Ohio State's $20 Million Gamble Pays off in the Only Satisfying Way, a National Title

ATLANTA — The sky began falling that day in November.

On the final weekend of the 2023 regular season, Ohio State took an 11-0 record into a showdown with archrival Michigan. Kyle McCord's last-minute pass floated into the arms of Rod Moore, sealing the Buckeyes' fate in an exasperating 30-24 loss—one that prevented OSU from making a trip to the College Football Playoff, too.

The disappointment only deepened when a McCord-less offense struggled in the Cotton Bowl setback to Missouri. What had been such a promising year for Ohio State ended with two deflating losses.

To make matters worse—while the Buckeyes sat at home—Michigan, that miserable team up north, won a national title.

It seemed OSU missed an opportunity to reassert itself nationally. The roster had an extensive list of draft-eligible players, led by receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who were widely expected to chase the NFL. That was simply the trend of what the best prospects had done for 15 years.

As fans wrestled with their discontent, however, a very expensive plan started to emerge from the shadows.

Many of those juniors announced their return. Tyleik Williams, then Jack Sawyer, Emeka Egbuka, Denzel Burke, JT Tuimoloau and TreVeyon Henderson. Meanwhile, the Bucks pulled Will Howard out of the transfer portal, then Quinshon Judkins, Seth McLaughlin and Caleb Downs.

Thanks to name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, Ohio State used its financial strength to retain a veteran core, attract some highly coveted transfers and land the No. 3 recruiting class.

All told, according to athletic director Ross Bjork, donor-led collectives and brand affiliates paid about $20 million.

The mission, clear: Win a national championship.

Monday night in Atlanta, the Buckeyes completed that objective in resounding fashion. They yielded an early touchdown but quickly took control, scoring the next 31 points of a 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

For the first time in 11 seasons, Ohio State stands atop the sport. The investment was worth every penny—all 2 billion of them.

Howard went 17-of-21 for 232 yards and two touchdowns, icing the triumph with a pivotal 56-yard throw to star freshman Jeremiah Smith. Judkins racked up 121 yards from scrimmage and three scores, while Henderson and Egbuka provided some key gains. Tuimoloau notched a valuable sack in the fourth quarter; he and the rest of his defensive counterparts held the Fighting Irish to 308 yards.

When the OSU coaching staff, players and donors alike dreamed up their vision for the 2024 season, it looked like this.

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Sure, the campaign was not without a lingering blemish.

Ohio State fans remain desperate for a victory over Michigan. There genuinely would've been a sense of calm around the program if the Bucks finally beat U-M yet lost earlier in the CFP this season. You don't have to believe me, but that's reality. They hate Michigan.

In 2024, it didn't happen. Again. For the fourth straight year—this time at home, as a huge favorite—OSU fell to Michigan. The unceremonious flag-planting led to an ugly outburst of emotion from the Buckeyes, who showed more fight after the whistle than during the loss.

But if you're going to lose to that nemesis, only one result can start to alleviate the bitter sting.

Considering what Ohio State supporters invested in the program, it's a logical attitude, too. Losing to a mediocre Michigan team and not bringing home a Big Ten or national title would've been a total failure for sixth-year coach Ryan Day and this handsomely paid roster.

Throughout this postseason, however, the unsatisfied angst festering around the program has faded.

The offense, which had no answers in that Michigan upset, flipped a proverbial switch to hang 83 combined points on Tennessee and Oregon. The defense came up clutch in the victory over Texas, highlighted by Sawyer's game-sealing fumble return for a touchdown.

During the rout of Notre Dame, the units coalesced nearly perfectly.

After that opening-drive touchdown, the Buckeyes locked down the ND running game. They outplayed a smart, physical defense to the tune of 445 yards—the second-highest total allowed by the Irish this season—and scored on every possession until the fourth quarter.

The matchup proved to be a coronation for Ohio State, a touted preseason front-runner that simply needed to take a more adventurous route than anticipated to secure its crown.

This is why those seniors stayed. This is why those donors wrote the checks to facilitate those decisions.

Money has always ruled in college football; the 2024 campaign merely found a very public example. Ohio State had 20 million reasons to demand a championship, and the program came through.

The sky is no longer falling in Columbus.

In fact, it hasn't looked quite this beautiful in a decade.