Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
The Ohio State Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff National Championship last night, beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish by a score of 34-23. The win is the program’s ninth title and its first since 2014.
Ohio State largely controlled the first half of the game, building a 31-7 lead through the middle of the third quarter. Notre Dame, led by two touchdowns from receiver Jaden Greathouse, cut the deficit to eight with four minutes to go before Ohio State iced the game with a field goal.
The victory capped a cathartic turn of fortune for the Buckeyes, who lost twice, including dropping the regular-season finale for the fourth straight year, to rival Michigan. Entering the inaugural 12-team playoff as a No. 8 seed, Ohio State beat No. 9 Tennessee, No. 1 Oregon, and No. 5 Texas, each by double digits to reach the championship. As many as 16 players from the senior-laden team are projected to be selected in this year’s NFL draft.
See photos from the celebration here, along with way-too-early rankings for next season.