How has it already been one full season since Ohio State had a 3rd and 11 with the National Championship on the line and they went to their true freshman to convert it.
The Ohio State Buckeyes limped into the 2024 College Football Playoffs feeling like they needed a miracle to make a run at the National Championship.
Actually, the National Championship didn't seem like a realistic option for a Buckeyes team that lost to one of the worst Michigan teams in recent history after stumbling over Nebraska a few weeks before that, to add to their loss to Oregon earlier in the season.
Little did Buckeye Nation know that this team had another level to reach, and they reached it easily.
They boat raced Tennessee and Oregon before winning a back-and-forth slugfest against Texas in the Cotton Bowl, which they won, setting up one of the most anticipated National Championships between them and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Both teams were on a magical run, and both teams had dreams of hoisting the trophy in Atlanta.
The game that they put on was an instant classic. Notre Dame showed no fear right away as they opened action with an 18-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 9:45 seconds. That's a hilarious sentence to type because those drive numbers are ridiculous.
The Buckeyes answered in a major way with three straight third-quarter touchdown drives, with two straight Notre Dame three-and-outs and an end-of-half kneel-out to take a 21-7 lead into halftime.
It was immediately more Buckeyes right away as they opened the second half with a five-play 75-yard drive that was highlighted by a Quinshon Judkins 70-yard run that set up a score.
The Buckeyes were rolling and thought they were coasting to the title.
Not so fast, my friend.
Notre Dame got off the mat with a 75-yard touchdown that ended the third quarter, which had them in striking distance, trailing 31-15. Then, the Buckeyes fumbled on their next possession, and Notre Dame had a chance to trim the lead further but missed a field goal.
They still were not dead. The Fighting Irish forced a Buckeyes punt and took it down for an 80-yard touchdown drive that was capped with a two-point conversion that had the lead down to one score.
It was sweaty palms time for all of the Buckeye fans because they felt their grip on this game slipping away after they dominated it.
In every football game, there is one or two plays that change the tide, and in this one, it came on 3rd and 11 at the Ohio State 35-yard line. All of the momentum was on Notre Dame's side, and they had a chance to blow the roof off the Superdome.
One of the Irish's achilles heels was that they lived in man-to-man coverage. That's what got them to that point, and that was going to take them to the finish. Music to Jeremiah Smith's ears.
Ryan Day used a little motion to set up a one-on-one with Smith, and quarterback Will Howard laid a perfect ball out to him. Smith hauled it in and scampered 56 yards to the Notre Dame 10-yard line, effectively ending the game.
Ohio State tacked on a field goal and pushed the lead back up to 11 points, and the Buckeyes were National Champions.
It is still hard to believe that with the season on the line, Ohio State called on their freshman sensation, and he got the job done on a play that will live in Buckeyes' lore for the rest of time.