ATLANTA – As a junior at Downingtown West High School in suburban Philadelphia, Will Howard was emerging as a potential top recruit as the Whippets’ signal-caller. But when he broke his arm, ending that season early, the odds of reaching the stage where Howard found himself Monday night seemed as bleak as ever.

“If you were to ask a 19-year-old or 18-year-old Will Howard if he’d be at Ohio State playing in the national championship, I think he’d probably say, ‘You’re crazy, man,’” Howard said days before taking the field against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But Howard was the star of the show Monday night, as he led the Buckeyes to a 34-23 win over Notre Dame to secure their first national championship in 10 seasons. In the first half, he broke the record for consecutive completions in a CFP national title game with 13, including going 6-for-6 on third down. He finished 17-of-21 passing for 231 yards and two TDs to go along with 16 carries for 57 yards.

‘I wouldn’t be here without my teammates, without my family, without everybody who bet on me back in Downingtown, Pennsylvania,’ Howard said in a postgame broadcast interview. ‘I’m at a loss for words right now.’

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Amidst the chaos and celebration on stage, Howard attempted to soak in the moment. Not many of his Ohio State teammates had been through a journey like his.

But as he made his way to the stands to embrace his family, the emotion began to show. He shared a tearful hug with his mom, Maureen. He reflected on a career filled with plenty of ups and downs with the people who had seen it all.

“Between all the people back home in Downingtown and my family, and then my family at Kansas State, my family here at Ohio State, I leaned on a lot of people,” Howard said in a postgame press conference. “I wouldn’t have been able to get through some of the stuff that I had to go through myself.”

Howard’s adaptability to new situations has long defined him as a football player. It’s also a clue as to why he reached new heights as a Buckeye. 

When Ryan Wetzel took over quarterback duties for the injured Howard in fall 2018, Howard became ‘one of the best assistant coaches on our staff,’ Mike Milano, longtime Downington West head coach, told USA TODAY Sports last week.

“We went on and won five or six more games, went three rounds deep in the playoffs with a tight end playing quarterback, and Will was his personal caddy,” Milano said. “He coached his tail off with this guy, which was pretty awesome to see.”

Fast-forward to his junior season at Kansas State, and Howard found himself in another make-or-break situation. When Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez announced his transfer to Manhattan, Howard’s role as the imminent starter was cast into doubt. Howard and his mom met with Milano to discuss the situation, but he returned to school determined to prove his worth.

“We came out of that meeting and he just decided, ‘Hey, I’m going to go back to K-State, and I want to hear them tell me, ‘Hey, this is going to be an open competition,’” Milano recalled. “‘That’s all I want, is a chance to compete.’”

Despite losing out in the initial competition, Howard eventually got his shot following an injury to Martinez. After a successful 2023 campaign, he convinced the Buckeyes he was the quarterback to solve the national championship puzzle. His personality immediately won over blue-chip prospects and walk-ons alike when he arrived in Columbus 12 months ago. Receiver Emeka Egbuka said it feels as if he’s known Howard “his whole life.” 

“When he came in, he was almost immediately immersed in the culture,” Egbuka said. “It felt like he had been here for multiple years. He’s really bought into the program, bought into the brotherhood.”

Over the course of the season, Howard showed he was the perfect quarterback to lead the Buckeyes through their toughest moments, including their loss to Michigan in November. Despite all the pressure on his shoulders, the resiliency he brought was the perfect final ingredient for a milestone national championship.

Howard was quick, however, to credit his teammates for doing the same for him.

“​​I’m just so thankful,” Howard said, “that I have a group of guys in this locker room and a group of coaches, and my family, that I can lean on and they can get me through all those tough times.

“I’m just so unbelievably thankful that I got a chance to be a Buckeye even if it was for just one year.”

This story has been updated with new information.

Gunter Schroeder is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.

ATLANTA – Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard and his longtime girlfriend, Molly Walding, started a new tradition after playoff games this season. 

They went to Five Guys for burgers and fries, because “he’s usually starving,” Walding told USA TODAY Sports last week. The two stood in line, just like everyone else, patiently waiting for their food. From time to time, a young fan would recognize Leonard. Walding would happily take a photo. Then the two would go back to eating. 

After a 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night, Leonard walked off the field still hungry for a title. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Buckeyes’ sideline turned into chaos, and thousands of pieces of red and white confetti began pouring from the ceiling. 

Leonard kept on his helmet but found Will Howard, the fellow transfer quarterback who just led the Buckeyes to their first national title in 10 years, and embraced him. A real, genuine hug. 

