The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes etched their name into the history books with a dominant run through the expanded College Football Playoff, culminating in a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the national championship game. Head coach Ryan Day’s squad became the first team ever to defeat five top-5 opponents in a single season, channeling a perfect blend of elite talent, hard-earned experience, and a thirst for redemption.
The Maturity to Overcome Adversity
Ohio State’s journey was defined by an unmatched level of maturity that allowed them to navigate the treacherous waters of a long, demanding season. Day lauded his team’s ability to wipe the slate clean week after week, both physically and emotionally, especially in the wake of a crushing late-season loss to rival Michigan.
I think just maturity. Physical maturity to withstand the length of the season. Mental maturity to wipe the slate clean on a week-to-week basis. And emotional maturity to handle the ups and downs.
Ryan Day on his team’s resilience
That maturity was on full display as the Buckeyes rattled off four consecutive playoff victories over top-5 foes Tennessee, USC, Michigan, and Notre Dame by an average of 19 points per game. The unprecedented gauntlet proved no match for an Ohio State roster loaded with talent and hardened by adversity.
Redemption for Day and Company
For Day, who faced immense scrutiny after the Michigan loss, leading the Buckeyes to the promised land marked a personal triumph. The third-year head coach silenced critics by matching the championship totals of Ohio State legends Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, meanwhile, found redemption 14 years after his Oregon Ducks fell just short in the 2011 BCS title game.
But perhaps no Buckeye better embodied the team’s redemptive arc than quarterback Will Howard. The heavily-scrutinized signal-caller turned in a legendary playoff run after a disastrous outing against Michigan to end the regular season, completing 75% of his passes for 1,150 yards, 8 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions across four games. On the sport’s grandest stage, the star-studded transfer rose to the occasion with a championship game performance for the ages.
Stars Shine Bright on Biggest Stage
Howard was far from alone in his excellence. Running back Quinshon Judkins, fully healthy after injury-marred endings to his last two seasons, amassed 524 scrimmage yards and 9 touchdowns during the playoff push. The Buckeye defense, masterminded by coordinator Jim Knowles, suffocated opponents to the tune of just 18.8 points per game. Knowles’ unit saved its best for last, holding Notre Dame’s high-powered attack to a single touchdown over the game’s first 37 minutes.
This was the best defense in the country all year, and we proved it on the biggest stage against the best offenses. We had the best chess pieces, and Coach Knowles put us in position to dominate.
Linebacker JT Tuimoloau
Fittingly, it was budding superstar Jeremiah Smith who delivered the dagger to dash the Irish’s hopes of a comeback. The wideout’s 56-yard touchdown grab with just over two minutes remaining served as an emphatic exclamation point on Ohio State’s ascent to the college football mountaintop.
Making Playoff History
With their dominant march through the postseason, Day’s Buckeyes didn’t just make history – they set an entirely new standard for championship glory in the nascent 12-team playoff era.
- First team to beat five top-5 opponents in a single season
- Won four CFP games by an average of 19 points
- Averaged 41 points per game in the playoff
The Buckeyes entered the 2024 CFP as title favorites and the top-ranked team in SP+. While their collection of elite talent made them a juggernaut on paper, it was the intangible qualities of this special group – their maturity, resilience, and insatiable appetite for redemption – that ultimately carried Ohio State to a place in the annals of college football immortality.
As the Buckeyes bask in the glow of a historic championship run, Day’s squad is already eyeing a repeat bid in 2025 with Heisman hopefuls Smith and Judkins set to return. But for now, Ohio State can revel in a season that showcased the program’s unrivaled combination of talent and tenacity – a potent formula that could set the new gold standard in the trophy-hoisting business for years to come.
