The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 34-23, Monday night to win the College Football Playoff National Championship for the 2024 season.
The College Football Playoff National Championship win was the second for the Buckeyes following a 2014 victory, and the Buckeyes also claim seven additional national titles (1942, 1952, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, and 2002). Ohio State finished the season 14-2 overall.
Ohio State opened the title game on Monday evening on its heels after Notre Dame turned an 18-play, almost 10 minute drive into a game-opening touchdown. Irish quarterback Riley Leonard carried the ball nine times on the drive and scored the touchdown.
The Buckeyes would answer on the ensuing possession with their own 11-play, 75-yard drive, which culminated with a Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith eight-yard touchdown.
The remainder of the first half was all Buckeyes, as Quinshon Judkins accounted for two touchdowns, helping the Buckeyes to a 21-7 halftime lead.
On the first drive of the second half, Ohio State drove 75 yards in just over two minutes, aided by a 70-yard run by Judkins. Three plays later, Judkins would score to make it 28-7 Ohio State.
Notre Dame got their offense back in gear late in the third quarter with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, which ended with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Riley Leonard to Jaden Greathouse. A two-point conversion narrowed Ohio State’s lead to 31-15.
The Fighting Irish would add another touchdown and two-point conversion with 2:10 remaining, but the Buckeyes added a field goal on their next drive to put the game out of reach.
College football’s final game of the season was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., before an announced crowd of 77,660. It was the second College Football Playoff National Championship played in Atlanta following Alabama-Georgia in January 2018.
Looking ahead, Ohio State is scheduled to open the 2025 season at home against the Texas Longhorns on Saturday, Aug. 30. Notre Dame will open its 2025 campaign on the road against the Miami Hurricanes on a date to be determined during opening weekend (Week 1).