Leonard lifted his helmet on his forehead just high enough to share a few words with Howard. The two, who made history as the first two transfer quarterbacks to start against each other in a national championship game, were once both seen as “underdogs” – merely dreaming of the day that they would step on the biggest stage in college football. 

Leonard then made his way to the edge of the Notre Dame endzone, pushing his helmet back into place to shield the tears, giving hugs to each teammate walking by. He inched his way off the field, with hurt in his eyes, and away from the celebration of the new national champions. 

“I think as far as this program goes, we’ve learned a lot,” Leonard said. “We’ve been through ups and downs. I’ve been through ups and downs. I don’t even recognize the person I was before I got to Notre Dame, and it’s all credit to these guys beside me and everybody else in the locker room.” 

Leonard also gives a lot of credit to his family.

“The support from my family members is unmatched,” Leonard said at Saturday’s CFP media day. 

Although most of the Leonard family can be found sitting with the other Fighting Irish families during a game, Leonard’s dad, Chad, is nowhere to be seen. It’s not because he’s not at the game. He prefers to walk the stadium concourses and watch his son play the game from his “secret spots.” This tradition dates all the way back to his son’s T-ball days. 

The last time Leonard played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, when Notre Dame played Georgia Tech in October 2024, his dad walked around each level of the stadium, scouting out new spots to keep track of the game.

On Monday, he saw Leonard set the tone on the first drive, rushing for four first-down conversions and the game’s first touchdown. 

Leonard, who finished with 238 yards and two TDs on 21-of-30 passing to go along with a rushing TD, lifted his right arm to the TV camera and flashed his sweatband that read “Matthew 23:12.” On Leonard’s left wrist was another wristband that reads “you suck,” a phrase that his mom, Heather, has texted him before each one of his games since high school. 

“If Coach wants to call my number and have me run the ball every single play, I’ve got no problem with it,” Leonard said. “You’ve seen me put my body on the line for this team over and over again. Whether I’m running the ball or passing the ball, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to do everything I can to help the team win.”

After that first touchdown, the Fighting Irish struggled to move the ball throughout the second quarter and much of the third. Leonard connected with Jaden Greathouse for two touchdowns in the second half to create some back-half momentum, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to make the comeback Notre Dame needed. 

Unlike his dad, Leonard’s mom sits in the stands, next to his older brother Cole and younger brother Devin, who have started a tradition of their own with Leonard at Notre Dame: They paint their bodies head to toe in green and gold. Despite the 20-degree temperatures in Atlanta on Monday, the two walked from their tailgate to the stadium wearing nothing but that paint and their shorts to cheer on their brother. 

Although Monday night’s game didn’t end with happy photos for Leonard and the Fighting Irish, the new Five Guys tradition could be an add-on to the things his family does when he’s playing sports. Once a local basketball and football legend in his blue and gold Fairhope High School jerseys, Leonard has closed this chapter of his life donning the same colors. 

“I’m tremendously grateful for what Riley and these guys have done for our program,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said.

This story was updated with new information.

Ansley Gavlak is a student in the University of Georgia’s undergraduate Sports Media Certificate program.

ATLANTA – Following Ohio State’s 34-23 national championship victory over Notre Dame on Monday night, Ryan Day took a deep breath – a sigh of relief, some may say.

The noise after Ohio State’s loss to Michigan just 51 days prior was deafening. It seemed like the only thing Day could do to drown it out was to win the Buckeyes’ first title in 10 years. 

And on Monday he did just that. 

“When you go through great moments, you really grab on to the people that are around you, and it’s the same thing when you go through difficult moments,” Day said. “That’s it. That’s why you have family. That’s why you build relationships.”

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After a moment to take it all in, Day found “the truth tellers” in his life. His wife and three kids stood there, arms open, ready to celebrate Day becoming a national title coach. Nia, Day’s youngest daughter, was in tears. 

“We’ve got to go celebrate,” Day said to his family. “We’re gonna go on stage and hoist this trophy.”

Day took a moment on stage to embrace an emotional Caleb Downs before the Buckeyes were introduced as the 2025 national champions.

“Coach Day is probably one of the most ecstatic people you can be around,” Downs told USA TODAY Sports at Saturday’s CFP Media Day. “He’s so happy to see us have success and to see the work that we put in come to fruition. So just being around him postgame, you definitely get a smile on your face because you can see how excited he is.”

Day said it from the get-go. He really just “wanted to finish this thing the right way.”

With a multi-million dollar roster on hand and a championship legacy for the ages, pressure came from all sides. It was time for Day to win big.

