Ohio State vs Notre Dame: Box score, stats and summary feat. Will Howard (College Football Playoff National Championship)
The stakes couldn't have been higher for the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who locked horns in the national championship game on Monday.
The game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta started on a competitive note before the Buckeyes' offense took charge. While Notre Dame made the first mark on the scoreboard, the Buckeyes engineered three successful touchdown drives in the second quarter to take a 21-7 lead into halftime.
The Fighting Irish didn't help their cause with missed opportunities in the second half and fell to a 34-23 defeat in the end.
Ohio State vs Notre Dame: Box score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Ohio State | 0 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 34 |
| Notre Dame | 7 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 23 |
Ohio State Buckeyes stats
| Will Howard | 17-21-0 | 231 | 2 | 56 |
| Total | 17-21-0 | 231 | 2 | 56 |
| Jeremiah Smith | 5 | 88 | 1 | 56 |
| Emeka Egbuka | 6 | 64 | 0 | 24 |
| Gee Scott Jr. | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Carnell Tate | 2 | 35 | 0 | 20 |
| Quinshon Judkins | 2 | 21 | 1 | 15 |
| Brandon Inniss | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Total | 17 | 231 | 2 | 56 |
| Will Howard | 16 | 57 | 0 | 11 |
| Jeremiah Smith | 1 | -5 | 0 | |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 12 | 49 | 0 | 19 |
| Emeka Egbuka | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Quinshon Judkins | 11 | 100 | 2 | 70 |
| Total | 41 | 214 | 2 | 70 |
| Joe McGuire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cody Simon | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinshon Judkins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Davison Igbinosun | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Downs | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremiah Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sonny Styles | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Hancock | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lathan Ransom | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik Hartford | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Burke | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.J. Hicks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Inniss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jelani Thurman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carnell Tate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitchell Melton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Howard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylen McClain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arvell Reese | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jermaine Matthews Jr. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Williams-Dixon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Pierce | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brenton Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Sawyer | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jayden Fielding | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Velazquez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| John Ferlmann | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| JT Tuimoloau | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Gurd | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Luke Montgomery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joshua Mickens | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ty Hamilton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabe VanSickle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Prater | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joshua Padilla | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Austin Siereveld | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Fitzpatrick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Fryar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donovan Jackson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carson Hinzman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tegra Tshabola | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Adolph | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bennett Christian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gee Scott Jr. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Kacmarek | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyleik Williams | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caden Curry | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eddrick Houston | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kenyatta Jackson Jr. | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kayden McDonald | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 54 | 36 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish stats
| Riley Leonard | 22-31-0 | 255 | 2 | 34 |
| Steve Angeli | 0-1-0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 22-32-0 | 255 | 2 | 34 |
| Jordan Faison | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Mitchell Evans | 4 | 52 | 0 | 33 |
| Jeremiyah Love | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| Jayden Harrison | 1 | -4 | 0 | |
| Beaux Collins | 4 | 32 | 0 | 12 |
| Eli Raridon | 2 | 20 | 0 | 14 |
| Kris Mitchell | 2 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Jaden Greathouse | 6 | 128 | 2 | 34 |
| Total | 22 | 255 | 2 | 34 |
| Riley Leonard | 17 | 40 | 1 | 8 |
| Jeremiyah Love | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Jadarian Price | 3 | 13 | 0 | 9 |
| Jordan Faison | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 26 | 53 | 1 | 9 |
| James Rendell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | 8 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deion Colzie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Clark | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaden Greathouse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jayden Harrison | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rod Heard II | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylen Sneed | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaiden Ausberry | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Beaux Collins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Faison | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adon Shuler | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| RJ Oben | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eli Raridon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Mitchell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Loghan Thomas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Riley Leonard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Minich | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Micah Gilbert | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leonard Moore | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve Angeli | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aneyas Williams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kedren Young | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devyn Ford | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kennedy Urlacher | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Kiser | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jadarian Price | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Preston Zinter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Salerno | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Luke Talich | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Gray | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drayk Bowen | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Teddy Rezac | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Max Hurleman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Davis Sherwood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rino Monteforte | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joshua Burnham | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donovan Hinish | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Tuihalamaka | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rocco Spindler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Terek | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howard Cross III | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charles Jagusah | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aamil Wagner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Schrauth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sullivan Absher | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guerby Lambert | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Coogan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tosh Baker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leo Scheidler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jayden Thomas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Bauman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitchell Evans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Armel Mukam | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joseph Vinci | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabriel Rubio | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitch Jeter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 56 | 46 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Ohio State secures solid 34-23 victory over Notre Dame to win NCAA title: Game Summary
Ohio State's offense, led by Quinshon Judkins' two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown, combined with Will Howard's ability to keep hold of the ball and drive the team forward, proved to be the difference.
1st Quarter
5:15: Notre Dame opened the scoring with Riley Leonard’s one-yard touchdown run, concluding an 18-play, 75-yard drive (7-0).
2nd Quarter
14:10: Ohio State equalized as Howard found Jeremiah Smith for an eight-yard touchdown, completing an 11-play, 75-yard drive (7-7).
6:15: Judkins powered in for a nine-yard touchdown run, ending a 10-play, 76-yard drive (14-7).
0:27: Howard connected with Judkins for a six-yard touchdown pass after a 12-play, 80-yard drive, giving Ohio State a comfortable lead before halftime (21-7).
3rd Quarter
12:46: Judkins added a one-yard touchdown run to his tally, finishing a five-play, 75-yard drive early in the quarter (28-7).
7:52: Jayden Fielding converted a 46-yard field goal, capping a short drive (31-7).
3:03: Notre Dame responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to Jaden Greathouse, followed by a successful two-point conversion (31-15).
4th Quarter
4:15: Leonard connected with Greathouse again for a 30-yard touchdown, and a two-point conversion narrowed the gap (31-23).
0:26: Ohio State sealed the win with a 33-yard field goal by Fielding after a nine-play, 61-yard drive (34-23).
Final Score: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 23
