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Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard’s admission at the Senior Bowl shows how badly Ohio State wanted the National Championship

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Jan 31, 2025 4:25 PM ET

Ohio State’s run to winning their first National Championship in a decade was a special one that is going to be remembered for years and years to come.

The Buckeyes defeated Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame all after falling in their final regular season game adree Michigan. That rebound after the loss to the Wolverines was a special one.

Ohio State capped off the National Championship run with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the title game. At the Senior Bowl this week, former Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard made an admission that shows how hard the Ohio State defense was really after it.

“I’m still feeling it. Those dudes could hit. I took a lot of them,” Leonard said at the Senior Bowl.

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Notre Dame scored on their opening drive when Leonard ran it nine times alone during that time. He finished with 17 runs for 40 yards. Ohio State got two sacks on Leonard, so he was hit 20+ times when you factor in the hits when he was just able to get the ball off.

They compare a hard NFL tackle to getting in a car accident, so it isn’t a surprise that Leonard is still a bit sore over a week later. Nine runs on the one long drive for Notre Dame was a bad sign for their chances. They were able to score, but it was a long drive and they were never going to be able to put that volume on Leonard all game.

Ohio State allowed 308 yards against the Fighting Irish. Ohio State’s defense was clicking on all cylinders during the College Football Playoff run and really all season long after the loss in October to Oregon. Now, the Buckeyes have to replace Jim Knowles since he went to Penn State. Translating this year’s success into something that can be carried over is key for the next coordinator.

Ohio State’s 14-2 season in 2024 gave Day his first National Championship and he became just the third active head coach to win a National Championship.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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