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ATLANTA — Here are five things we learned from No. 8 Ohio State’s 34-23 win over No. 7 Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff final on Monday night:
Ohio State Buckeyes earned the title
This group navigated an unprecedented stretch to win a national championship.
It took four postseason wins for them to lift the trophy, including toppling three of the selection committee’s five highest-ranked teams.
Their résumé is not spotless. The Buckeyes lost twice during the regular season, including an ugly loss to archrival Michigan. Other champions have run the table during unbeaten seasons, including two this decade.
Ohio State players celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame on Monday.
But no one has ever faced a more difficult path to the top of the sport.
When the four-team playoff or Bowl Championship Series crowned champions over the past quarter-century, the formats required contenders to win only one or two games during the postseason.
This structure added two more for Ohio State, which needed to manage the wear and tear of a longer season and have the resolve to move through each round.
“Our team has come together so well over the last month and a half,” coach Ryan Day said.
All four of the Buckeyes’ wins during the playoff run were by double-digits. They trailed for only six minutes during the postseason.
The Buckeyes were battled-tested, and spanning the regular season they beat six of the top eight teams. They are the most deserving champion in the sport’s history.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day hugs school president Ted Carter following Monday’s 34-23 win over Notre Dame.
Ohio State’s Ryan Day got over the hump
Day can lay claim to being one of the best coaches in the country.
Not only does his .875 winning percentage remain the highest in the Football Bowl Subdivision, but he also has hardware to take…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/title-earned-edge-qb-5-073541850.html
Author : The Columbus Dispatch
Publish date : 2025-01-21 07:35:00
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