Ten Things Buckeye Fans Will Be Saying After The National Championship Game

ATLANTA — The day is finally here, which means the night can’t be far behind. Ohio State and Notre Dame will kick off shortly after 7:30 pm Monday night in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The winners will live forever. The losers will be forgotten.

One way or another, memories are going to be made tonight. Legacies will be laid and legends will be solidified. And afterward, many, many things are going to be said.

This is going to be a long, long day of anticipation and nerves, so to ease your mind and your soul, here’s a handful of things you and your people will be yelling, screaming, muttering, and uttering tonight after the game.

“They probably should’ve gone more zone against Jeremiah.”

Jeremiah Smith wasn’t bothered by only having one catch for three yards in Ohio State’s 28-14 semifinal win over Texas. He knows he still impacted the game in a major way. That being said, nobody wants to take this game over more than the talented true freshman. Notre Dame is going to find some help for cornerbacks Leonard Moore and Christian Gray, but not enough. Jeremiah Smith doesn’t hit freshman walls, he is the freshman wall, and Notre Dame’s going to find that out.

“Tempo was pretty effective tonight.”

The Buckeyes haven’t run much tempo this season because they’ve been trying to limit the number of exposures for the team this year. They’ve done that with this game in mind. They wanted to be healthy and as rested as you can be after playing 15 games. They’ve accomplished that and now they’re gonna have an opportunity to put Notre Dame’s defense in some bad spots with tempo. It has been effective against them throughout the season. There is nothing after this game, so why not pull it out here one last time?

“I almost felt bad for Notre Dame’s tackles.”

Notre Dame is likely starting redshirt freshman Charles Jagusah at left tackle tonight. The semifinal win over Penn State was the second game he’s played this year. He was lost for the season with a pectoral muscle tear before the year but has practiced the last month or so. He is being put in a tough spot dealing with Ohio State defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. Jagusah won’t be the only offensive tackle having to put some work in. Right tackle Aamil Wagner had a rough night against Penn State defensive ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. No duo is playing better right now than Sawyer and Tuimoloau, and that’s going to continue tonight as they play their final games as Buckeyes.

“Can we give Jim Knowles a lifetime contract?”

There are going to be instances during this game where Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard looks overwhelmed. There will also be times when the running game has nowhere to go. Yes, the individual talent for Ohio State should get a lot of credit, but the design of the defense has kept opponents off balance all playoffs long. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has been rumored to be a target for the same job at Oklahoma, but he’s still under contract with the Buckeyes. If Ohio State fans had their say after this game, that contract would be extended into perpetuity.

“Emeka Egbuka is just so clutch.”

When Ohio State quarterback Will Howard wants to make a big play, he’ll often go to Jeremiah Smith. When Will Howard needs to make a sure play, he’ll often go to senior receiver Emeka Egbuka. Egbuka has made clutch catches for his entire four-year career with the Buckeyes. He’ll make a couple more of those important plays in this game as well.

“I wish I could do anything as well as Lathan Ransom and Caleb Downs tackle.”

Ohio State senior safety Lathan Ransom is going to come flying into the picture to make a tackle at some point against Notre Dame. He’ll leave his usual mark on this game. Sophomore safety Caleb Downs will make his usual shoestring tackle that saves a big play. After every instance, you’ll shake your head. Not just out of amazement and relief, but also out of sheer jealousy.

“The offensive line did it.”

The Buckeyes lost the two guys on the offensive line that they couldn’t afford to lose…and here they are playing for a national title anyway. Shows what we know. Now the guys who were left to pick up the pieces have put together one hell of a mosaic. The Ohio State running game has been lost in the shuffle at times this year — and even during the playoffs. That won’t be the case tonight, however, as the running game will be effective and consistent throughout the game. The running backs will get the credit, but you’ll know to tip your cap to the boys up front as well.

“The linebackers brought it tonight.”

The Buckeyes don’t need to blitz tonight against Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, but there will be some linebackers lying in wait as spies. Cody Simon and Sonny Styles will attack with caution, then they have to make sure they tackle soundly. They have both had big games in the playoffs this year. If they can handle Leonard on the run while also tackling the Notre Dame running backs, then this should be another game that ends in an Ohio State celebration.

“I’m gonna miss these guys.”

With over a dozen senior starters playing in their final game tonight, the 2025 team is going to look dramatically different than the 2024 team. But the memories created by these departing seniors will stick with you forever. This is the last game for Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau. Cody Simon, Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton, and Lathan Ransom as well. How do you not mention Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock, or Emeka Egbuka? What about the growth of Gee Scott, Jr.? Think of the big plays in TreVeyon Henderson’s career — from the 75-yard screen pass in the last game against Texas to the 70-yard catch and run game-winning touchdown against Minnesota in his very first game. Think of Josh Fryar and Donovan Jackson holding down the fort after the losses of Seth McLaughlin and Josh Simmons. And Will Howard tying it all together. This is a great group of players, a better group of men, and they all did it the right way.

“Day should get until the spring game this year to prove himself.”

I’m cheating a little bit on this because this is not necessarily something that will just be said after the game. This was also a text sent to me this morning by a buddy I’ve known since the second grade. He’s not part of the lunatic fringe, but he’s close.

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