The 2024 college football playoff showcased some great performances, concluding with the Ohio State Buckeyes defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23.
The Buckeyes were impressive during their playoff run, winning all four games by double digits. This included two victories by 20 points or more, one of which was a 20-point win against the top-seeded Oregon Ducks.
Advertisement
Ohio State was led by quarterback Will Howard, who transferred from Kansas State. In his only season at Ohio State, he threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 73% of his passes.
Despite his impressive statistics, SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum commented on his show, “The Paul Finebaum Show,” that Howard’s performance last season wasn’t as exceptional as it seemed.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) throws during the first half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“They had an experienced quarterback,” Finebaum said. “He wasn’t great. He was serviceable. He didn’t make a lot of mistakes. He played a role.”
Howard elevated his performance during the postseason. In the regular season, he completed 72.3% of his passes, averaging 238.3 yards per game, with 2.25 touchdown passes and 0.67 interceptions per game. In contrast, during the postseason, he increased his completion rate to 75.2%, throwing for an average of 287.5 yards per game, with two touchdown passes and 0.5 interceptions per game.
Advertisement
Finebaum had been critical of Howard, labeling him Ohio State’s biggest question mark. Despite this criticism, Howard proved Finebaum wrong and emerged as a significant contributor during the team’s national championship run.
His impressive playoff performance led to him being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He will join a quarterback room that includes Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.
As he prepares for the NFL, the Buckeyes are also preparing for life without him. They have yet to name a starting quarterback; however, five-star redshirt freshman Julian Sayin is the favorite for the position. The Buckeyes will need to finalize their decision as they open the season against the Texas Longhorns, a team they defeated in the College Football Playoff semifinals last year, on August 30.
Related: Kirk Herbstreit Gives Honest Opinion on NFL Future of Ohio State’s Will Howard