Ohio State hold off Notre Dame to claim first national football title in 10 years

• Ohio State Buckeyes 34-23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Jeremiah Smith's big play clinches championship

Instead of having to mull over another collapse, Ohio State can celebrate another national title after holding off a Notre Dame comeback bid on Monday night to walk away with a nailbiter of a 34-23 victory over the Fighting Irish.

Will Howard hit big-play receiver Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards on a late third-and-11 to lock down a game that had been a laugher, then turned into something else. Trailing 31-7, Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and two two-point conversions to make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter.