North Columbus News

More than 30,000 fans gathered at Ohio Stadium on Sunday to celebrate The Ohio State University Buckeyes' victory in the 2024 College Football Playoff against Notre Dame. This win marks their first national championship since 2014. A new street sign, Champions Way, was unveiled and will be placed outside the stadium.

Ohio State President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. congratulated the team, stating, “I want to say congratulations on this amazing run to this amazing football team … because this year was not like any other year in college football history.”

The event saw Ohio State students filling a standing-room-only section on the field. Athletic Director Ross Bjork expressed gratitude for community support throughout the season. He remarked, “Everything we do is connected through the people. People matter, relationships matter, the culture matters, leadership matters.” He emphasized that Ohio State Athletics is a public trust in Ohio.

Governor Mike DeWine declared it “THE Celebration of Champions Day,” thanking the team for bringing joy to Ohio.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther presented a key to the city to President Carter and coach Ryan Day on behalf of the team. Ginther said, “We are thrilled to celebrate these amazing men who showed us great perseverance, resilience and commitment.”

The celebration featured an invocation by Buckeyes tight end Gee Scott Jr., with quarterback Will Howard expressing appreciation for fan support. Team captains Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Jack Sawyer and Cody Simon discussed their hard work during the season.

Coach Ryan Day highlighted six top-10 victories from their successful season starting with Penn State and culminating in four College Football Playoff wins. He stated, “Those memories will live in Ohio State history forever... Now let’s go get another one of these.”