Three best finishes in recent Ohio State Football history
By Ryan Stano
![Sep 23, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) tries to come up with the catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) but draws a penalty during the second quarter of their game at Notre Dame Stadium. Sep 23, 2023; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) tries to come up with the catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Benjamin Morrison (20) but draws a penalty during the second quarter of their game at Notre Dame Stadium.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/a583e590670803ac160480ce3084869c18698a6fb705cecb9314213580ae1d8d.jpg)
The Ohio State football team is riding high after beating Notre Dame 17-14 on Saturday night in one of the most thrilling finishes you’ll ever see. The Buckeyes were able to beat the Irish on a last-second touchdown from Chip Trayanum to put them ahead for good.
It was a really good game to watch from the Buckeyes in a tough environment. It’s a win that gives them some wiggle room down the stretch if they happen to lose a game. This win on their resume would give them a chance to still make the College Football Playoff in that scenario.
The defense was sensational and Kyle McCord did just enough on that final drive to give the Buckeyes the win. That win got me thinking of some other great finishes in Ohio State football history. This one certainly ranks up there as one of the best.
There are three games that come to mind that I have lived through that were fantastic finishes. These are not only some of the best finishes in recent Ohio State football history but in Ohio State history period. The first one on the list is the game we just watched on Saturday.
3. Ohio State football vs. Notre Dame 2023
Whenever you see a coach get as fired up after a win as Ryan Day was after beating Notre Dame, you know you had a great finish to a tough win. He was so happy to see his team prove to the rest of the country that the Buckeyes are in fact a tough team this year.
McCord led a 15-play 65-yard drive in 1:25 to get the Buckeyes a victory. His poise in that situation gives me hope that he can handle pressure when it comes later in the season as the games get even bigger than the one he just played on Saturday night.
To me, the defense is a huge story as well. This is a legitimately good defense. Even though they didn’t force any turnovers, they held Sam Hartman to just 175 yards passing. The biggest thing is that they didn’t allow any big plays, which has been a point of emphasis all offseason.
To have a game end on a game-winning touchdown on the road is why this game stands at number three on this list. Number two on this list is another game-winning touchdown for the Buckeyes, but this time it was at home.