The Ohio State Buckeyes are chasing their first national title in over a decade, and after several heartbreaking missteps, the school led by Ryan Day is set to avenge their wrongs and put down their ghosts from the past.

Ohio State last hoisted the NCAA‘s National Championship in 2014, under a Cinderella run by quarterback Cardale Jones. Jones played his first three career starts in Columbus in three critical instances: the Big Ten Championship, the Sugar Bowl, and the National Championship Game.

Cardale Jones was initially the third-string quarterback for the 2014 season, but as college football’s fate would have it, the Buckeyes would rely on their last resource signal-caller to guide them to victory.

Magical run

After starting quarterback J.T. Barrett suffered a broken ankle during “The Game” against the Michigan Wolverines, Cardale Jones had to take over under center for the Buckeyes. Jones was tasked with the biggest of orders, as his first career start was against the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship.

Cardale Jones #12 of the DC Defenders warms up before the XFL game against the St. Louis Battlehawks at Audi Field on March 8, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Jones’ career peaked on his first three starts, and only went downhill afterward. After passing for 742 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions during the three starts that marked his journey, Jones finished his collegiate career with 2209 passing yards for 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 23 games played.

NFL Career

After a very underwhelming 2015 campaign, Jones’ stock fell tremendously, and was selected in the 4th round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. However, Jones trajectory in the NFL was far from ideal, as the Buckeyes’ product only played in one game, a regular season finale against the New York Jets. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, but he didn’t play any regular season games.

Jones finished his NFL career with just six completions for 96 yards and an interception. A national champion, Jones’ short-lived professional career fueled the argument that Ohio State quarterbacks often struggle to make a name for themselves at the next level.

Quarterback Cardale Jones #7 of the Los Angeles Chargers scrambles with the football against the Arizona Cardinals during the preseason NFL game at University of Phoenix Stadium on August 11, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona.

However, that narrative has been put on hold thanks to CJ Stroud’s impact—a foundation Will Howard will hope to build on as he prepares to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.