Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes set to arrive in Atlanta for national title game

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is one of two teams still alive in the chase for the College Football Playoff national championship. The title game is Monday night in Atlanta between the Buckeyes and Notre Dame.

The Buckeyes are taking to the sky on Friday afternoon for their flight to Atlanta for the championship game against Notre Dame — one week after beating Texas last Friday night in the Cotton Bowl. Following a practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, the team will travel to Atlanta and then make their way to the team hotel ahead of Monday night’s game.

Ohio State completely dominated the first two rounds of the CFP, obliterating Tennessee in the Horseshoe before easily beating No. 1 seed Oregon in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal. The challenge came last week when they beat Texas 28-14 during a four-quarter slugfest. Notre Dame beat Indiana in the opening round before defeating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and Penn State in the Orange Bowl semifinal.

Now it all comes down to the championship game for both Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who are each going for their first national championship.

Day and the Buckeyes are heading to Atlanta on Friday.

Buckeyes reveal uniforms for national title matchup vs. Notre Dame

Ohio State has revealed its white uniforms for the national championship matchup vs. Notre Dame.

As the road team, the Buckeyes will be wearing white jerseys with a 2025 championship patch on the shoulder plate. But they’re breaking out the gray sleeves and the full “1968 Diamond Quest Nike Swoosh” jersey and pants combination for the national title game.

Ohio State hasn’t worn these jerseys since the 2022 Peach Bowl semifinal loss to Georgia.

The Buckeyes are 2-3 in these uniforms all-time, first wearing them against Alabama in the 2015 Sugar Bowl — a 42-35 upset win in the semifinal round of the first-ever four-team College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes went on to beat Oregon in the national championship a few days later. Ohio State also beat Oregon in the 2020 Sugar Bowl semifinal against Clemson while wearing this jersey and pants combo.

The program beat Oregon in the 2015 national championship win while wearing the scarlet edition of these uniforms. Ohio State has lost to Clemson in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl, Alabama in the 2020 national title game and Georgia in the 2022 Peach Bowl with this uniform combination on.

ICYMI: Jeremiah Smith snubbed for another freshman of year honor

Ohio State superstar freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was snubbed for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award a couple of weeks ago. Texas defensive end Colin Simmons won that honor.

Another freshman honor was passed down Wednesday, and Smith was snubbed again for a different freshman. Smith was not named the Offensive Freshman of the Year award from the Football Writers Association of America; South Carolina freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers won the award over Smith.

Sellers had a good year for the 9-4 Gamecocks, racking up 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He ran for 674 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

But Smith is remarkable for Ohio State, grabbing 71 passes for 1,227 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns — all three Buckeyes freshman receiving records — to go with one rushing touchdown. He is the leading receiver on the Ohio State team that is playing Notre Dame for the national championship on Monday night.

But he’s apparently not the best freshman in the country according to a pair of freshman award honors. Sellers took home one after Simmons took another — both over Jeremiah Smith.

Counting down

Ohio State vs. Notre Dame (national championship game): 3 days
Ohio State at Michigan: 316 days

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