If you’re still thinking about the confetti falling in Houston for Michigan, you’re officially a year behind. That was 2024. This past year—specifically on January 20, 2025—the college football world shifted on its axis in Atlanta. It wasn't the usual SEC powerhouse hoisting the trophy, and it wasn't a team from the West Coast either.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the reigning kings of college football.
They absolutely dismantled Notre Dame with a final score of 34-23 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. If you missed the game, you missed what basically felt like a statement of intent from the Big Ten. It was the first time we saw the new 12-team playoff format play out all the way to the end, and honestly, the Buckeyes looked like they were built specifically for this marathon.
The Night Ohio State Took Over Atlanta
The energy in Atlanta was weirdly tense. You had two historic programs—both of which have heard every "they can't win the big one" joke in the book—staring each other down. Most people expected a defensive slog. Notre Dame’s defense had been a brick wall all season, and Ohio State had plenty of questions at quarterback earlier in the fall.
Then the game started.
Notre Dame actually struck first. Riley Leonard orchestrated an 18-play drive that took up nearly ten minutes of the first quarter. It was classic Irish football: slow, methodical, and physical. Leonard eventually punched it in from a yard out.
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But then, the Buckeyes woke up.
Will Howard and the Offensive Explosion
A lot of people doubted Will Howard when he transferred in from Kansas State. He wasn't the "flashy" five-star recruit Buckeye fans are used to. But in the national championship, he was surgical. He started the game 13-of-13. He didn't just manage the game; he owned it.
The turning point was a 31-point unanswered run by Ohio State.
Quinshon Judkins, the transfer from Ole Miss, was a human highlight reel. He finished with 100 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. Every time Notre Dame tried to stack the box, Howard would just find Jeremiah Smith or Emeka Egbuka on the perimeter. Smith, just a freshman, looked like an NFL veteran out there. He caught an 8-yard touchdown in the second quarter that basically broke the spirit of the Irish secondary.
Why This Championship Felt Different
We’ve seen Alabama and Georgia win these things so often that it started to feel like a scripted TV show. This year was different.
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The 12-team playoff changed the math. Ohio State didn't just play a semifinal and a final; they had to navigate a bracket that included a massive win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl and a gritty victory against Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
By the time they got to Atlanta, they were battle-hardened.
- The Big Ten Dominance: This was the first time since 1942 that the Big Ten won back-to-back national titles (following Michigan's 2024 win).
- The Ryan Day Narrative: For years, Ryan Day was the guy who "started on third base" but couldn't get home. This win completely erased that. He’s now in the company of Woody Hayes and Jim Tressel.
- Notre Dame's Resilience: To be fair, the Irish didn't quit. They trailed 31-7 and actually clawed back to 31-23 late in the fourth. If they hadn't burned so much clock in the first half, we might be talking about a different winner.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2025 Season
There's a common misconception that Ohio State "bought" this title with NIL money. While it's true they had one of the most talented rosters in the country, talent doesn't win four playoff games in a row.
The real story was the defense.
Sonny Styles and Cody Simon were everywhere. Notre Dame’s run game, which usually averages nearly 200 yards a game, was held to just 53 yards on the ground. You can't win a national title in January if you can't run the ball, and the Buckeyes made sure the Irish stayed one-dimensional.
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Looking Toward the Future
So, what does this mean for the current season?
Well, the "king of the hill" target is firmly on Columbus. We’re already seeing teams like Miami and Indiana (yes, really, Indiana) trying to replicate that high-octane transfer portal strategy that worked for the Buckeyes.
If you're looking to understand the current landscape, keep an eye on how these three things develop:
- Quarterback Stability: Will Howard showed that you don't need a Heisman winner to win a Natty; you need a guy who makes zero mistakes.
- The 12-Team Fatigue: Watch for how teams rotate their rosters late in the year. Ohio State’s depth was the only reason they survived that four-game gauntlet.
- The SEC vs. Big Ten War: The SEC is currently in "revenge mode" after being shut out of the title game last year.
The 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes weren't just a great team; they were a blueprint. They showed that in the new era of college football, you have to be able to win in the trenches, in the portal, and on the recruiting trail all at once.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve for next year's playoff race, start by looking at the defensive line rotations of the top five teams. That's where the 2025 championship was truly won. Check the current AP Top 25 rankings to see if Ohio State is still holding that top spot, and pay close attention to the injury reports as we head into the next postseason cycle. The road to the championship is longer than ever, and only the deepest rosters survive.