ATLANTA (AP) — Instead of lamenting another collapse, Ohio State can celebrate another national title in college football after withstanding a comeback attempt by Notre Dame on Monday night to secure a tight 34-23 victory in the Atlanta final.
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In the first championship with the new 12-team playoff format, the "Buckeyes" gave a great joy to LeBron James, a native of Ohio and a big fan of university sports teams.
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How was Ohio State's victory over Notre Dame?
The key play came when Will Howard connected with receiver Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards on a late third down and 11, securing a game that started out fun but then fell into a lull.
Down 31-7, Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to make it a one-score game towards the end of the fourth quarter.
Howard's pass set the stage for a field goal that kick-started the celebration in earnest and closed a seven-week ascent from the depths after a painful 20-point home loss to Michigan in the biggest rivalry in American college football. This knocked the "Buckeyes" down in the rankings, they were seeded eighth but then added wins against Tennessee, Oregon (in the Rose Bowl), and Texas (in the Cotton Bowl), to reach the grand final.
Ohio State will bring back their sixth "natty" to the Horseshoe in Columbus, the first one since the 2014 season.
LeBron James was at the stadium to celebrate.
In 2003, LeBron James jumped from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio to the NBA. At that time, there was no rule that practically forced young talents to go to college basketball for a year. He was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he said that if he had opted for college, he would have chosen Ohio State.
Since he was a child, LeBron has been a fan of the "Buckeyes" and this Monday he took advantage of the day off with the Lakers to travel to Atlanta to watch the final against Notre Dame.
Before the game, James was the narrator of the emotional video and said that "we have always been us. It is and always will be Ohio Against the World... Our story is unfinished. Our story has one last chapter to write: the Champions' Chapter."
In the final college football game, Donald Trump also indirectly participated, as just hours before on Monday, January 20th, he was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
In a video broadcast during ESPN’s halftime show, Trump said: “To all the players and fans watching tonight, I know it’s been a long and tough journey. It’s been a long season, but you have two tremendous teams... You get to the game and you go out and fight hard and cleanly and let ‘the best team win.’ I will enjoy watching it. Thank you and good night.”