“So, when you look at the game against Michigan, it could be one of two things,’ said Chip Kelly, Ohio State offensive coordinator who was also Day’s coach when he played at New Hampshire. ‘It could be your tombstone or it could be a stepping stone. And Ryan and our players turned it into a stepping stone.”

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Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan on its own turf was a gut punch for Day. Day, who’s faced constant pressure to meet the standard of Buckeyes fans, is 1-4 against the Wolverines in his time as head coach – a record some deem as “fireable.” 

“I was upset, but yet, (I) know that he’s a great coach, and unfortunately, some of our fans take it a little extreme,” longtime Ohio State fan Todd Adcock told USA TODAY Sports before kickoff on Monday. 

In the news conference following the now-infamous postgame scuffle between the two rivals, all Day could say was “I don’t know.” Tensions were high and uncertainty loomed over a team favored to win it all.  

“This game can give you the highest of highs and the lowest of lows,” Day said after Monday’s win. “It can take you to your knees some days as a player and as a coach.”

Monday’s win put Day firmly on his feet – standing with his family and his players in front of the national championship trophy.

All that noise from 51 days ago fell quiet. 

“(The players are) my motivation. My family at home, my wife and kids, and these guys. That’s why I get up in the morning every day is just to try to make sure these guys reach their dreams and goals,’ Day said in a postgame broadcast interview on Monday.

‘We hung in there like a family does when things get hard.’

This story has been updated with new information.

Mia Fishman is a student in the University of Georgia’s undergraduate Sports Media Certificate program.

ATLANTA – The noise, after Ohio State’s loss to Michigan just 51 days ago, was deafening. It seemed like the only thing Ryan Day could do to drown it out was to win a national championship. 

And on Monday he did just that. Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34-23 for the team’s first national title in 10 years, when Urban Meyer was the Buckeyes’ head coach.

Day said it from the get-go. He really just “wanted to finish this thing the right way.”

With a multi-million dollar roster at hand and a championship legacy for the ages, pressure came from all sides. It was time for Ryan Day to win big.

Buy Ohio State CFP championship books, posters, gear

“So, when you look at the game against Michigan, it could be one of two things,’ said Chip Kelly, Ohio State offensive coordinator who was also Day’s coach when he played at New Hampshire. ‘It could be your tombstone or it could be a stepping stone. And Ryan and our players turned it into a stepping stone.”

Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan on its own turf was a gut punch for Day. Day, who’s faced constant pressure to meet the standard of Buckeyes fans, is 1-4 against the Wolverines in his time as head coach – a record some deem as “fireable.” 

“I was upset, but yet, [I] know that he’s a great coach and unfortunately, some of our fans take it a little extreme,” longtime Ohio State fan Todd Adcock told USA TODAY Sports before kickoff on Monday. 

In the news conference following the now-infamous postgame scuffle between the two rivals, all Day could say was “I don’t know.” Tensions were high and uncertainty loomed over a team favored to win it all.  

Shop Ohio State football championship merch now! Here’s where to buy

Now, the script has flipped. All in 51 days, Day turned things around and it all fell quiet. Not even the noise could stop Ryan Day and his powerhouse Ohio State team. 

“(The players are) my motivation. My family at home, my wife and kids, and these guys. That’s why I get up in the morning every day is just to try to make sure these guys reach their dreams and goals,’ Day said in a postgame broadcast interview on Monday.

‘We hung in there like a family does when things get hard.’

This story will be updated with more information.

Mia Fishman is a student in the University of Georgia’s undergraduate Sports Media Certificate program.

During halftime of Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, ESPN cut away from its halftime show coverage to air a video message from Trump. He made a lengthy political statement surrounding his first day in office before talking about the title game.

‘To all of the players and fans watching tonight, I know it’s been a long and difficult journey. It’s been a long season, but you have two tremendous teams, and get to the game and go out and fight hard and fight fair and let the better team win, and I’m going to enjoy watching it. Thank you and good night,’ he said.

The message, recorded earlier on Monday, aired hours after Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. On Monday night, Trump was at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., as he signed dozens of executive actions.

‘With Donald Trump’s Inauguration occurring on the day of the CFP National Championship, it makes sense to include a message from the President, a practice that occurs regularly during major sporting events – including earlier this month from President Biden before the Sugar Bowl,’ an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

ESPN referred to a message from former President Joe Biden that aired prior to the Sugar Bowl, which was postponed a day after a man killed 14 people and injured 30 more in the early hours of New Years’ Day in New Orleans – where the game was located – by driving a pickup truck through a large crowd on Bourbon Street.

