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Where to even begin with Ohio State’s team? Do you start with his unwavering resilience? Perhaps the determined leadership of a senior class that has returned to the team to pursue something greater than personal goals? Or maybe the best starting point is to focus on the brotherhood – the one that carried every win or loss to get the team to where it is today.
The Buckeyes head south to Atlanta to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with the national championship on the line. It’s a matchup rooted in deep history and pride, but for head coach Ryan Day and his team, it’s about proving that their bond — forged through both adversity and victory — is what makes them unstoppable.
“We want to keep this team together,” Day said after the Buckeyes’ thrilling win against Texas. “Now they have 10 more days together and a chance to tell their story if they win one more.”
Since the start of the regular season, the many seniors who have decided to return to Ohio State have naturally paved the way for the rest of their teammates, determined to cement an immortal legacy and achieve their ultimate aspiration: winning a national championship.
Even transfers brought into the Ohio State family just this year, like Will Howard and Quinshon Judkins, seem to have fallen into place, becoming key players in the Buckeyes’ explosive offense. Running back Judkins emphasized his camaraderie after reaching the end zone twice during his semifinal win against Texas.
“It’s not about me. It’s about my teammates,” he said. “This is such a great group of guys, and we’ve been through so much adversity this year.”
Selflessness and unity are the foundation of the Buckeyes’ playoff run. Through it all, the brotherhood is what inspired and encouraged Ohio State to keep fighting each week to stay together.
“It’s their family against our family,” Day said before the Cotton Bowl. “I know one thing: when you have a family, you do everything you can to defend your family.” The Buckeyes took their coach’s message and ran with it, especially Jack Sawyer, as “Captain Jack” delivered an 83-yard scoop-and-score return that secured Ohio State’s berth in Atlanta.
That now-legendary game showed how leaders like Sawyer strive to dominate the field not only for themselves, but also for the brothers who fight alongside them.
When reflecting on his game-defining moment, Sawyer highlighted the convoy of teammates that followed him down the length of the court.
“I was out of money, and when I looked back, they were running side by side with me,” Sawyer said. “That speaks volumes about who this team is and how we always have each other’s backs. I love Ohio State football.”
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That support remained true through the toughest of times, and even strengthened after the team’s stunning loss to Michigan. After the loss, the Buckeyes stormed into the playoffs and proved their unity stronger than ever against the power trio of Tennessee, Oregon and Texas.
Ohio’s playoff run began with an infectious, defiant energy that radiated through The Shoe with a dominant 42-17 victory against the Volunteers. The Buckeyes were able to look adversity square in the eye and take over all aspects of the game.
“The resilience of this team is incredible,” Sawyer said. “We left last year with a bad taste in our mouths and then we heard the same thing a month ago. We kept rocking, and it’s all because of the guys next to me.”
Coaches, players and fans alike are confident in this Ohio State team – but more importantly, the Buckeyes are confident in themselves that they will continue to fight as they head to Atlanta. The team will only go as far as Howard can take them under center, and Day has full confidence in his running back to rally the troops on Monday.
“Will’s leadership has been at the forefront of everything, the way Will can take this team on his shoulders and not only lead, but lift guys up,” Day said.
As Howard has been saying all year, “The job ain’t done ’til we win it all.” The Buckeyes are now 60 minutes away from realizing their dream. They know the stake and are ready to get the job done – for the brotherhood.
Seven weeks ago, Day’s Buckeyes had just lost to Michigan for the fourth time in a row. How they reacted to that defeat speaks volumes about his coaching.
About the author
Elena Dollinger is a senior at Ohio State University majoring in Strategic Communication with a minor in Media Analysis and Production. Since her sophomore year, she has worked with the Ohio State Athletics Department as a digital media intern, helping to create content for Ohio State Athletics’ social accounts and managing the @ohiostathletics Instagram story on football game days. Follow along with some of its sports content here.
