Coach Ryan Day shushed the critics, running back Quinshon Judkins scored three touchdowns, and the No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes held off a furious second-half rally to beat No. 7 seed Notre Dame, 34-23,

The Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish 34-23 to win the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, their first national championship since the 2014 season

There’s no way this is going to happen, right?” Ohio State led by eight in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame in the national title game, and I was all alone. My co-beat writers, Stephen Means and Stefan Krajisnik,