Ohio State’s national championship celebrations hit a momentary bump.
Following the on-field ceremony for the Buckeyes’ 34-23 win over Notre Dame Monday night, head coach Ryan Day, quarterback Will Howard and linebacker Cody Simon were being driven in a golf cart from the field to the team’s postgame press conference in the bowels of Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Except they didn’t get very far.
The staffer driving the golf cart crashed into the wall while attempting a three-point turn.
The golf cart appeared to be damaged and did not move when the staffer subsequently tried to back away from the wall.
Day, Howard and Simon exited the golf cart while laughing, seemingly unharmed.
Howard completed 17 of 21 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed 16 times for 57 rushing yards on the ground.
He was named offensive MVP of the game.
Simon recorded eight total tackles and a tackle-for-loss and was named the defensive MVP.
“I give this guy a lot of credit right here,” Day said of Howard. “I think he ran the ball 16 times, and we knew it was going to be that way. It was the last game of the season, and we were going to [use all] our bullets. He really put the team on his back.”
The win marked Ohio State’s first national championship in a decade and first under Day.
“It’s the reason why you get into coaching,” Day said. “It’s to see guys overcome things, learn life lessons, and reach their dreams. That’s what happened tonight.”
