Will Howard transferred to Ohio State with the goal of winning a national championship, and he achieved that by playing the best football of his career during the Buckeyes’ four College Football Playoff games.
His performance in Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame on Monday night was especially impressive in the first half and at the game’s end. Howard completed his first 13 passes, setting a record for consecutive completions in a CFP title game. When Notre Dame had pulled within eight points, Howard threw a crucial 56-yard pass to Jeremiah Smith on third-and-11, all but sealing the victory.
“I give this guy a lot of credit right here,” said Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, as Howard sat next to him. “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.”
Howard entered the game in Atlanta with great momentum, and Notre Dame didn’t slow him down early. He distributed the ball to six different receivers, frequently opting for short passes that allowed his receivers to gain yards after the catch.
He tied the record for consecutive completions late in the second quarter, hitting Carnell Tate for 20 yards on third-and-7. Howard broke the record with a 15-yard pass to Smith on the following play. The streak ended when Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts broke up a pass intended for TreVeyon Henderson near the goal line.
“Coming into the season, one thing Coach Day emphasized was taking completions,” Howard explained. “Maybe I had to check it down or it wasn’t perfectly drawn up. You just want to keep the ball moving and stay on schedule.”
Alabama’s Mac Jones held the previous record, with 12 consecutive completions in the 2021 title game against Ohio State.
Howard finished the game 17 of 21 for 231 yards and was named the offensive MVP. He threw two touchdown passes: one for 8 yards to Smith and another for 6 yards to Quinshon Judkins in the first half.
Throughout the four playoff games, Howard completed 75.2% of his passes (82 out of 109) for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions.
“It can be a lot,” Howard said about the pressure of playoff games. “The lights are bright. It’s a spectacle. The TV timeouts are long; everything’s a show a little bit. You have to block that out and eliminate all the distractions. It’s about whoever has the poise in the noise and overcomes adversity.”
In addition to his passing, Howard’s running ability played a key role in the win. He gained first downs on five of his first six designed runs or scrambles, and late in the game, his 8-yard run gave Ohio State a vital first down. Howard ended with a career-high 16 carries for 57 yards.
“It may not always be pretty and sometimes you have to pick it up with your legs,” Howard said.
Before coming to Ohio State, Howard spent his first four years at Kansas State, where he struggled with injuries and lost a quarterback competition in 2022.
However, when the starting quarterback was injured, Howard led the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship. He was named second-team All-Big 12 in 2023. Ohio State’s Ryan Day saw potential in Howard and brought him in through the transfer portal.
Howard’s decision to play at Ohio State allowed him to work with some of the best offensive talent in the country, which improved his game and positioned him to be a potential middle- or late-round pick in the NFL draft.
“I saw something in him, a football IQ intelligence,” Day said. “I saw him play on film at Kansas State and win championships and big games. He was able to make an impact with his feet but also throw with accuracy, and those are hard things to find.”
Reflecting on his journey, Howard said, “It’s crazy to look back at all that’s happened during my career — going from playing as a freshman at Kansas State and not really knowing what I’m doing, then going into my junior year, not thinking I’d be playing, and winning a Big 12 championship. I’m just so unbelievably thankful that I got a chance to be a Buckeye, even if it was just one year.”
