COLUMBUS – The Buckeyes face Alabama in the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday.
2021 College Football Playoff National Championship
3 Ohio State (7-0) VS. 1 Alabama (12-0)
Hard Rock Stadium; Miami, Fla.
Monday, Jan. 11 (8:00 p.m./ESPN)
The Buckeyes are looking for their first national championship since 2014, when they won the inaugural College Football Playoff, and head coach Ryan Day says the team considers winning the title unfinished business after a tumultuous 2020 season, delayed and interrupted by COVID-19.
“To say it’s easy…no. To sit back and say that we can pat ourselves on the back or feel good about what’s gone on…no, no. We got to finish this thing off…and, when the season’s over, we’ll go back and think about al the great things that have happened this year because there’s a lot of them,” Day told reporters last week.
Justin Fields threw six touchdown passes for Ohio State in its semifinal victory over Clemson.
The Crimson Tide are back in the championship game for the first time since 2018 when they lost to Clemson.
Alabama is led by Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, Heisman finalist Mac Jones and All-America running back Najee Harris.