigan which won the title last season, and the Buckeyes who followed it up in 2024. 

Seriously, how much have we heard about these two teams over the past two years? Now they have back-to-back titles, 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 20: Quinshon Judkins #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the third quarter in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Notre Dame learned the same lesson as Tennessee, Oregon and Texas. Don't ever discount a team with this much talent, especially when its put together out of the transfer portal, stacked with cash and dominating players. Honestly, the only thing surprising about the Buckeyes is how they put it all together within a short window, led by leaders Jack Sawyer and Will Howard, who led a ‘coming to Jesus’ meeting following the Michigan loss. 

We all should've seen this coming after the Buckeyes and Jeremiah Smith dominated Tennessee in Columbus. This was a disrespected football team, with their own fans checking out on the first round of the playoffs, noticeable by the thousands of fans clad in orange that took up at least 30% of Ohio Stadium. 

But one thing is clear: We won't doubt these Buckeyes again, and I'm not just talking about this season. 

If there was one major point made during this championship run, it all came down to this football team and Ryan Day getting revenge on all of those who doubted them.

Ohio State Coach Ryan Day Enacts Revenge On Doubters

There were death threats, 24-7 security needed outside his house, his kids taking heat at school from classmates, but Ryan Day never flinched in the public eye. All he did was take the blame for what occurred in Columbus, and then got back to work with Chip Kelly on how to make sure it never happened again. 

If anything, this was Ryan Day and the Buckeyes giving the detractors a middle-finger for bailing on them after the fourth straight loss to Michigan. Yes, every fan base has the rabid group that takes things a bit too far. I'm positive there were a bunch of them in the stands on Monday night chanting ‘Let’s Go Buckeyes' in the third quarter when Quinshon Judkins went over 70-yards on the first play of the 3rd quarter to put the Buckeyes in scoring position. 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 20: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

While this team has quietly felt like a small group of their fans turned their backs on them at the end of November, none of that truly matters now. The best revenge for this group was hoisting the national championship trophy on Monday night in Atlanta, while over half the stadium went bizark once the final seconds ticked off the clock. 

This was a statement that Ohio State was back, and the Buckeyes aren't satisfied with just the 2024 national championship. They want more, but that's for another story later in the offseason. 

After giving up a 75-yard drive to start the game, giving Notre Dame the 7-0 lead, it was the Buckeyes that went on a 31-0 run to cement themselves in college football history. Notre Dame never gave up, but also never took the lead in the second half. All Ohio State had to do was put together one of the best transfer portal classes we've seen since its inception. 

Ohio State Changed Transfer Portal-NIL Game For the 2024 Season

All the talk heading into this season centered around the $20 million roster that Ohio State put together for this national championship run. Sure, there were others that spent money, but the Buckeyes made it clear that they were making a run, and had the money to produce a title. Yes, there was an early-season loss to Oregon that came down to the final game. You could easily tell that the talent was there. 

The only question was whether Ryan Day could put it all together for a  run in the new 12-team playoff. Obviously, we didn't think they'd be hosting a first round game, but in the end, it did not matter. If anything, the Buckeyes needed that opening game against Tennessee to get this program back on track. 

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) gets away from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense on a long run in the third quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025

Obviously, to make money, you have to spend money, which is exactly what Ohio State did this past offseason. Retaining talent like Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Jack Sawyer, Denzel Burke, certainly paid off. Bringing in talent from the portal like Caleb Downs, Will Howard, Quinshon Judkins obviously worked. While signing Jeremiah Smith, who is the best receiver in college football, was money well-spent during a time when NIL was running at its peak. 

Simply put, Ohio State had the blueprint that Ole Miss, Texas, Oregon and others were hoping and thought they had perfected. Now, it's about making sure you're taken care of at every position, and spending the money to win a championship. 

They spent money where it mattered, especially with Will Howard, who Chip Kelly and Ryan Day brought into lead this group that had so much potential. People from other schools will now look at this Buckeyes team and hope to replicate them, but they better be willing to spend the money, and not just what's coming with revenue-sharing. 

Good luck to everyone trying to do the same as Ohio State did in 2024. It's hard for all the money to come together for a national championship, and you might just lose a few times along the way.