Every breath is held as the referee flips the coin and all eyes anxiously await on heads or tails. The electricity is palpable and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife: a sharp knife. The beginning of the end of the college football season is a time like no other. The place that college football holds in the hearts of many Americans is more powerful than that of the NFL. This is primarily fueled by the connection people have with these teams. It’s not a bond that was formed because of where someone lives but rather a bond born from experiences and memories of an Alma Mater. The Ohio State University is a school that has nourished this community exceptionally well. All throughout the state, whether that school was attended or not, people can be seen sporting OSU gear. One of the most impressive parts of this accomplishment has nothing to do with the football team itself or even the school, but the community that has formed around these students and this name. Everyone who has ever called themselves “a buckeye,” has their eyes glued to the TV screen on January 20th, and you can best believe that that channel was not being changed until the final seconds fled the clock.
The first quarter did not favor the Buckeyes as they went 0-7 against the fighting Irish. A quick response of 21-0 in favor of the Bucks pushed them ahead into the lead during the second quarter with the score being 21-7 at the end of the half. Ultimately, this was a lead Notre Dame couldn’t quite catch. The Buckeyes secured the win with the final score being 34-23. The chance to hoist that College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy high over their heads did not come from this one specific game, however. Rather all the moments between the start of the season to the final second on that clock contributed to their victory. Every early morning practice, every late night film session, every away game, every pregame and postgame pep talk in the locker room fueled their drive and desire to finally bring home a shiny piece of metal to place in the trophy case back home.
A rich history of success has been left in the wake of the Buckeyes. Beginning in 1943 with their first official national championship victory, The Ohio State University went on to win nine other national championship titles in 1955, 1958, 1962, 1969, 1971, 2003, 2015 and most recently in 2025. This win in 2025 has bumped Ohio State even with Southern California for nine national championship wins in their history. This puts these two teams tied for sixth place in all of college football for most national championships. They are closely trailing that blue and gold team up north, only down by one national championship victory. If there is one thing The Ohio State University Buckeyes have proven this season, it’s that they are a force to be reckoned with in the college football world. They are not a team that can simply be dismissed as an easy win but rather one that demands attention, and more than that, respect. This is a sort of respect that doesn’t come from being the biggest or the baddest. This is a sort of respect that the Bucks gained from putting in the work, doing the time, pushing themselves and earning the respect of the country by simply being the best at what they do. You don’t just wake up and decide you want to change the world or be the greatest at what you do. You have to put in effort, time, energy, blood, sweat and tears. That is what this program has done and in order to achieve greatness, you must do the same.