Trump had previously attended the national championship game during his first term as president. He was at the 2018 College Football Playoff national championship game in Atlanta between Alabama and Georgia and the 2020 College Football Playoff title game in New Orleans between LSU and Clemson.

ATLANTA – Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard and his longtime girlfriend, Molly Walding, started a new tradition after playoff games this season. 

They went to Five Guys for burgers and fries, because “he’s usually starving,” Walding told USA TODAY Sports last week. The two stood in line, just like everyone else, patiently waiting for their food. From time to time, a young fan would recognize Leonard. Walding would happily take a photo. Then the two would go back to eating. 

Although the College Football Playoff national championship game against Ohio State on Monday night didn’t end with happy photos for Leonard and the Fighting Irish, the new Five Guys tradition could be an add-on to the things his family does when he’s playing sports. 

“The support from my family members is unmatched,” Leonard said at Saturday’s CFP media day. 

While most of the Leonard family can be found sitting with the other Fighting Irish families during a game, Leonard’s dad, Chad, is nowhere to be seen. It’s not because he’s not at the game. He prefers to walk the stadium concourses and watch his son play the game from his “secret spots.” This tradition dates all the way back to his son’s T-ball days. 

The last time Leonard played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, when Notre Dame played Georgia Tech in October 2024, his dad walked around each level of the stadium, scouting out new spots to keep track of the game.

On Monday, he saw Leonard set the tone on the first drive, rushing for four first-down conversions and the game’s first touchdown. 

Leonard, who finished with 238 yards and two TDs on 21-of-30 passing to go along with a rushing TD, lifted his right arm to the TV camera and flashed his sweatband that read “Matthew 23:12.” On Leonard’s left wrist was another wristband that reads “you suck,” a phrase that his mom, Heather, has texted him before each one of his games since high school. 

Unlike his dad, Leonard’s mom sits in the stands, next to his older brother Cole and younger brother Devin, who have started a tradition of their own with Leonard at Notre Dame. They paint their bodies head to toe in green and gold. 

Despite the 20-degree temperatures in Atlanta on Monday, the two walked from their tailgate to the stadium wearing nothing but that paint and their shorts to cheer on their brother. 

This story will be updated with more information.

Ansley Gavlak is a student in the University of Georgia’s undergraduate Sports Media Certificate program.

With Jessica Pegula eliminated by Olga Danilovic two rounds ago, Coco Gauff was America’s last hope for a women’s singles title in the 2025 Australian Open.

Gauff’s opponent in the quarterfinals, Spanish star Paula Badosa, had never advanced further than the quarterfinals in any Grand Slam event in her career. But, all streaks must come to an end.

No. 3 seed Gauff, the heavy favorite in the match, would wind up losing in straight sets (7-5, 6-4) to Badosa, the No. 11 seed. This was Badosa’s first ever win over a top-10 opponent at a major, and it also propelled her to her first Grand Slam semifinal.

A victory over Badosa would’ve given Gauff her second consecutive semifinal appearance at the Australian Open, but now she’ll have to wait for Roland Garros in May, where she fell in the semifinals of the French Open a year ago.

Here’s everything to know about Gauff’s loss and what to expect moving forward:

Highlights from Gauff’s Australian Open defeat

Who does Paula Badosa play next at Australian Open?

With her win over Gauff in the quarterfinals, Badosa will now face the winner of world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 33 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the Australian Open semifinals. Sabalenka plays Pavlyuchenkova in a night session match Tuesday in Australia (3:30 a.m. ET).

When is the next women’s Grand Slam event?

Gauff’s next shot at her second career Grand Slam title will be at Roland Garros in Paris. The French Open is scheduled to begin on May 25 this year, with the final matches played on June 8.

When are the Australian Open finals?

With the quarterfinals in progress, the finals are on the horizon. The women’s semifinals are scheduled for Thursday in Melbourne, while the final is set for Saturday, Jan. 25. The time for the match has yet to be determined, but it will be played at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

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Sometimes, coaches get so concerned with being crafty they forget to do what makes sense.

So it was in the second half of Notre Dame vs Ohio State in the national championship game, when on fourth-and-2, from their own 33-yard line, the Fighting Irish attempted a fake punt down 28-7.

It was surprising to see the punt team take the field at all in a short-yardage situation, and somehow even more surprising to see a fake in such an obvious spot. Backup quarterback Steve Angeli’s pass fell incomplete on a rollout to Jordan Faison, as the ball fell through the latter’s hands during a diving attempt.

