
"I didn't know much. I didn't watch a lot of K-State games." Until this season, not many people knew much about Howard either. He was a middling prospect ranked 882nd in his class who had spent four years toiling away in Manhattan, Kan., at a program with an all-time losing record. This wasn't exactly the profile of a player who was expected to take the wheel for one of the most talented offenses in the country.
But on Monday night, that anonymous prospect made a name for himself by delivering the game of his life on college football's biggest stage. In the national championship against Notre Dame, Will Howard threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 57 on 16 carries to seal the Buckeyes' 34-23 victory.
"I don't think it surprised anybody in our program," said offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
This story is from the January 22, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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This story is from the January 22, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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