The play was nearly a success, but the chaos of a fake punt can make plays that seem relatively simple messy by nature.

The Fighting Irish defense stood firm on the ensuing Buckeyes possession, forcing a field goal that made it 31-7 Buckeyes. Notre Dame would score and convert a 2-point conversion on its next drive to make it a two-possession game — making it so the gifted three points loom a little bit larger in the third quarter.

Time to make some space in the Ohio State trophy case.

The Buckeyes added another piece of hardware to their storied program with another title, this time winning the College Football Playoff national championship game over Notre Dame on Monday night.

Winning national championships isn’t something new to Ohio State — it is in the top 10 of most titles won in Division I history and a major reason why it is one of the powerhouse programs in the country. However, it might feel like it’s been quite some time for Buckeye fans, who have waited more than a decade for another moment to raise the trophy to end the college football season. Now after a long road down the 12-team playoff, Ryan Day has captured his first championship as head coach in Columbus.

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With another championship secured, here is how many total titles the Buckeyes have in their history:

How many national championships has Ohio State football won?

Ohio State can now claim nine national championships thanks to Monday’s victory.

The Buckeyes have won national championships in:

1942: 9-1, head coach: Paul Brown
1954: 10-0, head coach: Woody Hayes
1957: 9-1, head coach: Woody Hayes
1961: 8-0-1, head coach: Woody Hayes
1968: 10-0, head coach: Woody Hayes
1970: 9-1, head coach: Woody Hayes
2002: 14-0, head coach: Jim Tressel
2014: 14-1, head coach: Urban Meyer
2024: 14-2, head coach: Ryan Day

However, two of those titles could be disputed.

The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, only recognizes seven of those victories because of how national champions were selected prior to the implementation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1998. Prior to that, in most years, Ohio State was awarded the title of national champion by the Associated Press, United Press International or coaches polls.

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However, in 1961, the Buckeyes were awarded the national championship by the Football Writers Association of America and in 1970, they were named champions by the National Football Foundation. In 1961, Alabama was also named national champions, and in 1970, Nebraska and Texas also got the honor.

In 2002, 2014 and 2024, Ohio State won the national championship game.

Who has the most national championships in college football?

Ohio State’s victory now moves it into a tie with Southern California for the sixth most national championships the NCAA recognizes. Here is the top 10 per the NCAA:

1. Yale: 18
2. Alabama: 16
3. Princeton: 15
4. Notre Dame: 13
5. Michigan: 10
T-6 Southern California: 9
T-6 Ohio State: 9
8. Harvard: 8
9. Oklahoma: 7
10. Minnesota: 6

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is certain that he’s going to play football next season. He isn’t so sure if it’ll be for the Rams.

“Yeah. Who knows what’s going to happen. A lot of that stuff is out of my control. And we will see what it’s going to be. There was obviously stuff that was going on early on in the season,” Kupp said. “I don’t have any clarity on what that’s going to look like or anything like that. So yeah, obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that’s going to look like.’

The wide receiver has two years remaining on his contract. Los Angeles would save $7.52 million against the 2025 cap if Kupp is a pre-June 1 cut.

Kupp’s name circulated around this year’s NFL trade deadline as a possible player who could be on the move. But Rams head coach Sean McVay shot down Kupp trade rumors in October.

Kupp missed four games after injuring his ankle in Week 2. He was also inactive in Week 18 when the Rams elected to rest him.

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The 31-year-old wide receiver registered 67 catches, 710 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 12 games this year. His best season came in 2021 where he won the receiver triple crown, tallying 145 catches, 1,947 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. His performance won him NFL offensive player of the year. His stellar play continued into the postseason as he was named Super Bowl 56 MVP after the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.

Kupp has battled injuries to his lower extremities since his 2021 campaign and his numbers have decreased. But the eight-year veteran believes he still has plenty of good football ahead.  

“Oh, yeah. There’s no doubt in my mind. I want to play football,” Kupp said. “I feel like I have a lot of good football left in me. I will be playing football next year. That much I know.”

OFFSEASON REVIEW: What’s next for the Rams?

Kupp’s friend and teammate Matthew Stafford also faces an uncertain future in Los Angeles. Stafford restructured his contract during the offseason. The 36-year-old quarterback contract runs through the 2026 season.

“As far as my future goes, it’s 30 minutes after the last game so I’ll take some time to think about it,” Stafford told reporters following the Rams’ 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs. “But I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball.”

When Stafford was asked if he has good football left in him. The quarterback had a similar response as Kupp.

“It sure feels like it,” Stafford said.

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